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Medieval Ghana (4th – 13th Century): The Republic of Ghana is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa. The actual name of the Empire was Wagadugu. Ghana was the title of the kings who ruled the kingdom. It was controlled by Sundiata in 1240 AD, and absorbed into the larger Mali Empire. (Mali Empire reached its peak of success under Mansa Musa around 1307.)
Geographically, the old Ghana is 500 miles north of the present Ghana, and occupied the area between Rivers Senegal and Niger.
Some inhabitants of present Ghana had ancestors linked with the medieval Ghana. This can be traced down to the Mande and Voltaic peoeple of Northern Ghana–Mamprussi, Dagomba and the Gonja.
Anecdotal evidence connected the Akans to this great Empire. The evidence lies in names like Danso shared by the Akans of present Ghana and Mandikas of Senegal/Gambia who have strong links with the Empire.
Gold Coast & European Exploration: Before March 1957 Ghana was called the Gold Coast. The Portuguese who came to Ghana in the 15th Century found so much gold between the rivers Ankobra and the Volta that they named the place Mina – meaning Mine. The Gold Coast was later adopted to by the English colonisers. Similarily, the French, equally impressed by the trinkets worn by the coastal people, named The Ivory Coast, Cote d’Ivoire.
In 1482, the Portuguese built a castle in Elmina. Their aim was to trade in gold, ivory and slaves. In 1481 King John II of Portugal sent Diego d’Azambuja to build this castle.
In 1598 the Dutch joined them, and built forts at Komenda and Kormantsil. In 1637 they captured the castle from the Portuguese and that of Axim in 1642 (Fort St Anthony). Other European traders joined in by the mid 18th century. These were the English, Danes and Swedes. The coastline were dotted by forts built by the Dutch, British and the Dane merchants. By the latter part of 19th century the Dutch and the British were the only traders left. And when the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a crown colony.
By 1901 the Ashanti and the North were made a protectorate.
Britain and the Gold Coast. The first Britons arrived in the early 19th century as traders in Ghana. But with their close relationship with the coastal people especially the Fantes, the Ashantis became their enemies.
Economic and Social Development (Before 1957)
1874–Gold Mine in Wassa and Asante. Between 1946-1950 gold export rose from 6 million pounds to 9 million pounds.
Political Movements and Nationalism in Ghana (1945 – 1957)
The educated Ghanaians had always been in the fore-front of constructive movements. Names that come into mind are –Dr Aggrey, George Ferguson, John Mensah Sarbah. Others like king Ghartey IV of Winneba, Otumfuo Osei Agyeman Prempeh I raised the political consciousness of their subjects. However, movements towards political freedom started soon after WWII.
This happened because suddenly people realised the colonisation was a form of oppression, similar to the oppression they have just fought against. The war veterans had become radical. The myth surrounding the whiteman has been broken. The rulers were considered economic cheats, their arogance had become very offensive. They had the ruling class attitude, and some of the young District Commissioner (DC) treated the old chiefs as if they were their subjects. Local pay was bad. No good rural health or education policy. Up to 1950 the Govt Secondary schools in the country were 2, the rest were built by the missionaries.
There was also the rejection of African culture to some extent. Some external forces also contributed to this feeling. African- Americans such as Marcus Garvey and WE Du Bois raised strong Pan-African conscience.
In 1945 a conference was held in Manchester to promote Pan African ideas. This was attended by Nkrumah of Ghana, Azikwe of Nigeria and Wallace Johnson of Sierra Leone. The India and Pakistani independence catalysed this desire.
Sir Alan Burns constitution of 1946 provided new legislative council that was made of the Governor as the President, 6 government officials, 6 nominated members and 18 elected members.
The executive council was not responsible to the legislative council. They were only in advisory capacity, and the governor did not have to take notice.
These forces made Dr J.B. Danquah to form the United Gold Coast Conversion (UGCC) in 1947. Nkrumah was invited to be the General Secretary to this party. Other officers were George Grant (Paa Grant), Akuffo Addo, William Ofori Atta, Obetsebi Lamptey, Ako Agyei, and J Tsiboe. Their aim was Independence for Ghana. They rejected the Burns constitution.
Source & Credit: GhanaWeb.com
About ‘Beyond The Return’
Beyond the Return” is a follow-up to the successful “Year Of Return” #YearOfReturn, Ghana 2019’ campaign which commemorated the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the first recorded enslaved Africans in Jamestown Virginia in 1619. The landmark campaign also celebrated the resilience of the African over the past 400 years and welcomed all people of African origin to return to Africa especially Ghana.
Beyond the Return – is a 10-year project under the theme, “A decade of African Renaissance – 2020-2030”
It will provide a platform for engagements among the people of African descent, wherever they may currently be living.
EXPERIENCE GHANA
Explore Ghana, the land of rich culture, re-live your history through our heritage, feel the warmth and rhythm. Discover where nature is still pure and warmth flows easily. Akwaaba! discover yourself.
