Elmina Castle

St George’s Castle, a Unesco heritage site, was built as a trading post by the Portuguese in 1482, and captured by the Dutch in 1637. It was expanded when slaves replaced gold as the major object of commerce, with storerooms converted into dungeons. The informative tour (included in the entry fee) takes you to the grim dungeons, punishment cells, Door of No Return and the turret room where the British imprisoned the Ashanti king, Prempeh I, for four years. Elmina Castle was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence in suib-Saharan Africa. Elmina is also a picturesque fishing town along Ghana’s coast, not far from Cape Coast. It is home to one of Ghana’s biggest attractions, St George’s Castle. Built by the Portuguese in 1482, it was captured by the Dutch 150 years later and became the headquarters of their West Indies Company for the following 250 years.

Historical Significance:

• Originally built by the Portuguese for a gold trade monopoly
• The slave trade began in the early 16th century, with slaves imported from Benin in exchange for gold and ivory.
• The British took over in 1872, and the castle later served as a Police Recruit Training Centre, a secondary school, and now a museum.
• The Dutch took control in 1637, reconstructing the castle between 1770–1775 and using it as a major hub for gold and slave trade until 1872.

Present-Day Importance:

• Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Features a historical museum that preserves its legacy.
• Located near Fort Coenraadsburg (St. Jago), a Dutch cemetery, and the 'Posuban' buildings of Elmina.

St. George’s Castle stands as a symbol of Ghana’s colonial past, the transatlantic slave trade, and the resilience of its people, making it a must-visit historical site.