Loropéni is a market town in southern Burkina Faso, lying west of Gaoua. Nearby are the ancient stone Ruins of Loropéni, added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. These ruins are the country's first World Heritage inscription. The site, which spans 11,130 square metres (119,800 sq ft), includes an array of stone walls that comprised an ancient fortress. The site may date as far back as the 11th century, but reached its height between the 14th and 17th centuries AD. It was likely built by the Lohron or Koulango peoples and flourished as an important settlement during the trans-Saharan gold trade.