The core of this project is the invitation to the Global African family to visit and experience Ghana. Creating memorable experiences through Sankofa and healing journeys, cultural events, festivals, entertainment, nightlife, culinary, and December in Ghana are key to establishing long-term connections with the Ghanaian and African Diaspora.
INVEST IN GHANA
Ghana, the fastest growing economy in the world in 2019 is an established business destination for investors with a progressive government transparent regulations and a dynamic private sector ready for partnerships.
This pillar will create special investment programs and ease of doing business for the diaspora. Key activities will be the Diaspora Investment programs, Sankofa Savings accounts and Diaspora ‘housing schemes.
DIASPORA PATHWAYS TO GHANA
This pillar will see to the adoption of legal and policy frameworks on visa acquisition (e-visa) and the institution of a diaspora visa. It will facilitate key diaspora pathway programs such as Citizenship programs, Educational and work exchanges, Residence and work permits.
CELEBRATE GHANA
Create a sense of national consciousness anchored on key cultural festivals, media programs, adoption of contemporary festivals unto the national calendar and promotion of domestic tourism.
BRAND GHANA
Promote Ghana as a leading tourism destination and a hub for the African renaissance. Craft a new narrative on Ghana and strategically promote to the world.
GIVE BACK TO GHANA
Foster a new sense of community service and giving that will create ongoing legacies for the project. Service areas will include tree planting, community clean-ups, adoption of certain community impact projects
PROMOTE PAN AFRICAN HERITAGE & INNOVATION
This pillar will focus on promoting Pan-African and Ghanaian heritage and developing pilgrimage infrastructure around sites of memory. Development tourism infrastructure for target sites beyond the highly frequented sites of Cape Coast and Elmina Dungeons such as the Salaga Slave market in the Northern Region, Pikworo Slave camp in the Upper East Region Assin Praso in the Central Region, all of which are essential parts of the history of slavery in Ghana.
The “Year of Return, Ghana 2019” was a major landmark marketing campaign targeting the African – American and Diaspora Market to mark 400 years of the first enslaved African arriving in Jamestown Virginia. The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture led the project in collaboration with the Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, the Panafest Foundation and the Adinkra Group of USA.
The Year of Return sort to make Ghana the focus for millions of African descendants reacting to their marginalisation by tracing their ancestry and identity. By this, Ghana became the beacon for African people living on the continent and the diaspora.
The United States Congress had 2018 passed an Act H.R. 1242 – 400 Years of African-American which was in itself a historically significant milestone. Ghana being the gateway to Africa capitalised on its unique position as the location for 75 percent of the slave dungeons built on the west coast of Africa. The favourable government policy of making it a national priority to extend a hand of welcome back home to Africans in the diaspora served as the catalyst for the campaign.
Currently, there are still numerous imposing European forts and castles harbouring harrowing reminders of an intense and complex history of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in our land over centuries. This on its own has made Ghana the focus for millions of African descendants. However, even more, important is the recognition of Ghana as a beacon of hope for African people living on the continent and in the Diaspora. This status was earned not by coincidence but by conscious efforts to validate the struggles, strengths and linkages between African descendants on a Pan-African scale.
Ghana Paragliding Festival
The Ghana Paragliding Festival has become an integral part of the annual Kwahu Easter Festivities. The event rekindled the hither-to dying Kwahu Easter festival and tranformed Easter celebration in Ghana into an international event.
The history of the festival goes back to March 2003 when, as the new Minister of Tourism and Modernization of the capitol city Accra, Mr. Jake Tonka Obetsebi-Lamptey visited the Kwahu ridge as part of his familiarization tour of the country, and by chance crossed paths with the festival’s organizer, Walter Neser.
The first Ghana Paragliding Festival, in 2005, was launched by H.E. Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana.
The festival was recristined the Kwahu Easter Festival in 2010 through the leadership of the Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourism Authority (Julius Debrah) in partnership with Adom fm (a local fm station and member of the Multimedia Group) and has thence incorporated numerous activities includeing hiking the Odweanoma mountain, walk race (walkerton), telescope viewing from the Mt. Odweanoma Observatory, Jams, Dubar of Chiefs and People of Kwahu, Music Album lunches etc.
Kwahu Paragliding festival attracts both Ghanaians and foreigners alike for 4 days of spectacular aerial fun, ceremony and music. For the last 5 years, tandem paraglider pilots have gathered from around the world to fly local Ghanaian spectators and foreign visitors. The festival is open to solo pilots as well; and boasts consistent flying conditions that begin around mid morning and remain soarable until late in the day. The thermals are consistently large and mild and offer a fantastic opportunity for both newer pilots to gain valuable experience and airtime as well as for seasoned pilots who want to enjoy hours of “stress free” flying..
Emancipation Day Celebrations
Emancipation Day is an annual event in Ghana, the Black Star of Africa and the gateway to the Homeland of people of African descent in the Diaspora.
