Fort Prinzenstein
| Part of | Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions  |
|---|---|
| Inception | 1734 |
| Country | Ghana |
| Dem locate for de administrative territorial entity insyd | Volta Region |
| Location | Keta |
| Coordinate location | 5°54′39″N 0°59′31″E |
| Heritage designation | Ghana’s material cultural heritage |
| Described at URL | https://www.atlasofmutualheritage.nl/en/Singelenburgh-fort.151c |
| World Heritage criteria | World Heritage selection criterion (vi) |
| Ghana Place Names URL | https://sites.google.com/site/ghanaplacenames/places-in-perspective/castles-forts#h.3hl0ccnq6l2k |
Fort Prinzenstein (Danish: Fort Prinsensten) be fort wey dey Keta, Ghana wey dem use am for slave trade tym.[1] Dem build chaw similar forts for Africa, but Prinzenstein be one of de few wey dey east of de Volta River.[1] Keta serve as open port til Tema Harbour commence ein operation to de west for 1962 insyd.[2] Dem designate de fort as World Heritage Site (along plus chaw other castles den forts wey dey Ghana) secof ein historical importance den testimony to de Atlantic slave trade.[3][4]
Danish traders wey dem build am for 1784 insyd secof defensive purposes after de Sagbadre War against de Anlo Ewe wey make e keep de area safe from oda colonial powers.[5] De majority of materials, especially de stone wey dem use for de fort ein building, komot from Accra.[3] De fort dey among de four major structures wey de Danish build.[6] De fort significantly play part wey dey hia for de slave trade insyd, wey Europeans involve for West Africa insyd.[7] Aside from de slave trade, de fort serve active purpose for de trade of goods dem import den export lyk gold den ivory for give-den-take for muskets, brandy, iron rods, textiles, cowries shells etc.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
De Dutch West India Company build Fort Singelenburgh for de site of de current fort for 1734 insyd, but de Dutch abandon de fort for 1737 insyd, secof de Dutch dey side plus de Akwamu dem defeat for de Akyem-Akwamu conflict insyd.[8] Na de Danish develop presence for Keta insyd, de commercial capital for de Anlo people. Howeva, for 1783 insyd de Anlo people pillage de local Danish agent, de Governor for Christiansborg raise army wey dem draw from people plus tradition of antipathy towards de Anlo: de Ada, Akwapim, Ga den Krobo. De Danes thus fi defeat de Anlo wey dem impose treaty for 1784 insyd wey allow dem make dem build Fort Prinzenstein wey dem oblige de Anlo make dem trade plus dem per.
Up til 1803, dem use de fort as dungeon give slaves wey dey wedge transpo go de Caribbean. For 1850 insyd dem sell de fort, plus de rest of de Danish Gold Coast give Britain.[9] Na dis be wen Keta cam turn British colony.[2] Na dem use de fort as prison for period before de sea partially destroy am for 1980 insyd.[5] For effort make dem protect de fort ein remains, de ICOMOS Ghana collaborate plus de Ghana Museum den Monuments Board den de Danish Embassy for 1991 insyd make sam efforts make dem preserve am, howeva de sea ein impact for de fort continue.[3] Tourists wey now dey visit de fort ein remains.[10] Tourists wey dey komot from different parts for de world lyk de United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Benin, France, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark den Finland wey dey visit de fort.[3]
Present fort[edit | edit source]
De fort ein remains (September, 2012)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20061009010829/http://www.ghanatourism.gov.gh/regions/highlight_detail.asp?id=&rdid=55
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.britannica.com/place/Keta
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 https://www.icomos.org/public/risk/2002/ghana2002.htm
- ↑ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/34/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20060214235100/http://www.unesco.no/fredensborg/monuments_and_sites_in_ghana/01.htm
- ↑ https://www.modernghana.com/news/191003/the-keta-fort-fort-prinzenstein.html
- ↑ https://ghana.peacefmonline.com/pages/tourism/castles_forts/fort_prinzenstein/
- ↑ Albert van Dantzig (1999), Forts and Castles of Ghana (in German), Accra: Sedco Publ., ISBN 9964-72-010-6
- ↑ https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Ghana.html#Danish%20Gold%20Coast
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20070812144906/http://www.ghanaconsulatenewyork.org/pages/region_volta.html