The UNESCO World Heritage List
hese fortified trading posts, founded
between 1482 and 1786, and spanning a distance of approximately 500 km
along the coast of Ghana between Keta in the east and Beyin in the west,
were links in the trading routes established by the Portuguese in many
areas of the world during their era of great maritime exploration. The
castles and forts were built and occupied at different times by traders
from Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Britain.
They served the gold trade of European chartered companies. Latterly
they played a significant part in the developing slave trade, and
therefore in the history of the Americas, and, subsequently, in the 19th
century, in the suppression of that trade.
The property consists of three Castles
(Cape Coast, St. George’s d’Elmina and Christiansborg at Osu, Accra), 15
Forts (Good Hope at Senya Beraku; Patience at Apam; Amsterdam at
Abandzi; St. Jago at Elmina; San Sebastian at Shama; Metal Cross at
Dixcove; St. Anthony at Axim; Orange at Sekondi; Groot Fredericksborg
at Princesstown; William (Lighthouse) at Cape Coast; William at
Anomabu; Victoria at Cape Coast; Ussher at Usshertown, Accra; James
at Jamestown, Accra and Apollonia at Beyin), four Forts partially in
ruins (Amsterdam at Abandzi; English Fort at British Komenda;
Batenstein at Butre; Prinzensten at Keta), four ruins with visible
structures (Nassau at Mouri; Fredensborg at Old Ningo; Vredenburg at
Dutch Komenda; Vernon at Prampram and Dorothea at Akwida) and two sites
with traces of former fortifications (Frederiksborg at Amanful, Cape
Coast and Augustaborg at Teshie, Accra).
St. George’s d’Elmina Castle, built in 1482, is one of the oldest
European buildings outside Europe, and the historic town of Elmina is
believed to be the location of the first point of contact between
Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans.
The property consists of three Castles
(Cape Coast, St. George’s d’Elmina and Christiansborg at Osu, Accra), 15
Forts (Good Hope at Senya Beraku; Patience at Apam; Amsterdam at
Abandzi; St. Jago at Elmina; San Sebastian at Shama; Metal Cross at
Dixcove; St. Anthony at Axim; Orange at Sekondi; Groot Fredericksborg
at Princesstown; William (Lighthouse) at Cape Coast; William at
Anomabu; Victoria at Cape Coast; Ussher at Usshertown, Accra; James
at Jamestown, Accra and Apollonia at Beyin), four Forts partially in
ruins (Amsterdam at Abandzi; English Fort at British Komenda;
Batenstein at Butre; Prinzensten at Keta), four ruins with visible
structures (Nassau at Mouri; Fredensborg at Old Ningo; Vredenburg at
Dutch Komenda; Vernon at Prampram and Dorothea at Akwida) and two sites
with traces of former fortifications (Frederiksborg at Amanful, Cape
Coast and Augustaborg at Teshie, Accra). St. George’s d’Elmina Castle, built in 1482, is one of the oldest
European buildings outside Europe, and the historic town of Elmina is
believed to be the location of the first point of contact between
Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans. 