Emancipation was originally celebrated in the Caribbean to commemorate the final abolition of Chatel Slavery in the British colonies on 1st August 1834. Ghana became the first African nation to join in the celebration in 1998 to re-affirm its status as the Gateway to the African Homeland of Diasporans.
Ghana’s claim to the position of gateway to the Homeland is well grounded in the fact that it was a major exit point for slaves on the West Coast in the period that the infamous trade took place.
Currently, about 40 Forts, Castle and lodges used for the Slave trade are in existent in the country, with 3 of them; St. George’s Castle and St. Jago fort, both at Elmina, and Cape Coast Castle, designated by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.
As a complement to these Forts and Castles, we are developing the Slave Route Project, which seeks to rehabilitate, restore and promote the tangible and intangible heritage from the slave trade, is being implemented. This route takes the tourist through communities where resistance was put up against the slave raiders, like Gwollu and Nalerigu with their defensive walls; slave market sites like Saakpili and Salaga, the slave bathing rivers and slave burial grounds at Assin-Manso among others.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival
The Chale Wote Street Art Festival also known as Chale Wote is an alternative platform that brings art, music, dance and performance out into the streets. The festival targets exchanges between scores of local and international artists and patrons by creating and appreciating art together.
Since 2011, CHALE WOTE has included street painting, graffiti murals, photography, theater, spoken word, interactive art installations, live street performances, extreme sports, film shows, a fashion parade, a music block party, recyclable design workshops and much more. It is the first to be organized in Accra, Ghana and has inspired similar events across the country. There have been four editions so far; the first two ran for one day each, while the 2013 and 2014 edition ran concurrently for two days, the former in September and the latter in August, a week after the Homowo festival of the Ga people at the historical Jamestown, Ghana on the High Street in Accra. The event is produced by Accra [dot] Alt Radio, with support from other local cultural networks like Attukwei Art Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Art Ghana, Dr. Monk, Redd Kat Pictures and the Institut français in Ghana.
HERITAGE-CARAVAN
An extraordinary road trip organized by CitiFM and CitiTV, the Heritage Caravan traverses more than half of Ghana’s regions. Participants embark on a distinctive journey, exploring the country’s various regions up close, immersing themselves in its historical and cultural heritage. This rich blend of excitement, education, enlightenment, and entertainment offers patrons a deeper understanding of Ghana, its landscape, people, and culture.
Panafest Celebrations
PANAFEST was mooted by the late Efua Sutherland in the mid-1980s as a cultural vehicle for bringing Africans on the continent and in the diaspora together around the issues raised by slavery the remain suppressed. PANAFEST addresses the most traumatic interruption that ever occurred in the natural evolution of African societies, which among other traumas profoundly eroded the self-confidence and freedom for self-determination of a whole people. Ghana’s coastline is dotted with now silent memorials to over 500 years of this most turbulent era in Africa’s history, which the festival consciously makes a site for confronting the effects of enslavement, purging the pain of the diaspora, acknowledging the residual effects of the trade on the African continent and re-uniting to forge a positive future in the contemporary global environment.
Alongside the healing processes, PANAFEST celebrates the strengths and resilience of African culture and achievements of Africans in spite of the transatlantic slave trade and its aftermath. It is designed to help Africans to reconnect with their strengths and thus be inspired to eternal vigilance, rededicate themselves to fully assuming the reigns of their own destiny in recognition of the lessons of history. There are today urgent developments making this proudly Ghanaian initiative a vital and relevant platform that provides members of the African family with the opportunity to engage with each other in forthright communication. Among these are negatives such as human trafficking from the continent, the brain drain, marginalization of Africans in a global knowledge economy, the renewed surge of external pursuit of African natural resources and the slowness of African unification. There are also positive factors including enabling global conventions and coalitions and African initiatives to establish transnational businesses, add value to community initiatives, take advantage of technologies and mobilize the strength of Africans around the globe.
Forts & Castles
The castles and forts of Ghana constitute treasures par excellence, a legacy of the historic past as much to modern Ghana and Africa as to the world at large. Though built on African soil, their authors came from Europe – Portuguese, Dutch, French, Britons, Brandenburg-Prussians, Danes and Swedes. For several centuries, European masters and native African servants lived and worked in them. The warehouses teemed with gold and ivory export products as well as African slaves destined for auction in the New World, there to become ancestors to future generations of black populations. Indeed, these historic buildings were no respectors of persons and extraordinary history was made once when one castle, Elmina, held prisoner an Asante King in all his splendour during the first stage of his forced exile from Ghana. Hence, not only modern Ghanaians, but also many millions in countries of the Western hemisphere and elsewhere constitute stake-holders with an interest in ensuring the preservation of these historic castles and forts.
Recognizing their unique place in world history, the World Heritage Convention of UNESCO has designated Ghana”s castles and forts as World Heritage Monuments.
