Princes Town or Pokesu is located 5 km east of Fort Saint Antonio on Manfro Hill in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of south Ghana, Africa. It lies between Axim to the west and Sekondi-Takoradi to the east.

It was originally developed by Germans as a colonial fort in the late 17th century. On 1 January 1681, a Brandenburger expedition of two ships commanded by Otto Friedrich von der Groeben arrived in the Gold Coast and began to build a strong fort between Axim and the Cape of Three Points. The fort was completed in 1683 and was named Fort Fredericksburg (German: Groß Friedrichsburg, Groß-Friedrichsburg, Großfriedrichsburg) in honour of Prince Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg. Because the fort was named after a prince, it has been referred to as Princes Town. The fort was to be the headquarters of the Brandenburgers in Africa.

"Junkanoo" dancing/parade festivals, named after John Canoe, are held annually in the coastal outlines of North Carolina, in Jamaica and the Bahamas.

Fort Fredericksburg

thumb|Forts Groot Friedrichsburg

Fort Fredericksburg was built of stone transported by sea between 1681 and 1683 from Prussia and is one of two German forts built in Ghana, the other being Fort Dorothea. It is estimated that some 300,000 Africans were transported through this fort. The remains of John Canoe are a mystery. Some have said he was captured after having lost the battle of the fort while others have said his remains are in the Tafo Cemetery in Kumasi. Because of its testimony to the Atlantic slave trade and the history of European colonial trade and exploitation, the fort was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 along with several other castles and forts in Ghana.

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File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 2.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 14.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 4.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 3.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 8.jpg|Cannon in Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 21.jpg|Part of the Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town was damage as a result of battle in the fort.

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 11.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 19.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 15.jpg|Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

File:Fort Gross Fredericksburg 17.jpg|Top of prison cell at Fort Gross Fredericksburg at Princes town in the Western Region of Ghana

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Sister cities

List of sister cities of Princes Town, designated by Sister Cities International:

{| class="wikitable"

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! style='"background:'|

! style="height: 17px; background: width:120px;" | <span style="color:black;">Country</span>

! style='"background:'|

! style="background:width:110px;" | <span style="color:black;"> City</span>

! style='"background:'|

! style="background:width:130px;" | <span style="color:black;"> County / District / Region / State</span>

! style="background:width:40px;" | <span style="color:black;"> Date</span>

|-

| Colspan=1 |

| Colspan=1 | USA

| Colspan=1 |

| Colspan=1 | Fredericksburg, VA

| Colspan=1 | 25px

| Colspan=1 | Virginia

| Colspan=1 |

|}

References

  • Fredericksburg-Princes Town Sister City Association, Inc.