Fort Groot Friedrichsburg
Perched on a hill overlooking the stunningly beautiful Princess Town beach lies a Prussian-built stone fort, an incongruous sight amid tropical bush. Completed in 1685 it is one of approximately 60 forts and castles along Ghana’ s coast which bear testimony today to the abhorrent slave trade which scarred West Africa so deeply.
Fort Groot Friedrichsburg is unusual in being the only fort with German connections in Ghana. In 1682 a group of European financiers established the Brandenburg Africa Company under the patronage of the Great Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg. The following year two of the company’ s ships landed at Pokesu( the original name for Princess Town or Prince’ s Town as it’ s also called). The Ahanta Chief of Pokesu ceded them the promontory on which the fort now stands in exchange for their protection against the Dutch and other slave traders. Contemporary visitors to the area regarded the Fort, named after the Frederick William, as one of the most impressive buildings on the coast. Around 1716, however, the Brandenburgers abandoned the fort when they learnt that their own land in Germany had been severely flooded so they returned to help their kinsfolk rebuild houses and businesses. Chief John Conny, who was by then a merchant at the helm of a major trade network in the area, took control of the Fort but was later to lose it to the Dutch. Eventually the British took control in 1872. Today the imposing stone building has been partially restored and now serves as a tourist attraction. It’ s even possible to spend the night in the Governor’ s former quarters or to sleep out on the roof though mosquito nets would be advisable!
The Fort’ s guide and caretaker, Joseph Akye Mensah, has worked there for 22 years and has a wealth of knowledge to impart about the building itself and the relationship which has evolved between Princess Town and Germany. In addition he’ s a great cook and with some prior notice will concoct a delicious meal which you can enjoy on top of the Fort as you look down to the beach, bush and town. You can also take a relaxed canoe trip on the nearby Ehunli Lagoon or the Nyan River through large mangrove formations. Trained tour guides will help you spot monkeys in the trees and point out some of the aquatic creatures who live in the waters such as red, blue and yellow crabs. To get to Princess Town from Takoradi follow the signs for Elubo. After Agona continue driving towards Elubo and after 13 kilometres you will see a sign for the turn off to Princess Town on the left. The road is then unsealed and it’ s about a 30-40 minute drive( a 4 x 4 is a good idea during the rainy season) to Princess Town itself.
For more information see the Ghana West Coast website: www. ghanawestcoast. com Joseph Akye Mensah can be contacted on: 024 326 9469
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