St. George El Mina Castle - The Gold Coast

ELMINA CASTLE - GHANA

Elmina Castle is one of the oldest and historic castle in Ghana. It was built in 1482 as San Jorge Mina by Portugal King Afonso V. It is also known as the Gold Coast. This Oldest European house is below the Sahara and was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea. The castle became one of the major stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade.

In 1637 the Dutch seized the Portuguese gold Coast and the fort from the Portuguese and they continued the slave trade until 1814. In 1871 the British Empire captured the Dutch Gold Coast and the fort.

The British granted independence to the Gold coast in 1957 and control of the castle transfer to the nation formed out of the colony. UNESCO recognized the castle as a World Heritage site. Now it is one of the most famous and historical house in African Continent. It is also one the major filming location.

The Elmina castle was expansively renovated by the Ghanaian government in the 1990s. The bridge leading into the castle is one of the highest precedence tasks in the project. 

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