All Castles and Fortes

The Ussher Fort is a fort in Accra, Ghana. It was built by the Dutch in 1649 as Fort Crèvecœur, and was a day’s march from Elmina and to the east of Accra on a rocky point between two lagoons.  Ussher Fort allows visitors to learn about the dark history of the West African slave trade. Through the use of  Read more…

Fort James is located in Accra, Ghana and was built by the British as a trading post by the Royal African Company of England for both gold and slaves in 1673. Fort James was one of may Forts along the coast of Ghana like the Dutch Fort Crêvecœur, and the Danish Fort Christiansborg. Like many of the Forts and castle Read more…

Elmina Castle was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as Castelo de Sao Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine Castle), also known as Castelo da Mina or simply Mina (or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina. Most visitors to Ghana tour Elmina Castle, because of its history as a major trans-Atlantic slave hub. However the castle of St Read more…

Cape Coast Castle is one of about forty slave castles or large commercial forts built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese feitoria or trading post. Established in 1555. However, in 1653 the Swedish Africa Company constructed a timber fort there. It originally was a centre for the trade in Read more…