Cape Coast Castle
The strategic location of Cape Coast having a sheltered beach in proximity to Elmina Castle made it a great attraction to the European nations. Hence, for nearly a century, there was a ding-dong competition among the Portuguese, Dutch, Danes, Swedes and English to gain control of Cape Coast. The Portuguese built the first trade lodge in 1555 and called the local settlement “Cabo Corso”, meaning short cape, later corrupted to Cape Coast. The Swedes, led by Krusenstjerna, built a permanent fort in 1653 and called it Carolus burg after King Charles X of Sweden. During the next 11 years, the Danes, the local Fetu chief and the Dutch each in turn captured and held Carolusburg for a time. Finally, the English fleet led by Captain Holmes took Carolusburg. The fort remained in English hands till the late 19th century serving as the West African headquarters seat of the president of the Committee of Merchants and later as the seat of the British governor.
Elmina Castle
The Portuguese founded Castle “Sao Jorge and Mina” in 1482 to protect the gold-rich lands discovered in 1471. The castle was completed according to its original plan in 1486 and the town was raised to the status of a “city”.
Portuguese navigators carefully selected the castle’s site, because it was strategically located at the end of a narrow promontory bounded on two sides by the Atlantic Ocean and the Benya River or lagoon. Here, in the lee of a low headland, a natural harbour provided sheltered anchorage.
During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Portuguese enjoyed a trade boom in spite of numerous attempts by Castilians and later the French and the English to break the Portuguese trade monopoly.
The Portuguese imported vast quantities of old and new cloths, blankets and linen from Morocco, North European copper and brassware, millions of “manilas” (metal bracelets) and iron kettles and bars in exchange for gold dust and ornaments supplied by Mina. So extensive and popular was the cloth trade that a factor maintained a large shop for old linen c.1500-1507. The commander of the castle wrote to King Manuel in 1503: “Sir, I, Diego d’ Alvarenga, kiss the royal hands of your highness and I report that I have received the old linen.”
The import trade raised the issue of porterage, as the natives needed assistance in conveyance of large quantities of European goods into the hinterland and coastlands. To meet this need, the Portuguese initiated, in the early 16th century, the importation of slaves from Benin to Elmina in exchange for gold, ivory, etc. As it turned out, however, the price of gold slumped in Europe in the 16th century due to massive importation of superior gold from Mexico. At the same time, the Portuguese Crown spent vast sums of resources on defensive works, artillery, galleys, warships and convoys related to Mina. Thus weakened, the Portuguese succumbed to Dutch attacks and were dislodged from Elmina in 1637
Fort William – Anomabu
Anomabu became the focus of intense European trade rivalry in the 17th and 18th centuries, partly because of its easy access to a rich hinterland and partly because the local Anomabu were themselves powerful and astute traders. From the middle of the 17th century, European companies vied with each other in the quest for rights to establish and maintain a trading post at Anomabu. The earliest lodge was built in 1640 by the Dutch using earthwork, changed hands four times – from the Dutch to Swedes, then to the Danes, back to the Dutch and finally to the English.
In 1674, the English built a small fort using more durable materials and called it Charles, after the reigning monarch King Charles II. However, it was abandoned in order to concentrate efforts and costs on Fort Carolusburg at Cape Coast. Even though the English demolished Fort Charles in 1731 to prevent its capture and use by another European company, the French sneaked in and built a fort where Fort Charles once stood.
In 1698, the English Royal African Company “licensed” ship captains not in its employment upon the payment of a 10% “affiliation fee” to’ enable them to trade in its areas of monopoly. There followed a flood of “Ten Presenters” trading at English forts, often outnumbering the company’s own ships. Anomabu became a popular haunt of “ten presenters”, (until their licensing was stopped in 1712), exporting vast numbers of slaves.
The Dutch director-general at Elmina, Engelgraaf Roberts, quoting an English captain on Anomabu Slave trade exports stated in 1717: “From] January 1702 to August 1708 they took to Barbados Jamaica a total of not less than 30,14 slaves and in this figure are not include transactions made for other ships sailing to such Islands as Nevis, Montserrat, St. Christopher, for the South Sea Company, the New Netherlands and others which would increase the above number considerably, and of which Annemaboe alone could provide about one third.”
Christiansborg Castle – Accra
Christiansborg Castle is unique among the castles and forts as it served as Government House during various periods in the 19th and 20th centuries and continues to play that role today.
The building of the first lodge in the 17th century at Ursu or Osu is attributed to the Swedish African Company. In 1657, the Swedish headquarters at Carolusburg Castle, Cape Coast was captured by the Danish Guinea Company led by Heindrick Caerlof who himself was formerly the Swedish Africa Company’s Commanding Director. This resulted in all Swedish establishments including Osu lodge passing into the hands of the Danish Africa Company. Caerlof defected to the Dutch in 1659. The Danish Commander of Carolusburg was tricked into believing that Denmark had been conquered. He therefore sold Carolusburg to the Dutch and with it the former Swedish establishments including Osu lodge. The Ga Paramount Chief Okaikoi, disgusted with their trickery, asked the Dutch to leave Osu. In 1661, Jost Cramer, Danish governor of Fredericksborg, near Cape Coast, acquired land from Chief Okaikoi for 3,200 gold florins. The Danes built a stone fort to replace the earthen lodge and named it Christiansborg (Christian’s fortress) after the former King of Denmark, Christian IV who had died in 1648.
