Fort St Anthony, Axim (Western Region of Ghana)
Fort Santo Antonio was a fort built by the Portuguese in 1515 near the town of Axim, in what is now the West African country of Ghana. In 1642, the Dutch captured the fort and subsequently made it part of the Dutch Gold Coast.
The Dutch expanded the fort considerably before they turned it over, with the rest of their colony, to the British in 1872. The fort is now the property of the Ghanaian state and is open to the public. At this fort, the Treaty of Axim was signed in 1642. Fort Saint Anthony picture (c) BotMultichillT |
The history of Fort St. Anthony, located in Axim in the Western Region of Ghana, partly illustrates the motive for the construction of heavily fortified forts on natural elevations - especially on a rocky one that juts out into the sea.
The effective defensive capability of Fort St. Anthony was revealed by its ability to withstand attacks for over four years, even after the fall of Elmina to the Dutch in 1637. Having no rival in the surrounding gold-rich lands of the Ankobra and Tano River valleys enhanced the economic viability of the fort; gold traders from Adanse and Denkyira frequently visited the fort. However, between 1670 and 1720, with the construction of rival forts in the bays east of Axim, Portuguese trade monopoly was ruined. (See map below, for location)
The fort’s opening hours are 9:00am to 4:30pm.
Entrance fees are as follows:
Entrance fees are as follows:
Visitor Entrance Fee;
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Source: Anquandah, Kwesi J., Castles and Forts of Ghana, 1999, page 94. and GMMB
Text also part (c) Wikipedia Contact Details: GMMB Central and Western Regions Cape Coast Castle Cape Coast Tel +233-3321 32529 Source: Anquandah, Kwesi J., Castles and Forts of Ghana, 1999, page 94. |
By the 1720s, St. Anthony had become a Dutch fort. The fort is reported to have amassed ‘more gold at Axim than anywhere else together’ , especially after the dissolution of the Brandenburg Company and the death of John Conny (see Fort Gross Fredericksburg). The area was also an important source of timber and cotton for Dutch plantations.
The fort was ceded to Britain in 1872.
The fort’s 17th-18th century panelling is one of its archaeological fortes. In the 1950s, it was rehabilitated for use as government and local council offices. It is the proposed site for a museum and restaurant.
The fort was ceded to Britain in 1872.
The fort’s 17th-18th century panelling is one of its archaeological fortes. In the 1950s, it was rehabilitated for use as government and local council offices. It is the proposed site for a museum and restaurant.
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