Slaving castles were originally built by European countries for commercial trade with the natives of the Gold Coast (Ghana). Only later when the slave trade actually picked up was the primary use of the slaving castles for storing and selling slaves to be shipped to the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean. Most of the slave castles were built between the 15th and 16th century as trading posts. By the beginning of the 18th century many castles had been established on the West African Coast, especially the Gold Coast. At the height of the slave trade more than fifty castles were jammed together on a coast less thatn 300 miles long. Of the fifty or so castles built, 32 were located in Ghana.

The Portuguese were the most prolific builders of the slaving castles, but the Dutch, Danes, French, and English were all in the business also. Most of these castles changed ownership over and over again until the end of the 19th century after the British abolition of slavery when the British conquered or bought out all of the castles.

Today only about 30 of these castles can still be seen, as sort of a "unique collective historical monument" to Africa's history. About 15 of these slaving castles are now classified as UNESCO (United Nations Educational,Scientific, and Cultural Organization) world historic monuments.