Figure 1.
Location, features and functions of colonial forts on the coast of Ghana
Source: own elaboration
Table 1.
Information on the accessibility of the analysed forts, their functions and entry on the UNESCO List
| Item | Name of the fort (from West to East along the coast of Ghana) | Accessible to tourists | Entry fee per person (in cedi) | Guided tour | Fort museum | Contemporary function | On UNESCO List | Info on UNESCO on site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Apollonia | YES | 30 | YES | YES | tourist | YES | NO |
| 2 | Fort Elize Carthago | YES | 10 | YES | NO | ruins, none | NO | - |
| 3 | Fort Saint Anthony | YES | 50 | YES | YES | tourist | YES | YES |
| 4 | Fort Groß Fredericksburg | YES | 20 | YES | NO | tourist, residential | YES | NO |
| 5 | Fort Metal Cross | YES | 20 | YES | NO | tourist, residential | YES | NO |
| 6 | Fort Batenstein | YES | (fee for the village) | YES | NO | ruins, none | YES | NO |
| 7 | Fort Orange | NO | - | - | NO | lighthouse | YES | NO |
| 8 | Fort São Sebastião | YES | 10 | YES | NO | residential, storage, meeting place | YES | NO |
| 9 | Fort Komenda | NO | - | - | NO | ruins, none | YES | NO |
| 10 | Elmina Castle | YES | 50 | YES | YES | tourist | YES | YES |
| 11 | Fort Coenraadsburg/Fort St. Jago | NO | - | - | NO | vacant building | YES | NO |
| 12 | Cape Coast Castle | YES | 50 | YES | YES | tourist | YES | YES |
| 13 | Fort Victoria | NO | - | - | NO | vacant building | YES | NO |
| 14 | Fort William (formerly Smith’s Tower) | NO | - | - | NO | residential, lighthouse | YES | NO |
| 15 | Fort Nassau | NO | - | - | NO | remains of ruins, residential | YES | NO |
| 16 | Fort William | YES | 50 | YES | NO | tourist, artistic | YES | NO |
| 17 | Fort Amsterdam | YES | 10 | YES | NO | tourist, ruins | YES | YES |
| 18 | Fort Patience | YES | 10 | NO | NO | residential | YES | NO |
| 19 | Fort Goede Hoop | YES | 10 | NO | NO | hotel, residential, commercial | YES | NO |
| 20 | Fort James | NO | - | - | NO | vacant building | YES | YES |
| 21 | Ussher Fort | YES | 50 | YES | YES | tourist, artistic | YES | YES |
| 22 | Osu Castle | YES | 40 | YES | NO | tourist | YES | NO |
| 23 | Fort Kongensten | NO | - | - | NO | remains of ruins, none | NO | - |
| 24 | Fort Prinzenstein | YES | 25 | YES | YES | tourist | YES | NO |
Figure 2.
The remaining ruins of Fort Elize Carthago near the Ankobra River mouth, without any protection and not included on the UNESCO List
Source: Authors’ photography, August 2022
Figure 3.
An artist working on a painting in Ussher Fort in Accra
Source: Authors’ photography, August 2022
Figure 4.
The location of Fort Metal Cross in Dixcove village
Source: own elaboration
Figure 5.
The location of Fort Groß Fredericksburg in Pokesu town
Source: own elaboration
Figure 6.
The location of Fort Batenstein in Butre Village
Source: own elaboration
Figure 7.
The location of Fort Komenda in Komenda town
Source: own elaboration
Figure 8.
Neighbouring Elmina Castle and Fort Coenraadsburg in Elmina town
Source: own elaboration
Table 2.
Information on the location and surroundings of the forts
| Item | Name of the fort | Locality | Locality status (C – city, T – town, V – village) | Location (S – by the sea, I – inland) | Landform (F – flat, H – hill) | Surroundings (B – buildings, F – forest) | Types: 1 IFB/2 SFB/3 IHF/4 IHB/5 SHF/6 SHB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Apollonia | Beyin | V | I | F | B | 1 |
| 2 | Fort Elize Carthago | Ankobra river mouth | - | S | H | F | 5 almost no traces |
| 3 | Fort Saint Anthony | Axim | T | S | H | B | 6 |
| 4 | Fort Groß Fredericksburg | Princes Town (Pokesu) | T | S | H | F | 5 |
| 5 | Fort Metal Cross | Dixcove | V | S | H | B | 6 |
| 6 | Fort Batenstein | Butre | V | I | H | F | 3 |
| 7 | Fort Orange | Sekondi-Takoradi | C | I | H | B | 4 |
| 8 | Fort São Sebastião | Shama | T | I | F | B | 1 |
| 9 | Fort Komenda | Komenda | T | I | F | B | 1 |
| 10 | Elmina Castle | Elmina | T | S | F | B | 2 |
| 11 | Fort Coenraadsburg/Fort St. Jago | Elmina | T | I | H | B | 4 |
| 12 | Cape Coast Castle | Cape Coast | C | S | F | B | 2 |
| 13 | Fort Victoria | Cape Coast | C | I | H | B | 4 |
| 14 | Fort William (formerly Smith’s Tower) | Cape Coast | C | I | H | B | 4 |
| 15 | Fort Nassau | Moree | T | S | F | B | 2 |
| 16 | Fort William | Anomabu | T | S | F | B | 2 |
| 17 | Fort Amsterdam | Abandze | T | S | H | B | 6 |
| 18 | Fort Patience | Apam | T | I | F | B | 1 |
| 19 | Fort Goede Hoop | Senya Beraku | T | S | F | B | 2 |
| 20 | Fort James | Accra | C | S | F | B | 2 |
| 21 | Ussher Fort | Accra | C | S | F | B | 2 |
| 22 | Osu Castle | Accra | C | S | F | B | 2 |
| 23 | Fort Kongensten | Ada Foah | T | S | F | farmland | almost no traces |
| 24 | Fort Prinzenstein | Keta | T | S | F | B | 2 |