Everything about Osu Castle totally explained
Osu Castle, also known as
Fort Christiansborg or simply
the Castle, is the
seat of government in
Ghana. It is located in
Osu,
Accra on the coast of the
Atlantic Ocean's
Gulf of Guinea. The fort dates back to the 16th century and has changed hands many times. The first substantial fort was built by the Danish in the 1660s, though rebuilding has occurred on many occasions since. It began to serve as the seat of government under
British colonial rule and continues to perform that function today.
History
The area was first occupied in 1550 by the
Portuguese, though in the 17th century Portuguese influence diminished. The area came under control of the
Sweden in the 1650s, led by the Dutch trader
Henry Caerlof. In 1652 he was given permission to build a small fortified lodge by the King of Accra, with whom he'd previously done business. In 1660 control passed to the
Netherlands but it was soon lost to Denmark. In 1657 Caerlof had again travelled to Africa, this time representing Denmark. He aimed to conquer the forts he'd previously established, which he found easy at Osu. In its early life the castle was primarily used in the
gold and
ivory trade, but under Danish control it increasingly dealt with
slaves.
In 1679 or 1680, the Fort's Greek assistant commander Bolten incited a
mutiny to murder the commander. Shortly after that, a Portuguese ship commanded by Julião de Campos Barreto visited the fort and agreed to purchase it. The fort was named Fort Sao Francisco Xavier after
Francis Xavier, a
Catholic missionary. The Portuguese built a
chapel and raised the
bastions by three feet. The fort was abandoned on
29 August 1682 after the
garrison mutinied and it became clear that Portuguese traders couldn't compete with the other Gold Coast powers. Danish forces returned in February 1683 after purchasing the Fort back from the Portuguese. In 1685 Fort Christiansborg became the capital of the Danish Gold Coast, taking over from Fredriksborg.
The
Akwamu tribe occupied the fort in 1693 after overpowering the occupants (who were reduced by death and disease) while disguised as merchants. Assameni, the Akwamu leader, occupied the fort for a year, trading with merchants from many nations. In 1694 Assameni sold the fort back to the Danish (for 50
marks of gold) but retained the keys, which are still in the tribe's possession to this day.
In 1850 the British bought all of Denmark's Gold Coast possessions for
£10,000, including Fort Christiansborg. Denmark had been considering selling these outposts for some time. After the slave trade had been
abolished they were expensive to run and brought little benefit. Britain experienced the same problems, but was keen to prevent illegal slave trading and to prevent
France or
Belgium strengthening in the area. An 1862 earthquake destroyed most of the upper floors, which were rebuilt in wood. Later that century the castle became the seat of the colonial government. In 1950 the wooden upper floors were rebuilt according to the original Danish plans.
In 2005 there was debate over whether Osu Castle should be replaced as the seat of government. President
John Kufuor argued that his government shouldn't sit at the castle due to its previous association with slavery and also because its facilities were inadequate.
National Democratic Congress MPs, however, argued that the $30 m that a new presidential palace would cost would be better spent elsewhere.
Features
Osu Castle remains the seat of government in Ghana, employing 2,100 workers. The most important functions are carried out in the castle itself, but other buildings are also used. Many international dignitaries have visited the castle while in the region, including U.S. Presidents
Richard Nixon and
Bill Clinton, and German Chancellor
Gerhard Schröder. Additional rooms were built in order to accommodate Queen Elizabeth II's visit in 1961, one year after Ghana became a republic.
The present castle is made up of various extensions to the original and is thus in an unorthodox shape. It has many facilities for the use of employees, including a clinic, cafe, shopping centre, and post office. It also still accommodates a permanent garrison. The extensive gardens feature a wide variety of plants, both local and imported, and employ 30 people. They are used for the president's outdoor receptions and parties.
Osu Castle isn't open to the public, and photography of it's restricted. In 2007, the opposition MPs in Ghana stormed out of a parliamentary debate on whether to take out a $30m loan to build a new presidential palace. MPs from President John Kufuor's New Patriotic Party voted unanimously in favour of taking the loan from India. They argued that the president shouldn't be based in Osu Castle, where slaves used to be kept. The opposition National Democratic Congress said the money would be better spent elsewhere. The old flagstaff house used by Ghana's first president as residence, is being renovated into an ultra modern office complex and residence for the president of Ghana. The new presidential palace is expected to be completed by the middle of 2008.
Further Information
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