Monuments and sites in Ghana

Fort Christiansborg

Christiansborg Castle was the headquarters for Denmark-Norway's commercial activities on the Gold Coast and it still bears the monogram of King Christian VII, ruler of the twin monarchy. The earliest constructions are from 1661. The trade with Europe was for muskets, bullets, gunpowder, brandy, textiles, iron rods, cowrie shells, etc., which were exchanged for slaves, ivory and gold, and other products. In 1850 the Castle was sold to Britain, along with all the other Danish forts and lodges. Today Christiansborg serves as the seat of government for the Republic of Ghana and is not at present open for the general public.

Fort Fredensborg

Fort Fredensborg, meaning Castle of Peace, was constructed during the years 1736-42. The fortress was located at Ningo for strategic reasons: to attract trade on the eastern coast, to prevent competition from the Dutch and English forts in Accra, and to enable trade exchanges with Portuguese and French ships in particular. Though fairly small, Fort Fredensborg played a key role in Danish-Norwegian trade during the eighteenth century. The fort was described by contemporary observers as one of the most beautiful buildings on the coast.

Fort Prinsensten

The Danish-Norwegian Fort Prinsensten was built at Keta in 1784 for military defence after a war against the Anlo Ewe, and in order to keep competitors among European nations away from the lucrative trade on the eastern coast. For Denmark-Norway the thrust was always eastward from Accra, aiming ultimately for control of the Volta delta and establishments on the so-called Slave Coast (now Togo and Benin), where the greatest number of slaves could be purchased. An active export/import trade was carried on in slaves, gold and ivory in exchange for muskets, brandy, iron rods, textiles, cowrie shells, etc. The slaves were transported over the Atlantic Ocean to the West Indies, and most of them were sold in the Danish-Norwegian islands of St.Croix, St. Thomas and St.John. Fort Prinsensten was sold to Britain in 1850.

The fort was later used as a prison until the ocean surf caused considerable destruction in 1980.

Richter`s house

This house was built in 1809 by the brothers Heinrich and C. Richter, who were the African sons of Johan Emanuel Richter, later Governor of the Danish establishments. The Richter family carried on considerable trade in gold and palm oil, but the fortification-like style of architecture hints at another kind of trade - in slaves. We know that illegal slave exports continued for several decades after formal abolition. Heinrich Richter was described as a very wealthy man. He died on 29 June 1849,and he was buried in his own house

Frederiksminde

This house was named after King Frederik VI of Denmark. It was built in 1840 by the Dane Wulff Joseph Wulff. He worked as Reserve Assistant to the establishment at Christiansborg
Castle, 1836-42. Wulff was married to the Euro-African Sara Malm, with whom he had three children. Wulff died on 16 December 1842. Beside his grave in the basement of Frederiksminde, there is also the grave of his daughter, Wilhelmine Josephine.

Plantation Frederiksgave

The royal Danish plantation, Frederiksgave, was established in 1832. After the abolition of the export slave trade, the Danish government encouraged the cultivation of cash crops - such as cotton, coffee and sugar - in order to develop an alternative export trade in agricultural products. Coffee was to be the main crop at Frederiksgave, with lesser quantities of cane sugar, cotton, oranges, tobacco and indigo. Largely due to insufficient rainfall, the plantation was not productive for long. The plantation continued to be used by the staff at Christiansborg for rest and recuperation, until it was sold to the British in 1850.

Plantation Daccubie

In 1807 the Danish Governor Schønning established a plantation at Daccubie, which consisted of several buildings. The main house had a master bedroom, two sitting rooms and a guest room. Underneath the house he built storage rooms. Coffee, plantain, bananas and dyewood trees were planted for cultivation. There was also a garden containing fruit trees and bushes with edible berries. The stream, Daccubie, as well as two good wells provided an ample water supply. In 1809 there was a total of 40,000 coffee trees on the plantation. Domestic animals were also kept here. The plantation was also used as a place for rest and recreation for the staff at the Castle, who often suffered from tropical illnesses and extreme discomfort due to climatic conditions at the seashore.

The Danish-Norwegian Cemetry

The cemetery for Christiansborg Castle is situated on the Castle grounds. Due to climatic conditions, life expectancy for Whites at the fort was less than two years. The cemetery was surrounded by a stone wall with high portals and a wrought-iron gate. The gravestones were made of white Carrara marble imported from Italy. The inscriptions and granite plaques were made in Copenhagen and then shipped to the Gold Coast. In 1960 the cemetery was demolished and six of the marble headstones were mounted into the southwest corner of the original wall, which was left standing. Captain Kiønig, Chief Officer Lundberg and nine other members of the crew found their final resting place here.

Tamarind Trees (Tamarindus indica)

These trees were planted along the old Danish road from Christiansborg Castle on the coast to the Bibiase plantation in 1802.The road was constructed to follow an existing footpath from Christiansborg, across Legon Hill, to the foothills of the southern Akuapem mountains. Remnants of the tamarind allée can still be seen on the southern side of Legon Hill, at the village of Kpompo, and behind the European cemetery at Abokobi.

The Frederiksberg Allé

In 1797 an allée of tamarind trees - approximately 1 kilometre long - was planted from Christiansborg Castle to the Danish plantation Frederiksberg. Remnants of this allée can be seen in Salem Road, Osu, and near the Ridge Hospital.