Fort Apollonia

Fort Apollonia at Beyin was built by the British between 1768 and 1770 and marks the western end of the chain of forts along the Ghanaian coast, close to the Ivorian border. It is a compact square structure with corner bastions, whitewashed and in reasonable condition, and it now houses a museum of Nzema culture established with Italian cooperation funding, covering the history, crafts and social organisation of the people of this corner of Ghana rather than only the fort's own story. The fort was briefly Dutch in the nineteenth century before returning to Britain. Beyin is also the departure point for canoe trips to the stilt village of Nzulezo, which most visitors combine with the fort.

History

The area takes its name from a Portuguese explorer who sighted it on the feast of Saint Apollonia, 9 February. The Swedes had a trading post here in 1655-1657, the British set up their own in 1691 and enlarged it into a fort in 1768-1770, and after the abolition of the slave trade the fort was abandoned in 1819 and reoccupied from 1836. In the exchange of forts of 1868 it passed to the Netherlands and was renamed Fort Willem III, but on 6 April 1872 it returned to Britain with the whole Dutch Gold Coast, and in 1873 the British bombarded it during their attack on Beyin, an ally of the Ashanti; it was inscribed with Ghana's other forts and castles on the World Heritage List in 1979 (Wikipedia, Fort Apollonia).

What to look for

• The square fort - the compact bastioned structure at Beyin.
• The Nzema museum - the displays on local culture and history.
• Whitewashed walls - the restored exterior facing the shore.
• The coastal setting - the beach and village at the fort's foot.

When to go

November to March for the dry season. The museum keeps daytime hours and may close unpredictably. Combine with a morning canoe trip to Nzulezo, which starts from the same village.

Before you go

The museum is small and opening is inconsistent. The fort itself takes half an hour. Beyin is a long drive from Takoradi or Cape Coast. Facilities in the village are very limited.

Nearby

Nzulezo stilt village is reached by canoe from here; Axim lies east.

Key facts