Castles of the Golden Coast

Prince Henry the Navigator first sent ships to explore the African coast in 1418. The Portuguese had several motives for voyaging south. They were attracted by rumors of fertile African lands that were rich in gold and ivory. They also sought a southern route to India. The Portuguese first reached what became known as the Gold Coast in 1471. In 1481, the recently-crowned João II decided to build a fort on the coast in order to ensure the protection of this trade: Elmina Castle. Some historians note that Christopher Columbus was among those to make the voyage to the Gold Coast with this fleet. At the height of the gold trade in the early sixteenth century, 24,000 ounces of gold were exported annually from the Gold Coast. First established as a trade settlement, the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade. 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 1871 the Dutch Gold Coast, including the fort, became a possession of the British Empire. Britain granted the Gold Coast its independence in 1957 and the country became known as Ghana: the word Ghana means Warrior King and was the title accorded to the kings of the medieval West African Ghana Empire. From 1979 it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the title “Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions” which include other 10 castles. The beautiful postcards are from Emmanuele Bonsie and I like the cards and the history of that place. A history which became darker because of the slave trades.


A second fortification that I will talk about is Cape Coast Castle which is also included in the World Heritage List. It was built by Swedish traders for trade in timber and gold. Later the structure was used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The first timber construction on the site was erected in 1653 and named Carolusborg after King Charles X of Sweden. It was later rebuilt in stone. In April 1663 the whole Swedish Gold Coast was seized by the Danes, and integrated in the Danish Gold Coast. In 1664 the Castle was conquered by the English and was extensively rebuilt it. In 1844, it became the seat of the colonial Government of the British Gold Coast. It was first restored in the 1920s by Britain and then in the ‘90s by the Ghanaian Government.

I have to write something about trading cards with peoples from Africa or other countries in Asia or so on. We are afraid that we’ll not get what we want but this is such unfortunate because we, Romanians, are also perceived (sometimes) as bad. My message is for all and I have to tell you that in every nation are a few bad seeds but many more, the majority, are good seeds. In European Union we have such perceiving problems with Danish, Finnish, Dutch and many more.

I know Emmanuele from Dănuţ Ivăncescu and he thought the same things and I will show you his text from his blog because is a perfect message.

Ghana is in Africa, in Africa-Africa, in Black Africa, not in Maghreb or in extreme south. In that area from where come, for decades, only news about wars, massacres and coups. We see on TV very interesting documentaries about wildlife and national parks, but it seems that we prefer they remain there, on TV, not to see them live. Because actually we're afraid of those beautiful and dangerous animals, of diseases, of the people there, of the instability which we think that defines Africa.

That's why when I got in touch with Emmanuel from Ghana, I hesitated. I hesitated to send him the Romanian banknotes that he wanted in exchange to the postcards that I wanted. I hesitate even though I was the one who contacted him, and not vice versa. I didn't have confidence because he is from Africa. Eventually I sent him the envelope and I got the 3 cards, as we agreed. I must therefore apologize to Emmanuel for the way I thought. I know that confidence people are everywhere, but also I must to believe it and behave as such.

World, Come to My Home!

Elmina Castle: 5.083,-1.348 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.
Cape Coast Castle: 5.103779,-1.24091 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.
Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Ghana For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Prinţul Henric Navigatorul a trimis vase să exploreze coastele Africii în 1418 pentru a căuta o altă rută maritimă spre India. Pe Coasta de Aur, aşa cum se numea Ghana în 1471, portughezii au construit un castel pentru a uşura comerţul. Scopul iniţial a fost rapid schimbat şi Castelul Elmina a devenit principalul loc de îmbarcare a sclavilor africani. Construcţia s-a făcut la ordinal regelui João II şi se spune că printre navigatorii din 1481 a fost şi Cristofor Columb. Se pare că s-a ajuns la un export de 24.000. de uncii de aur anual, aşa că nu e mirare de ce coasta se numeşte de aur. În 1637 fortul a fost cucerit de olandezi şi vânzarea de sclavi a continuat până în 1814 când, printr-un tratat Anglo-Olandez s-a interzis comerţul cu sclavi. În 1872 castelul a fost preluat de britanici până în 1957 când Coasta de Aur a devenit stat independent; primul stat sub-saharian care şi-a câştigat independenţa. Numele de Ghana înseamnă Rege Luptător şi a fost numele unui imperiu african ce s-a dezvoltat în vestul continentului negru. Din 1979 este în Patrimoniul UNESCO, adică de la a treia sesiune. Împreună cu acest castel mai sunt incluse încă alte zece castele ale zonei, construite de portughezi, olandezi sau britanici. Vederile le am de la Emmanuele Bonsie şi îmi plac foarte mult.

O altă fortificaţie din aceeaşi serie, tot inclusă în Patrimoniul UNESCO, este şi Castelul Cape Coast construit de suedezi pentru a transporta aur şi lemn. Ca şi Castelul Elmina, şi acesta a ajuns în cele din urmă un avanpost pentru transportul sclavilor în Americi. Prima construcţie a fost ridicată din lemn în 1653 şi a fost denumită Carolusborg în onoarea regelui Carol al X-lea al Suediei. Mai târziu a fost refăcut din piatră. In 1663 teritoriile suedeze de pe Coasta de Aur au fost preluate de danezi. La un an distanţă, în 1664, englezii au cucerit castelul şi abia în 1844 acesta a devenit locul punctul central al guvernatorului britanic pentru Coasta de Aur. Tot englezii l-au refăcut în 1920 şi renovat de guvernul ghanez în anii ’90.