Forts and Castles is a heritage site listed under several names in the record: Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle, Fort Jesus and Castelo de São Jorge da Mina. The entry places it in Cape Coast, Elmina and Mombasa, and gives the address as Ndia Kuu Road, Mombasa Old Town, Mombasa, Ghana. Because the listing mixes locations, it is worth confirming which site you plan to visit before you travel.
The description given is of a 16th-century Portuguese fort built to guard the Old Port of Mombasa. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a museum. The fortress is said to show both Swahili and Portuguese architecture, and to tell something of the maritime history of the port.
What a visit offers
- Architecture that blends Portuguese and Swahili building styles
- Displays that touch on the maritime history of the old port
- A walk through a fortress that once guarded a working harbour
Planning your trip
The site sits within Mombasa Old Town, so time spent there can easily be combined with other historic streets and the waterfront nearby. For questions before your visit, the listed contact number is +254 41 2312639. The record does not give opening hours or admission details, so check these directly with the site.