Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites, Historic fort ruins on an island in the Gambia River, Gambia
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites consist of colonial-era ruins scattered across an island in the Gambia River and nearby locations, featuring stone walls, fort structures, and building foundations dating to the 18th century. The remains show how the structures once dominated the river and controlled passage along this waterway.
Portuguese explorers arrived at the island in 1456 and built a fort that later passed between Dutch, English, and French hands during colonial rivalries in West Africa. Control of this location meant control of river trade and the surrounding region.
The island was renamed in 2011 to honor Kunta Kinte and the thousands of Africans detained and transported from this location during the slave trade. The name connects visitors to the personal stories behind what happened here.
Visitors reach the island by boat from Banjul, with tours often including stops at other historical sites along the river's northern bank. The dry season offers the most comfortable conditions for river travel to these remote locations.
Fort Bullen and Six-Gun Battery were the only defensive structures in West Africa built specifically to stop illegal slave trading after its abolition. These sites show a unique enforcement effort against the continuation of the trade.
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