In 1679, Peder Bolt, a Greek who was deputy commandant at Christiansborg, instigated the murder of the Danish commandant Johan Ulrich and sold the castle to Julian de Campo Baretto, former governor of the Portuguese Island of Sao Thome.
The Portuguese renamed the castle “St. Francis Xavier”, garrisoned it, constructed a Roman Catholic Chapel in it and made architectural improvement on the bastions.
Fort Patience – Apam
In the late 17th century, the small state of Acorn – sandwiched between the larger British allies of Agona and Fante sought to have a strong fort built on its territory to defend it in case of attack. The Dutch, while willing to erect a fort at Apam, were in no position to build a large one. Building of the fort commenced in 1697 on the summit of a promontory close to a sheltered beach and bay. However, disagreement between the two sides concerning the form of the fort delayed its completion until 1702. Hence the name they gave to the fort – Lijdzaamheid, meaning patience.
The initial structure was a “small two-storey house”. Between 1701 and 1721, this was
Strengthened with two demi-bastions at diametrically opposite corners.
Fort Amsterdam (Cormantin) – Abandze
History has it that, in 1631, a renegade employee of the Dutch West Indian Company called Arent Groote, acting on behalf of the English Company of Adventurers Trading to Guynney and Binney, signed an agreement with the Chief of Cormantin by which a hill site near the village was ceded to the English company. That year, the company built a lodge. Later, it was destroyed by fire and the company converted the lodge into a fort in 1638. In 1661, ownership of the fort was transferred to the Royal African Company and it became the headquarters of the English possessions on the Gold Coast.
In 1665, the Dutch Admiral De Ruyter captured Fort Cormantin in retaliation for the capture of several Dutch forts by English Admiral Holmes in 1664. The Dutch reconstructed the fort and renamed it “Fort Amsterdam”. The English transferred their headquarters to Cape Coast Castle.
Fort Amsterdam (Cormantin) – Abandze
History has it that, in 1631, a renegade employee of the Dutch West Indian Company called Arent Groote, acting on behalf of the English Company of Adventurers Trading to Guynney and Binney, signed an agreement with the Chief of Cormantin by which a hill site near the village was ceded to the English company. That year, the company built a lodge. Later, it was destroyed by fire and the company converted the lodge into a fort in 1638. In 1661, ownership of the fort was transferred to the Royal African Company and it became the headquarters of the English possessions on the Gold Coast.
In 1665, the Dutch Admiral De Ruyter captured Fort Cormantin in retaliation for the capture of several Dutch forts by English Admiral Holmes in 1664. The Dutch reconstructed the fort and renamed it “Fort Amsterdam”. The English transferred their headquarters to Cape Coast Castle.
Fort Good Hope – Senya Beraku
Thanks to their establishment of a lodge at Senya Beraku in 1667, the Dutch entered into a long-standing relationship with the Agona State. Its chief subsequently requested the Dutch to build a permanent fort at Beraku. The Dutch accepted the invitation because of the prospect of a trade boom in gold, ivory and slaves emanating from the Akyem kingdom located in the hinterland beyond Agona, and also because private traders were taking advantage of the absence of any Dutch forts in the area between Accra and Apam.
In 1705-06, as a preliminary stage prior to building a four-sided fort, the Dutch constructed a small triangular fort on a promontory located near a cove where there was a good landing beach. As the fort appealed to presage great expectations, the Dutch named it ‘De Goede Hoop’, meaning “Good Hope”.
Fort St. Jago (Coenraadsburg) – Elmina
In 1503, according to historical narration by the Portuguese Diego de Alvarenga, a Portuguese missionary converted and baptized the paramount chief of the Efutu Kingdom on the Mina coast together with 300 of his subjects. The chief permitted the Portuguese to build a church on the hill located opposite the Castle St. Jorge. The site was dedicated to the Portuguese saint, Jago.
In 1637, the Dutch employed the hill as a gun-position to bombard and take Elmina Castle from the Portuguese. The following year, the Dutch, seeking to protect the castle from the landward side, built on St. Jago hill, 33 meters above sea level, a redoubt or fortified quadrilateral earthwork with a tower and gate and a single-storied building within a courtyard all surrounded by an embankment. In the 1660’s, the Dutch used local sandstone rock to build a permanent fort to replace the earthen fortification, which was then destroyed.
