West African reminder of a dark side of the Swedish history

Ghana in West Africa has the single largest collection of medieval forts and castles in the world built by the Europeans who traded initially in gold and later slaves in the gold coast. French, Portuguese, Danes, Dutch, Germans, Swedes and British built approximately 80 trading forts and castles on the shores of Ghana between 1383 and 1870.

Christiansborg Castle in Accra, is unique among the castles and forts as it served as Government House during various periods in the 19th and 20th centuries and continues to play that role today. The building of the first lodge in the 17th century at Ursu or Osu is attributed to the Swedish African Company.



The Swedes, led by Krusenstjerna, built a permanent fort in 1653, and called it Carolusburg Castel after King Charles X of Sweden. In 1657, the Swedish headquarters at Carolusburg, Cape Coast was captured by the Danish Guinea Company.