Colossium Magazine September Issue_2019 | Página 26

FORTS
& CASTLES
TOUR
THEY WERE BUILT AND INHABITED
BY THE EUROPEANS TO INITIALLY
SAFEGUARD THEIR TRADE POSTS...
C
astles date back to the 15th
century in Ghana. They were
built and inhabited by the
Europeans to initially safe-
guard their trade posts. The
Portuguese were the first to
arrive on the shore of Gold
Coast (present day Ghana). They were then
followed by Spain, Holland, Germany and
Britain. Their main purpose for building these
castles changed when slavery became the new
‘gold rush’ which resulted in these castles being
used as slave dungeons. Aside their rich histor-
ical moments, a visit to these places unveil the
dark era of slavery and the pain of the natives
during that era.
Castles cannot be mentioned without acknowl-
edging Forts. Forts were built to protect the cas-
tles and the trade masters. In modern Ghana,
these forts and castles play a major role in the
country’s economy and tourism sector. Ghana
has monuments which reminds the world of
their legacy in the historical past. This year our
castles and forts are the must see tourist sites
in Ghana for the Year of Return celebrations. A
number of Hollywood celebrities have gone on
pilgrimages to these sites.
World Heritage Convention of UNESCO has
designated Ghana’s forts and Castles as World
Heritage Monuments (source by The Ghana
Tourism Authority). These monuments at-
tract tourist around the world to discover the
pains and scars of the people of that era. There
are three castles in Ghana across the coun-
try which attract thousands of tourists from
around the world annually. Elmina Castle is
perhaps the most popular castles in the coun-
try and most preferred destination for tourists.
These historic monuments will never outlive
their purpose in our societies for the tales
Elmina Castle oil painted on a canvas
by artist Kafui Amrago.
26 | Colossium . September 2019