Fortress
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Fort Amsterdam
Perched dramatically on a high coastal ridge in Abandze, Fort Amsterdam was originally built by the English in 1631 as Fort Cormantin (or Fort Kormantin). Captured by Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter in 1665 and renamed Fort Amsterdam, the fortress holds major historical significance as the first English fort established on the Gold Coast and a primary slave holding center. It is directly linked to the enslaved leader Ayuba Suleiman Diallo and the roots of the 'Cormantee' freedom fighters in the Caribbean. Today, Fort Amsterdam is famous for its atmospheric ruins, sweeping ocean views, and local tales of phantom redcoats, spectral slave chains, and unseen guardians.