Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions

In The News:

Nov 21 2016 - Ghana's Historic Coastal Forts And Castles; WorldAtlas.com

Dec 01 2015 - Hospitality industry courts gov’t support; Ghana Web

Cape Coast castle (Dave Ley/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0).

The remains of fortified trading-posts established between 1482 and 1786 can still be seen along the coast of Ghana between Keta and Beyin.

They were links in the trade routes established by the Portuguese during their era of great maritime exploration.

Accra was first settled at the end of 16th century when the Ga people migrated there, engaged in farming and fishing.

The site allowed them to engage in trade with the Europeans who had built forts nearby.

During the slave trade, Accra took on greater importance owing to the nearby forts, many of which were owned and controlled by the Dutch, a prominence that lasted until the abolition of slave trade in 1807.

Competition between the different European states was strong and having a fort at Accra was of great strategic value, as it lay at the end of an important inland trade route.

The forts and castles were built and occupied at different times by European traders and adventurers to safeguard trading posts.

The castles defended the European merchants and their local allies and trading partners against competition; they were used as entrepôts for slaves and trade-goods, and they were the centres of European administration on the Gold Coast.

Ussher Fort, originally named Fort Crêvecoeur by the Dutch in 1649, is one of three European forts which have survived to the present day, the others being Christiansborg Castle and James Fort.

Soon after, the British started using Ussher Fort, as well as the nearby James Fort, as a prison.

In 1661 the Danes built a fort named Fort Christiansborg, located near the town of Osu, and was apart from a short Portuguese occupation.

In 1683 the Danes from nearby Fort Fredriksborg reoccupied it and moved their headquarters there, and in 1850, sold it to the English.