The Dutch Cemetery of Elmina was constructed on the order of Governor of the Dutch Gold Coast Johannes Petrus Hoogenboom in 1806. Up until that date, the Dutch had buried their dead inside or just outside Elmina Castle, but by the beginning of the 19th century, little space was left there, so it was decided to construct a new cemetery in what was known as "the Garden" of Elmina. Ironically, Governor Hoogenboom was also one of the first people to be interred in the cemetery, after he was murdered by local Elminese people with whom he had a disagreement.