The Fort Housing the Grave of the First Black European University Professor

In the year 1520, the Portuguese began building a fortress in Shama, Ghana, intended to serve as a trading post. It was designed as a deterrent to English sailors who interfered in the local trade. Construction continued until 1526, at which point the fort stood as a prominent fortification on the coast.

Time saw the fort change hands between different powers. The Dutch West India Company captured the fort in 1642, and it was eventually ceded to Britain in 1872 along with the rest of the Dutch Gold Coast. During the period of the African Slave Trade, kidnapped Africans were imprisoned within the fort while they awaited transport to North America.

The fort also serves as a site of historical significance for education and memory. It houses a graveyard where Anton Wilhelm Amo, the first black European university professor, lies interred.

Today, the structure is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It stands as a testimony to the history of European trade, colonization, and exploitation in the region. The fort's history is preserved through documentation such as 3D laser scanning to aid in research, education, and conservation.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons