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In 1482 the Portuguese started to build a fort on the strategically local end of a narrow bounded by the ocean and the Benya River. The River provided a natural shelter harbor. The fort was build to protect the gold-rich land of ‘’El Mina’’, the mine. The construction of the fort according to the original plan was finished in 1486. Elmina castle was the first major European building in tropical Africa. The Portuguese enjoyed a trade boom in the 15th and 16th century. British, Italians, and French attempted to breach the Portuguese monopoly failed.
From Morocco and Northern Europe cloths, blankets, copper and brassware and millions of manilas (metal bracelets) were imported and exchanged for Gold dust and ornaments.
The cloths trade was an important factor around 1500 army commandant wrote to the Portuguese king Manuel in 1503: ‘’Sir, J, Diego d’Alvarnega, Kiss the Royal hands of your highness and I report that I have received the old linen.’’
However due to the massive importation of superior gold from Mexico in the 16th century the price of Gold dropt in Europe and the vast spend of resources by the Portuguese crown weakened the Portuguese succumbed to Dutch attacks and were dislodged from the Elmina in 1637. From that time on Elmina castle became the headquarters at the Dutch possessions in the Gold coast.
It was during the Dutch era that Elmina population grew from estimated 4,000 people in the early 17th century to 15,000 in the 18th century mainly due to the impact of the
Gold and slavetrade.
The Dutch turned the Portuguese Church into an auction hall and build a new Dutch Chapel and they rebuild the north and west bastions and the riverside yard.
Aflter the reconstruction the total habitable accommodation within the castle walls was 3,950 metersquare, including the new buildings (500 metersquare) in the large riverside yard.
Jean Banbot descript the fort as followed, in his 1732 look a Description of the coasts of north and south Guinea: ‘’This castle has justly become famous for beat, and strength, having no ague on the coast of Guinea. Built square with very high walls of dash brown stone so very fine that it may be said to be common proof. On the land Sid it has two canals always furnished with rain on fresh water sufficient for the use of the garrison and the ships canals cut in the rock by the Portuguese (by blowing up the rock little by little with gun powered). The warehouses either for goods or provision are very largely and stately always well furnished.’’
In 1872, the Dutch ceded the castle to the British, since then it has served a variety of purposes. For many years it housed the Ghana Police Recruit Training Center. It was taken over by the Ghana Museum Board in 1972 and was included by UNESCO on the world heritage list. Recently it has been uses by the Edinaman Secondary School and now has a historical Museum exhibition theme “In ages of Elmina Across the century”.
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