| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Official name | Cape Coast Castle |
| Part of | Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions |
| Criteria | Cultural: (vi) |
| Inscription | 1979 (3rd Session) |
| Coordinates | 5°06′13″N 1°14′28″W / 5.10361°N 1.24111°W |
  Location of Cape Coast Castle in Ghana | |
Cape Coast Castle (Swedish: Carolusborg) is one of about forty "slave castles", or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese "feitoria" or trading post, established in 1555, which was named Cabo Corso.
In 1653, a timber fort was constructed by the Swedish Africa Company. It originally was a centre for timber and gold trade, and then was later used in the Atlantic slave trade.[1] Other Ghanaian slave castles include Elmina Castle and Fort Christiansborg. They were used to harbour enslaved Africans before they were loaded onto ships and sold in the Americas, especially the Caribbean. This "gate of no return" was the last stop before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.[2] Cape Coast Castle, along with other forts and castles in Ghana, are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List because of their testimony to the Atlantic gold and slave trades.[3]
- ^ "Cape Coast Castle - Castles, Palaces and Fortresses". www.everycastle.com. Retrieved 2019-01-17.
- ^ "Ghana's Slave Castles: The Shocking Story of the Ghanaian Cape Coast". theculturetrip.com.
- ^ "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 9 Oct 2022.