The Fort Built Between 1852 and 1856

The stone walls of Fort d'Estrées overlook the bay of Dakar on the island of Gorée. These walls were built between 1852 and 1856. The fort bears the name of Vice-admiral Jean II d'Estrées, who took the island in 1677.

While the fort did not always play a leading role, it fired its cannons to repel allied troops in 1940. Following that period, the structure was used as a civil prison until 1976. Ships from the capital still navigate around the ramparts to enter the port.

Today, the site houses the Musée historique du Sénégal. Managed by the Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire, the museum tells the general history of the country from its origins to independence. It serves as a space to commemorate the history of the slave trade in the region.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikimedia Commons