Fort Orange, Ghana

Fort Orange
Fort Oranje
Sekondi, Western Region, Ghana in Ghana
Site information
Type	Coastal fort
Owner	Ghana Museums & Monuments Board
Controlled by	Netherlands (1642–1872)
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Preserved / repurposed
Location
Coordinates	4°56′09″N1°42′26″W / 4.9357°N 1.7073°W / 4.9357; -1.7073
Height	Approx. 12 m
Site history
Built	1642
Built by	Dutch West India Company
In use	1642–1872
Materials	Stone, brick
Battles/wars	Attacked by Ahantas (1694), captured by Britain (1872)
Events	Served as trading post and fort during Dutch Gold Coast period
Garrison information
Current commander	N/A
Garrison	Dutch West India Company
Occupants	Netherlands (1642–1872)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part of	Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions
Criteria	Cultural: (vi)
Reference	34-008
Inscription	1979 (3rd Session)

Fort Orange (Dutch: Fort Oranje) is a fort located in Sekondi, Western Region, Ghana. Built by the Dutch in 1642, it was originally established as a trading lodge. The site was enlarged into a full fort in 1690 to support the growing European trade and to provide protection against local conflicts and rival European powers. ^{[1] [2]}

It is situated adjacent to the English-built Fort Sekondi, which was constructed in 1682. The fort was transferred to British control in 1872 along with the rest of the Dutch Gold Coast holdings, following the Anglo-Dutch treaty of that year. ^[3]

History

Fort Orange was first constructed as a lodge in 1642 by the Dutch West India Company to facilitate trade along the Gold Coast. During the 1670s, it operated as a trading post before being expanded into a fort in 1690. In September 1694, the fort was attacked by the Ahantas, which prompted reinforcement and remodeling of the structure to a full-fledged fortification by 1704. ^[4]

Current situation

Fort Orange used to serve as a lookout post but currently serves as a naval base for the Ghana Ports and Harbor Authority. ^[5]

Significance

Fort Orange is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site listing for the Forts and Castles of Ghana ^[6]

References

1. "Fort Orange, Sekondi (1670s) – Ghana Museums and Monuments Board" . Retrieved 2025-11-12.
2. "Fort Orange – Visit Ghana" . Retrieved 2025-11-12.
3. "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
4. "Fort Orange: A historic fortress in Western Region that shaped Ghana's coastal history". GhanaRemembers. Retrieved 2025-11-12.
5. "Fort Orange". Afro Tourism. 2015-07-21. Archived from the original on 2019-10-19. Retrieved 2019-10-19.
6. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-11-12.