# Fort Nassau

- **Country:** Ghana
- **Coordinates:** 5.133333, -1.200000
- **Location Text:** Moree ()

Fort Nassau, located near Moree in Ghana, stands as a historically significant military structure originally constructed by the Dutch in 1612. Established following the Treaty of Asebu, it was the first fort built by the Netherlands on what would become the Dutch Gold Coast. The site was developed after Dutch merchants, previously operating temporary factories, faced attacks from Portuguese forces and petitioned their government for a fortified presence. Jacob Clantius oversaw the initial construction, though the early structure suffered from unhealthy conditions due to the builders' lack of experience with tropical environments. In 1624, ownership transferred to the Dutch West India Company, which considerably expanded the facility.

For twenty-five years, from its inception until 1637, Fort Nassau served as the capital of the Dutch Gold Coast before this status shifted to Fort Elmina. The fort played a central role in European colonial activities in West Africa, functioning as a key hub for both the gold trade and the tragic Atlantic slave trade. Its strategic importance was highlighted during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War when British forces under Captain Thomas Shirley captured the outpost in 1781, temporarily disrupting Dutch control along the coast.

Today, Fort Nassau is recognized globally for its historical testimony and is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It forms part of a collective listing titled "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions," designated in 1979 under criterion vi for its association with major stages of human history. While specific details regarding its current physical condition or modern public access are not extensively documented in the provided records, its preservation remains vital as a symbol of the complex colonial interactions that shaped the region's past.

![Photo of Fort Nassau](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/FortNassauMouri.JPG)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Nassau,_Ghana (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)