The stone fort, named Coenraadsburg, is unique and impressive as “the oldest purely military architecture of the Gold Coast”. It had no commercial warehouses of any kind and its military fortifications were based on the design of baroque military architecture. Its salient features comprised two giant, strong landward bastions on the northeast and northwest sides for defending the castle from land attacks and two smaller seaward bastions on the southwest and southeast sides. Curtain walling linked the bastions
Fort Apollonia – Beyin
A long sandy beach interrupted by lagoons and swamps characterizes the coastlands west of the mouth of the River Ankobra. At Beyin, however, there is a stretch of flat solid sandy ground above the beach. The Tano basin and the Ankasa forest in the hinterlands of Beyin are rich in gold and timber. Thus, even though the coastlands were unsuitable for fort building and harbours, European nations, especially the French, Dutch and English competed for a foothold in the area. The English Committee of Merchants, in response to an invitation from the Nzema Chief Amenihyia, built the last English fort above the beach at Beyin. The English employed slave labour and quarried limestone rock from a nearby site to build the fort in 1768-70.
The name Apollonia, chosen for the fort, was first conferred on the area by the Portuguese explorer who sighted the place on St. Apollonia’s day. Shortly after the abolition of the slave trade, gradual economic decline set in and the English abandoned the fort in 1819. In 1868, Fort Apollonian was transferred to the Dutch who renamed it after their monarch, Willem III, and held it till 1872.
Fort Batenstein – Butre
Butre village is located in a sheltered bay amidst the forests of Ahantaland, east of Cape Three Points. Like Dixcove and Fredericksburg, it was among the early historic settlements generated by the 17th century inter-European and inter-African conflicts, partly because it lay close to the gold-rich hinterland. As early as 1598, the Dutch West Indian Company established a trade post at Butre. As a counterpoise, the Dutch financed Swedish Africa Company led by Heinrich Caerlof set up a lodge at Butre in 1650-52. In retaliation, the W.I.C. instigated the Ankasa people to attack and expel the Swedish Company.
Then, in 1656, the Dutch Company constructed its own fort on the hill at Butre and named it Batenstein. The fort was visited and described by 17th century authors, Jean Barbot in 1679 and William Bosman in 1701. Bosman said of it: “On a very high hill lies a tiny ill-designed fort called Batenstein with four useless little bastions upon which are mounted eleven light cannon.” It had a pair of flat-roofed buildings adjoining the bastions. So feeble was the structure, militarily, that it was said that it was shaken itself whenever it had to fire its own guns. In reality, its guns were used more for firing salutes than actual military encounters because the fort’s commanding location on top of the steep hill gave it a semblance of impregnability that tended to put off would-be invaders.
Fort Metal Cross – Dixcove
In the 1680’s, the Ahantaland around Inhuman settlement was a bone of contention between the English and the Brandenburg. The English were determined to acquire land there to build a fort because many English interloper captains were accustomed to trading at Fort Gross Fredericksburg to the detriment of English commerce.
The chief of Upper/Greater Dixcove leased to the English a promontory site near Inhuman village, located on the shore of a large and sheltered bay, later designated as Dick’s Cove (Dixcove). The Cove’s calm waters and sandy beach made it an ideal “harbour” for canoes and small boats while ships could anchor about 3 kilometres offshore. The Royal African Company commenced construction of the fort in 1692 but was unable to complete it until 1698 because of spasmodic attacks by the Ahanta people which continued well into the 18th century on account of the presence of the Dutch fort Babenstein at Butre.
The original fort, as seen and described by writers like Jean Barbot, was square with a pointed bastion at each corner except for the southwest corner which had a round tower. Curtain walls linked the bastions and tower. The inner structure comprised apartments, storage rooms and kitchen arranged round a small courtyard. Subsequently there were several alterations to the original structure: a spur ending with a bastion, which was constructed in the 1St century, consisted of garrison apartments storage rooms and a workshop. One of the hollow bastions in the main section of the fort was employed as a slave prison. By 1750, the fort was equipped to carry up to 25 canons.
Fort Orange – Sekondi
The coast at Sekondi became another theatre of European trade competition in the 17th and 18th centuries. The competition often degenerated into hostilities as local Hanta peoples were ranged in opposing alliances supporting the English or Dutch companies in their two separate trade posts located within gunshot of each other. For instance, in 1694, one Ahanta group captured and destroyed the Dutch fort, which then had to be rebuilt; in 1698 a second group of Ahanta captured and damaged the English fort and the English had to rebuild it only for it to be recaptured by the French in 1779.
The foundation of the earliest-known Dutch lodge harks back to the 1670’s. The precise date is uncertain. However, by 1704, the lodge had become a small fort called “Oranje”.
Fort St. Anthonio – Axim
Following the establishment of their headquarters at Elmina, the Portuguese, in an effort to maintain their monopoly and exclude foreign ships from the gold markets, built a trade post in 1503 at Axim close to the mouth of the River Ankobra. Owing to attacks launched by the local people on the lodge, the trade post was abandoned. In ISIS, a small promontory close to the Ankobra mouth was chosen and a fort built to cover the entire promontory. It was named Santo Antonio and was the second Portuguese fort on the Gold Coast. The site chosen had several little inselbergs in the ocean close to the promontory.
