Heritage of Ghana

With a size similar to that of the state of Oregon, Ghana is located on the Gulf of Guinea, just a few degrees north of the Equator, waiting to be explored by tourists visiting the country. Ghana has a total area of 238,534 sq km and it has two places under the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. These traditional landmarks of Ghana give travelers an idea of the countries tradition and culture and also the role played by them in the history of the country.

The world famous World Heritage place in Ghana consists of:

• Asante Traditional Buildings
• Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions

Asante Traditional Buildings- The Ashanti Region to the north-east of Kumasi is the cultural heartbeat of Ghana. This tropical rainforest belt with its scenic beauty is home to the remains of the great Asante civilization. This Ghanaian heritage in the capital city reached its peak in the 18th century. The dwellings of this civilization are all made of earth, wood and straw, making them quite vulnerable to the onslaught of time and weather. Also referred to as the 'Land of the Golden Stool', it has the ideal conditions for tourists, with its beautiful weather chilly in the mornings, bright, clear and sunny in the afternoons. One can experience this exciting colorful world of hearty hardworking people and drink in its tradition through their language, passage rites, festivals, cuisine and ordinary day-to-day activities. This heritage of Ghana was added to the UNESCO's World Heritage List in the year 1980.

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions- This Ghanaian heritage site was first raised between 1482 and 1786. It was during the colonial period the collective designation of Western-style fortifications and outposts mostly Portuguese, British and Dutch along the Gold Coast, i.e. modern day Ghana. The remains of fortified trading-posts can still be seen along the coast of Ghana between Keta and Beyin. This legacy of Ghana was links in the trade routes during the era of great maritime exploration.

The term exclusively applies to 11 ensembles chosen as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. They are the:

• Elmina Castle, Elmina
• Cape Coast Castle, Cape Coast
• Fort Saint Antony, Axim
• Fort San Sebastian, Shama
• Fort Batenstein, Butri
• Fort St. Jago (Fort Conraadsburg), Elmina
• English Fort (Fort Vrendenburg), Komenda
• Fort Metal Cross, Dixcove
• Fort Amsterdam, Abandze
• Fort Patience (Fort Leysaemhyt), Apam
• Fort Good Hope (Fort Goedehoop), Senya Beraku