It is located about 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) west of Boma which was the capital of the Free State and later the Belgian Congo from 1886 to 1926.

It was built by the Congo Free State to control access to the river, particularly against the Portuguese who occupied nearby Angola and Cabinda and which it was feared might cut off the Congo Free State from access to the Atlantic Ocean.

About two hundred soldiers of the Free State Force Publique "Compagnie d'Artillerie et de Génie" (Artillery and Engineers Company) garrison manned the fort's eight 160 millimetres (6.3 in) ship guns.

Nonetheless, a major mutiny occurred among Tetela soldiers in the fort on 17 April 1900.

[citation needed] Media related to Fort de Shinkakasa at Wikimedia Commons