The royal palaces of Abomey are in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage. However, this alone does not protect the ancient buildings from deterioration or poor restauration. In many cases, the degree of erosion is so progressed that there is no real difference between the ancient walls and the surrounding soil.

The management of the princely palaces is considered to be the responsibility of the family. But in many cases the available family resources are not sufficient for preserving this most valuable heritage of Bénin, the buildings being abandoned in decay.