The fort was triangular in outline, in keeping with the contours of the promontory. Two major bastions were located on the northern and southern ends – the two corners of the wide end of the triangle. A curved battery linked them. The Portuguese constructed a rock-cut ditch some three metres deep to protect the landward side of the fort but this was later filled in during the 17th century. Inside the fort, a number of buildings of considerable size were raised to accommodate up to thirty officers.
Fort St. Sebastian – Shama
Sebastian was originally constructed and named by the Portuguese c.1520-26. However, its first appearance on a map was in the context of Di Castaldi’s Venetian map of 1564. In putting up the fort, the Portuguese hoped to stop English ships from interfering in their trade in the Shama area.
According to a Portuguese chart of 1630, the Portuguese fort had a bastion, two single-storeyed buildings with pitched roofs and a two-storeyed tower. At the time the Dutch took over the fort it was in a state of ruin. While retaining its name, they carried out repairs in 1640-42 and added substantially to the previous structural form.
Built as a Dutch lodge in 1526. Portuguese fort built in 1590. Abandoned in 1600. Restored and altered by the Dutch c.1638, enlarged in 1640-2. Attacked by the English under Captain Robert Holme. Temporally in English hands, in 1664-65. The Dutch struck back under De Ruyter, re-occupied it the same year and rebuilt it in 1666. Abandoned it before 1870. Ceded to Britain in 1872. Restored in 1954-57.
Fort Friederichsburg at Princess town
Located on Manfro Hill 5km east of Fort St. Antonio, this fort was built by the Brandeburgers in 1683. Danish lodge in 1658, fort built in 1682. Fort built in 1683, abandoned in 1716 and shortly afterwards occupied by local chief, John Conny, in 1717, who remained in occupation until 1725 when it was captured by the Dutch and renamed Fort Hollandia. It remained in the possession of the Dutch until 1872 when it was ceded to Britain.
Visas & Diplomatic Missions
A valid passport is mandatory. Visa requirements are subject to change and should be checked prior to traveling to Ghana, but at the time of writing visas are required by most nationalities and must be acquired in advance at a Ghanaian Embassy or High Commission listed below. Requirments:
Click here to view the list Of Ghana Missions Abroad. https://mfa.gov.gh/
leisure-tours
Whether you’re looking for heritage tourism or to experience a new culture, we have itineraries that welcome you to Ghana as a guest, rather than a tourist. Meet locals, shop for hidden gems unique to the area, sample authentic cuisine, and avoid typical tourist attractions.
religious-tours
We encourage religious groups to visit Ghana in order to connect to each other on a spiritual level while opening yourself up to a new perspective on life. The warmth of the local individuals and communities will amaze you. Everywhere you go, you’ll encounter simple acts of beauty to stop and reflect on. Whether you want to volunteer your time to those in need or experience the day-to-day life in your temporary home, you’ll be immersing yourself in a culture that values person-to-person relationships.
volunteer-mission-tours
If you’re interested in giving back, there are communities in Africa that will welcome your contribution of time, expertise, and generosity. Not only will you be helping others, but you’ll receive an enriching cultural experience as you immerse yourself in a new culture. You’ll work hard, but you’ll meet wonderful people and witness amazing sights along the way. Whether your time is spent imparting skills, providing for medical needs, or assisting in the development of basic living conditions, we will manage the entire process.
Academic Tours
For middle, high school, and college students who are interested in fully immersing themselves in the rich history and culture that Africa has to offer, we have an itinerary to appease their curiosity. Because of our local connections, we guarantee that the students will receive an enriching and unique tour filled with lessons they’ll carry for a lifetime. We utilize our resources to create customized academic programs that allow students to gain a new perspective through their studies. We guarantee that you won’t just see the sights. You’ll meet the people. You’ll live the culture. You’ll understand the world.
We manage all details, including:
Accommodations
Air travel ticketing
Orientation
Volunteer programs
Ground transporation
ESSENTIAL HANDY TIPS
TRAVEL TIPS
Getting To Ghana
Several international airlines, including British Airways and Delta Airlines, operate regularly scheduled flights from Ghana to major cities in North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Money/Currency
Ghana’s currency is the cedi which comes in denominations.Foreign currency can be freely exchanged at any Bank or Forex Bureaux in the country.
Hotels
Ghana offers a wide range of hotel accommodation for her growing economy and tourist industry; cosmopolitan, metropolitan, district town and country hotels and park lodges of varying comfort, elegance and convenience. Ghana”s hotels are classified according to the international star-system with 5-star as the highest and one-star being the minimum international acceptable quality
Drinking Water
Safe but it is advisable for visitors to use bottled drinking water which is available for sale in hotels and supermarkets.
Communications
Most major hotels also have business centers which provide secretarial and courier services. Ghana has six Telecommunications companies which provide voice and data services. with a valid Identity card/passport, one can acquire a sim from any of the telecos. You can make long distance telephone calls within the country. Collect calls to the USA, Europe and Asia are also available. USA direct dial is 019900 and UK is 0194.
