Elmina Castle and its Dark History of Enslavement, Torture, and Death

Elmina Castle is a white-washed Medieval Castle on the coast of Ghana. It was the first – and for many centuries – the largest, European building constructed in tropical Africa. Yet its grandeur, as well as its picturesque surroundings with blue skies, sandy beaches, and tropical palms, disguise a dark history – Elmina Castle was the last place that thousands of African slaves would ever see of their homeland. Many horrors transpired within the walls of the fortress, which have never been erased by time.

Elmina Castle, Elmina, Ghana (Wikimedia Commons)

The beginning of Elmina Castle

Located on the western coast of present-day Ghana (the former gold coast), the town of Elmina is about 13 km (8 miles) from the city of Cape Coast. A region rich in gold and ivory resources, the area was home to 30 or so “slave forts” concentrated along the coast, and was the first European slave-trading post in sub-Saharan Africa.  These fortified castles were built between 1482 and 1786 by numerous traders including the Portuguese, Swedish, English, Danish, and Dutch.