Ghana was originally known as Gold Coast because gold used to be in abundance over there. The country got its current name Ghana after getting independence from the British. Elmina is a lovely little town in Ghana. A number of foreign tourists every year pay a visit to the Tourist Attractions in Elmina. The two main Tourist Attractions in Elmina are:
- St George's Castle
- St Fort Jago
St. George's Castle
St George's Castle was built by the Portuguese in the year 1482. The castle was only a small rectangular fortress in the earlier times. The modern fort has expanded ten times. The main extension of the palace took place during the mid 17th century when the Dutch took possession of it.
In the earlier days the castle itself was like a small town, comprising of living quarters, a chapel, an officer's mess, an auction hall and a storage hall. It is believed that around 1000 slaves used to live in the castle. Even a Christian primary school was housed in the castle. It is also believed that during the first year of construction Christopher Columbus visited Castle St. George.
Tourism plays a very important role in Ghana's economy. Do remember to visit this heritage site, while holidaying in Ghana. Hundreds of tourists pay a visit to Castle St. George d'Elmina every year.
Fort St. Jago
As you roam around the St George's Castle, you can catch a view of Fort St. Fort Jago, the other main Tourist Attraction in Elmina. Unlike the St George's Castle, this heritage site has no dark secrets to share with you. This Fort was built by the Dutch in 1666 when they captured St George's. St. Fort Jago has gone through a lot of metamorphosis over the years. After the return of the Dutch this Fort was turned into a guest house. It was changed to a leprosy hospital and then again transformed back to a prison, before being restored into a guest house again.
You get a splendid view of this lagoon and the palm fringed beach from the Fort. The view in the north is very interesting. The town below is always bubbling with life.
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