Entertainment
Most cities and towns have facilities for nightlife such as cultural centers to theatres, cinema houses, discotheques, pubs, street cafes and casinos. Consult your hotel reception for what is on and where to go.
Climate
Bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean and on the West by La Cote d’Ivoire, the East by Togo and the North by Burkina Faso. Ghana is a tropical country. The South Western part is located within the warm wet forest zone similar to the Amazon. Accra, the capital, is located in the dry equatorial zones. Kumasi is in the wet savanna. It lies between 4° and 11 ° North at the equator and has a coastline of 540 km.
Medical Facilities
Modern private and public hospitals and clinics are available in all cities and big towns. Tourist should contact travelers’ medical insurance companies to cover any medical contingencies while away from their home countries.
Emergency Contacts
Emergency (general) – 999 / Fire – 192 / Ambulance – 193
Hospital
Passport
Required by all
Visas
Visas are required by most non-residents except ECOWAS nationals. Ghana Missions and Embassies abroad will assist in issuing individual as well as group visas.
Electricity
If you are bringing along any electrical appliances, they should operate on or be adaptable to 220 / 240 volts. Electric outlets in Ghana accept either 3pronged, or sometimes 2-pronged. British or Continental European type plus or converters.
Packing The Right Clothing
Since the climate is warm and tropical all year round be sure to pack light washable cotton clothing and casual wear. Do not forget your sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes. There are no restrictions on what men and women may wear. Slacks and shorts for both sexes are permissible
Traveller’s Cheques
All banks and Forex Bureaux accept Traveller”s Cheques although the rate of exchange may be slightly lower than for cash transaction.
Credit Cards
The most widely accepted credit cards are Visa and Mastercard. These cards are accepted in major hotels, restaurants, banks and businesses . Your card may be used for payment at most all airlines, leading hotels and major supermarkets. However be cautious when using your credit to avoid fraud.
Business Hours
General – 8.00am – 12.00pm ; 13.00pm – 17.00pm
Banks – 8.00am – 12.00pm ; 13.00pm – 16.00pm
Tipping
Tipping is permitted in hotels, restaurants, etc. It is rarely added to the bill. Whenever it is not added the quality of service should dictate your generousity to the waiter, taxi driver, porter, tour guide, etc.
Quick Menu
Quick Links
FAQ
BEFORE YOU DEPART
Accommodation and Transport
Keeping in touch with home
Tipping information
Arrival information
Travel Insurance
Hotel Reservation
Terms and Conditions
Tour Reservation Form
Ghana Visa Application
Credit Card Authorization
CHOOSING A TRIP
Travelling solo
Food, drink and dietary requirements
Safety and medical information
feedback
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Operator Responsibility and Liability
we acts as a booking agent for disclosed principal hotel/lodge/camp accommodations, airlines, air charters, bus companies ground transportation, board purveyors or owners, and other independent contractors providing transport and conveyance, on the express condition that they shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned because of any defect in any vehicle, or through the acts of defaults of any vehicle, or through the acts of defaults of any Company or person engaged in conveying the traveler or in carrying out the arrangements of the tours, or otherwise in connection therewith, or any hotel/lodge proprietor, employee, agent, servant or contractor. Palace Travel and associated companies reserve the right to employ sub-contractors to carry out all, or part of the services provided and in the event of such right, the terms and clauses above relating to the Company’s liability shall apply.
Use of Photography
we reserve the right to take photographs during the operation of a tour and may use the same for promotional purposes. By reserving a tour with Palace Travel, tour participants agree to allow their images to be used for the purpose stated. If a tour participant does not wish to allow his or her image to be used, he or she must advise the guide/escort at the commencement of the tour.
Health Requirements
Persons not fit for long trips due to health restrictions including chronic illness, physical handicap, advanced pregnancy, and/or mental illness should not participate in rigorous travel programs. Passengers who fail to notify us of such condition(s) shall be subject to the cancellation penalties as outlined above and assume the full risk of traveling while in such condition. Palace Travel shall not be responsible for providing any medical care or special accommodations.
Travel Documents, Passport, and Visa Requirements
Every traveler must be in possession of a current passport valid for at least six months after scheduled return date, round-trip airline ticket/continuation ticket, and adequate funds for the duration of the stay. Obtaining a passport is the responsibility of each traveler. All travelers must consult with the appropriate consulates to determine if any visas are needed. Securing needed visas is the responsibility of the traveler.
A pre-departure information packet containing helpful general information on the destination booked, visa application forms, details on our trip insurance plan, and the official tour registration form will be delivered to the booking agent or traveler upon receipt of the required tour deposit and confirmation of the tour. Final documents including trip itinerary, emergency contact information, any airline tickets, luggage tags, travel documents
Cancellation Penalties for Air Reservations
Cancellation of air reservations are subject to airline Terms & Conditions.
