Old Oyo, also known as Oyo-Ile, Katunga, Oyo-Oro, and Eyo is the site of a ruined medieval city that was once the capital [1] of the Oyo Empire in what is now modern-day Nigeria. It has been abandoned since 1835. It was a major cultural and political center of West Africa during the empire's height. [2]

Oyo Empire and surrounding states, c. 1625. The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire in West Africa. It was located in present-day southern Benin and western Nigeria (including the South West zone and the western half of the North Central zone).

Oyo empire, Yoruba state north of Lagos, in present-day southwestern Nigeria, that dominated, during its apogee (1650–1750), most of the states between the Volta River in the west and the Niger River in the east. It was the most important and authoritative of all …

Mar 30, 2025 · The Oyo, which is the southwestern part of Nigeria, was dominated between 1650 and 1750 in the early 11th century. The Oyo's main settlements were in and around Ife, the kingdom's historic capital; Old Oyo (called Oyo Ile or Katunga); Kusu; and Igboho.

Nov 26, 2023 · Oyo rose to become the largest empire in West Africa and reigned supreme in Yorubaland until the 19 th century, when it collapsed as a result of internal power struggles and external opposition. The fall of the Oyo Empire reverberated throughout Yorubaland, destabilizing the entire region.

Jun 26, 2024 · The Oyo Empire flourished from the 17th to 19th century CE in what is today southwest Nigeria. The Oyo forged an empire thanks to their formidable cavalry units and so came to dominate other Yoruba peoples of the region.

Dec 18, 2022 · Covering over 52 sqkm, Oyo-ile was among the largest cities of west-africa due to the nature of its settlement which housed an estimated 100,000 at its height from the 17th and 19th century. Accounts from the 1820s described the city as a large cosmopolitan city surrounded by multiple walls over 20ft in height. 3

Oct 25, 2022 · Oyo-Ile served as the location of the headquarters for the Old Oyo Empire between the years 1300 and 1535. People living in the Old Oyo Empire spoke Yoruba as their primary language, and the three major world religions—Traditional religion, Christianity, and Islam—served as their primary sources of spiritual guidance.

Feb 27, 2021 · The Oyo Empire of present-day Nigeria was a West African empire (c. 1400-1835). The empire arose at the turn of the 14th century from a kingdom founded by the Yoruba and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by colonial explorers. It climbed to the top due to trade resources and the strength of a magnificent…

Jun 16, 2009 · Established by Oranmiyan of the Yoruba people of West Africa, Oyo quickly grew to become one of the most powerful states in the Yoruba-speaking region. From its capital city at Oyo-Ile, this weak state in the early 1500s, had by 1550 conquered two neighboring kingdoms, Borgu and Nupe, to become the most dominant political entity in the region.