FORT Prinzenstein
Fort Prinzenstein, one of the few testimonies to the slave trade in the area, a site steeped in history in Keta, worth a visit.
Less imposing and in much poorer condition than the famous Cape Coast and Elmina forts, Fort Prinzenstein is one of the few remaining testimonies to the slave trade in the area. Prinzenstein, literally "the Prince's Stone", was built by the Dutch in 1734 (then called Fort Singelenburgh) before being taken over by the Danes, who had greatly increased their influence in the region by 1784. Initially conceived as a prison, the fort then became the place where slaves from Ghana, Togo and Benin (the former kingdom of Dahomey) were gathered before being sent to the New World. The fort fulfilled this function until the early 19th century. Then, in 1850, the Danish Gold Coast was sold to the British, and Fort Prinzenstein once again became a penitentiary. Following constant erosion and a violent storm in 1980, the fort was considerably damaged, swallowed up for the most part by the ocean in front of it. Nevertheless, it remains an interesting place to visit if you're passing through the region, or if you've decided to take a themed tour of the "slave route" along the Ghanaian coast from east to west. On site, a guide offers a tour of what remains of the fort and enthusiastically answers visitors' questions. Bring cash to pay for access to the fort and for the guide's services. Fort Prinzenstein, like the other fortresses along Ghana's coastline, is a World Heritage Site, testimony to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
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