Welcome to Elmina Castle, Ghana
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# Just Come And Visit The Castle and Museum! No Need For Upfront Registration! # Welcome!
Website of ElminaCastle.info - Elmina Castle is not the only European settlement in Elmina. Visit also our Fort St Jago, also called Fort Conraadsburg! Below: Welcome Video. (c) Photo usage requests: Please contact us!
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Elmina InfoDid you know, that Denmark was the first European nation to abolish the slave trade in 1802. 11 years, before Britain? Mauritania was after Saudi Arabia in 1957, the last country, to officially abolish slavery - 1981...
The Oldest belw the SaharaElmina and Elmina Castle was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, so is the oldest European building in existence below the Sahara.
First established as a trade settlement, the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade. |
Elmina HistoryElmina Castle was erected by Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina (St. George of the Mine) Castle, also known simply as Mina or Feitoria da Mina) in present-day Elmina, Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast).
Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish...The Dutch seized the fort from the Portuguese in 1637, and took over all the Portuguese Gold Coast in 1642.
The slave trade continued under the Dutch until 1814; in 1872 the Dutch Gold Coast, including the fort, became a possession of the British Empire. |
International Film - Today Elmina Castle is a popular historical site, and was a major filming location for Werner Herzog's 1987 drama film "Cobra Verde".
During J.J. Rawling`s government, the castle became finally a tourist spot, with financial support of European countries.
Today, the castle is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site..
Visit also the Fort St Jago / Fort Conraadsburg
(above the main castle)
Fort St Jago / Fort Conraadsburg at Elmina, Ghana / West Africa
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A fort build, to protect Elmina castle from attacks by land and sea! Our new Fort Conraadsburg website will surprise you with some info`s, not on our main Elmina Castle website. Plenty of pictures and history to discover! Fort St Jago has a commanding position over Elmina, great views included! Please ask for a tour up to the fort, when visiting Elmina Castle! Due lack of funding from the government, the fort is in need of some serious maintenance, therefore only guided tours are available at the moment!
Up to this date, nearly all entrance fees charged, have to be send to Accra. leaving little or no room for maintenance of any of the castles or forts. Unfortunately, it has not changed, since NPP government assumed office January 2017! |
Independence - Britain granted the Gold Coast its independence in 1957 (with not much choice left, due international pressure), and control of the castle was transferred to the nation formed out of the colony, present-day Ghana.
British controlled, but German Volta region, part of actually Togoland, joined the new nation of Ghana. |
Many of the European Slave Vessels were owned or financed by Jewish "traders". It ws an easy way to make money!
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The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - The European powers came and "traded" slaves from African tribes and kingdoms! They were hardly "hunting". The "hunt" was delegated to, as example coastal tribes and in case of what is today Ghana, the Ashanti, Fante and Ga tribes. The case of portraying all (West) African tribes as victims, can not hold up, according to all serious sources, related to slave trade.
European trading goods, in exchange for slaves and gold were, but not limited: Horses, low quality fire arms, clothing, cheap "fashion"-jewellery" etc. Some tribes used the European-African connections to enlarge their influence and power. Ashanti had many wars, with kingdoms and tribes of the (today) Northern regions of (today) Ghana, using their fire power, to over power those kingdoms and extending their own kingdom. |
Downfall of the Ashante kingdom - The downfall of the Ashanti kingdom; Very much seen during a large number British - Ashanti wars. Quiet some few coastal tribes joined in, against the Ashanti, to again, gain more power and influence for them-self. This lead finally to the building of British Gold Coast, as a colony of Britain, around 1900, and began with Dutch Gold Coast being handed over to the British, in a series of wars between the two remaining colonial powers at the "Gold Coast".
A reminder of Dutch and British Gold Coast today, are also family names, such as "Johnson" or"Van der..", in and within mainly the coastal regions of Ghana.
A reminder of Dutch and British Gold Coast today, are also family names, such as "Johnson" or"Van der..", in and within mainly the coastal regions of Ghana.
Destination of enslaved Africans (1519–1867)(Destination and Percentage)
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Enslaved people imported to those regions that are part of present-day USA(Date and "official" Numbers). Not counted the many, many people, who died before!
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Total 305,326 - But as of shipping slaves to the "colonies", we speak of estimated 13 Million! Out of those, estimated 2.000.000 died, during the inhuman shipments and were "disposed" on high sea.
ARABS were also largely involved in catching slaves, mainly in central Africa, up to today Cameroon!
Probably some millions of African people where enslaved or often murdered by Arab "traders", riding villages and town! In particular central Africa, but even to what is today known as Cameroon and Congo! They left a broad trace of dead villages behind! Whoever was not taken by them into slavery, was killed (children and elderly people especially! Slavery, officially was abolished in Saudi Arabia, just in 1957...! Mauritania followed as last country in 1981, abolishing slavery. And still, there is widespread slavery, in Mauritania, up to date in 2019!
ElminaCastle.info (official website) is provided by Ghana-Net.com (Ghana Home Page), since 2004 / 2009. All pictures on this website are (c) ElminaCastle.info or by Remo 2024
Some text (c) Wikipedia (Share Alike).
Some text (c) Wikipedia (Share Alike).