Elmina Castle

De Portuguese wey dem erect **Elmina Castle** for 1482 insyd as **Castelo de São Jorge da Mina** (*St. George of the Mine Castle*), wey e san be known as *Castelo da Mina* anaa simply *Mina* (anaa *Feitoria da Mina*), for present-day Elmina, Ghana (formerly de Gold Coast). Na e be de first trading post wey dem build for de Gulf of Guinea top, den de oldest European building wey exist south of de Sahara. 

First dem establish am as trade settlement, de castle later come turn one of de most important stops for de route of de Atlantic slave trade. De Dutch seize de fort from de Portuguese for 1637 insyd, after an attempt wey dem no succeed for 1596 insyd, dem san take over all of Portuguese Gold Coast for 1642 insyd. De slave trade continue under de Dutch til 1814. For 1872 insyd, de Dutch Gold Coast, wey dey include de fort, come turn Great Britain dema possession.

De Gold Coast, wey now be Ghana, gain ein independence for 1957 insyd from Britain, wey dem dey control de castle. Elmina Castle be historical site, na e be a major filming location for Werner Herzog ein 1987 drama film *Cobra Verde*. UNESCO dey recognize de castle as World Heritage Site. E sa be major tourists attraction for de Central Region of Ghana insyd.

## Renovation
De Ghanaian government extensively restore de castle for de 1990s. Still nu renovations dey on. Today, tourism den fishin dey sustain Elmina ein economy. Dem preserve Elmina Castle as Ghanaian national museum wey World Heritage Monument design am as monument under UNESCO for 1979 insyd. E be place of pilgrimage for chaw African Americans wey dey seek to connect plus dema long-lost heritage. Renovatin de bridge wey dey lead into de castle be one of de highest priority tasks for de project insyd. As of August 2006, dem plete de bridge renovation den construction of de upper terraces dey continue.

## 3D documentation plus terrestrial laser scanning
For 2006 insyd, de Zamani Project document Elmina Castle plus terrestrial 3D laser scanning. De 3D model, panorama tour, elevations, sections den plans of Elmina Castle dey available for de project ein website top. De on-profit research group dey specialise for digital documentation of tangible cultural heritage insyd. De data Zamani Project generate dey create permanent record wey dem fi use for research, education, restoration, den conservation.
## Gallery

File:Ghana Elmina Castle Interior View of Church.JPG|Elmina Castle Interior View of Church
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Interior.JPG|Elmina Castle Interior
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Male and Female Slave Entrances.JPG|Elmina Castle Male and Female Slave Entrances
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Memorial Plaque.JPG|Elmina Castle Memorial Plaque
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Slave Export Gate.JPG|Elmina Castle Slave Export Gate
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Slave Holding Cell (2).JPG|Elmina Castle Slave Holding Cell
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Slave Holding Cell.JPG|Elmina Castle Slave Holding Cell
File:Ghana Elmina Castle Gun Defences.JPG|Elmina Castle Gun Defences
File:St. Georges Castle Elmina Cape Coast.jpg|Elmina Castle
File:The Docks at Elmina Castle - July 1995.jpg|Remnants of the docks at Elmina Castle
File:Rebellious slaves were punished here.jpg|Solitary Confinement Rooms at Elmina Castle
File:Female Dungeon Entrance - Elmina Castle - 1995.jpg|"Female Dungeon" - Elmina Castle in 1995
File:Inside the dungeon - the line in the middle was considered adequate sewage.jpg|Dungeon - Elmina Castle, 1995

## References


## Read further

* Andrea, Alfred J., and James H. Overfield. “African Colonialism,” *The Human Record: Sources of Global History*, Fifth Edition, Volume 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
* Bruner, Edward M. "Tourism in Ghana: The representation of slavery and the return of the Black Diaspora." *American Anthropologist* 98 (2): 290–304.
* Claridge, Walton W. *A History of the Gold Coast and Ashanti*, Second Edition. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd, 1964.
* Daaku, Kwame Yeboa. *Trade & Politics on the Gold Coast 1600–1720*. London: Oxford University Press, 1970.
* DeCorse, Christopher R. *An Archaeology of Elmina: Africans and Europeans on the Gold Coast, 1400–1900*. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001.
* Hair, P. E. H. *The Founding of the Castelo de São Jorge da Mina: an analysis of the sources*. Madison: University of Wisconsin, African Studies Program, 1994. 
* Pacheco, Duarte. *Esmeraldo de situ orbis*, c. 1505–1508.
* World Statesmen-Ghana