"Only open since 2012, the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery may be relatively new to Nantes, but it’s one of the world’s most poignant dedications to the slave trade and its abolition. Tourists may be surprised to learn that Nantes was the most active port in 18th-century France, with 40 percent of the slave trade—some 450,000 men, woman, and children brought from Africa to America—passing through its harbor. Free to visit, the memorial along the esplanade addresses the city’s past with thousands of glass plaques paying tribute to ships, expedition dates, and African slave colonies. Head downstairs to see the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 50 different languages, along with various personal accounts, literary works, and abolitionism texts."