Back to The History of The Gold Coast in Ghana

Ghana’s colonial heritage can be seen absolutely everywhere in the country, and especially along the Gold Coast. We discover ancient forts, enthroned facing the ocean, intended to maintain control of the region against invaders. These forts and other colonial monuments bear witness to the successive European powers that clashed for control of the Gold Coast.
It must be said that at this time the region was well known for its gold deposits and its abundance of slaves. The country was one of the main pillars of the triangular slave trade, also known as the Western slave trade. The slave trade was then seen as a currency of exchange between America, Europe and Africa. The goal: to supply European and American products to Africa, to distribute slaves to America and to supply Europe with American products.

During your trip to Ghana, be sure to visit the UNESCO listed Fort Elmina. This building, built at the end of the 15th century by the Portuguese, was the very first trading post in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the oldest European monument in the entire region south of the Sahara. Fort Saint-Georges, that is its name, saw some four million slaves pass through its walls, a figure that sadly made it the largest trading center on the entire African continent.

The Cape Coast Fort, also a UNESCO listed fort, also deserves the attention of visitors as it is Ghana’s most iconic colonial building. This high place of the slave trade, located in front of the ocean, makes it possible to retrace a whole part of this dark aspect of the history of the country. We discover a superb white building, cannons still pointed towards the sky as well as multiple dark rooms where slaves were “stored” before being “sent” to America. Inside the fort, visitors can also see the infamous “Door of No Return,” the place from which slaves were loaded onto ships and barges, heading to the New World.

Ghana’s colonial forts play an extremely important role in memory for locals. Many descendants of slaves continue to visit them out of a duty to remember their ancestors.

It was not until 1957 that Ghana finally became an independent country. The capital of the central region, Cape Coast, still bears most of the country’s colonial remains today. The city belonged in turn to the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Swedes and then the British and was the privileged witness of the slave trade in Africa. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cape Coast never ceases to fascinate history buffs. Haunted by its ghosts from the past, the former capital of the Gold Coast colony boasts a beautiful historic city center. If the history of the region is still very present, we nevertheless discover an astonishing sweetness of life, punctuated by the ocean air, the small fishermen’s houses and the powerful waves. The streets are lined with colonial monuments in more or less good condition, and on the ocean side, you can observe fishermen at work from their traditional boats, watched over by the many species of seabirds.

Cape Coast town center is also home to many markets where travelers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily life of the locals. On the program: scenes of exotic life, meetings and a host of souvenir ideas to take home. A real getaway in an authentic and welcoming Ghana!

Cape Coast is not only one of the most important historic cities in all of Africa, but also the main home of the Fantis, the region’s ethnic group. These West African people have their own culture and language. According to oral traditions, the Fantis arrived from the north to the Gold Coast in the 17th century. In the 18th century, they formed a confederation in order to protect themselves against Ashanti invaders. After many clashes between these two ethnic groups, the Fantis ended up joining the colony of Gold Coast.

While discovering the Gold Coast and the Pearls of Southern Ghana, be sure to meet the Fantis. The majority of them make a living from fishing, and to watch them at work is a real spectacle. Before dawn, the colorful boats moored along the shore disappear into the open sea, where the nets are cast. A few hours later, the fruits of their hard work can be bought and then tasted from the fish market, located at the foot of Cape Coast Fort.

Discovering the Gold Coast is a must visit on any Ghana adventure. It not only allows you to learn more about the slave trade in West Africa, but also to meet a people still very touched by its painful history. Please do not hesitate to contact NewAge Travel, who will be of great help in planning your trip to the Gold Coast in Ghana.