Renowned as the first major European construction in tropical Africa, Elmina Castle, formerly St. George’s Castle, in the town of Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana, was founded by the Portuguese in 1482, when they discovered ‘the Coast of Gold Mines’. 

Just 10km west of Cape Coast, it was expanded when slaves replaced gold as the major export and had its storerooms converted into dungeons. Visitors can explore the former storehouses and slave dungeons, chapels and governor’s chamber.