Stories and facts

Fort Augustaborg, a Danish fort on the eastern Gold Coast in present-day Ghana, was situated approximately 15 kilometers east of Fort Christiansborg, near what is now Teshie.

The fort was named in honor of Princess Louise Augusta of Denmark and was constructed in 1787 as a strategic defense against attacks from the Portuguese Empire.

In addition to its defensive role, Fort Augustaborg also served as a post in the Atlantic slave trade, a dark chapter in history that saw the forced transportation of countless Africans to the Americas.

Just five years after the fort's construction, Denmark became the first European nation to abolish the slave trade, marking a significant turning point in history.

However, the fort continued to play a role in the region's colonial history. On August 17, 1850, Fort Augustaborg was one of five Danish forts purchased by Queen Victoria, marking the fort's transition to British control.

Following Ghana's independence in 1957, Fort Augustaborg, along with 32 other forts and castles along Ghana's coast, came under the ownership of the new administration.

Today, the fort is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing as a testament to the region's complex history and its enduring cultural heritage.

Explore the various forts in Ghana below.