The banded tower
Red and white.
Albgoess — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Matti Blume — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dan Sloan — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mike Norton (on Flickr) — CC BY 2.0 · Mike Norton (on Flickr) — CC BY 2.0
Jamestown Lighthouse is a red-and-white banded tower in Accra's oldest quarter, standing between the British James Fort and the harbour where fishermen work. It is the district's main landmark, and from the top you see the capital in a different way. Around it lies a fishing community that still lives from the sea, most of them Ga people. The old districts of Jamestown and Usshertown grew up in the 17th century around British James Fort and Dutch Ussher Fort, on the Gulf of Guinea east of the Korle Lagoon. The first lighthouse went up at James Fort in 1871, and the present tower replaced it in the 1930s. Accra became the capital of the Gold Coast in 1876, and this part of the city then grew quickly. A narrow spiral stair climbs to a balcony with a red railing, and from there you see the tin roofs of the quarter, the harbour with its coloured boats and the long coastline. Below stand white buildings with red roofs, with James Fort close by. The nearby streets have murals, worn colonial buildings and busy daily life. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park is about 1.5 km away in a straight line. The easiest way to understand the quarter is a walking tour with a local guide. People may want to be asked before you photograph them, above all at the harbour. Morning is the busiest time for the fishermen. Keep to the main streets after dark.
Red and white.
Roofs, boats and coast.
A busy morning harbour.
High Street, Jamestown, Accra, Ghana
Usually yes, with the keeper who asks a small sum, and the stair is narrow and spiral.
It is not required, but a local guide makes things easier with people and explains the forts.
