Elmina Castle is a historic castle located in Elmina, Ghana. It is the oldest European building in existence south of the Sahara. The castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 as a trading post for gold and ivory. It later became a major slave-trading post, and is estimated to have been the point of departure for over 1.5 million enslaved Africans.
The castle was captured by the Dutch in 1637, and remained in their possession until 1872. It was then used by the British as a military base until 1957, when Ghana gained its independence.
Elmina Castle is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a popular tourist destination, and is a reminder of the dark history of the Atlantic slave trade.
