Fort Rotterdam

Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

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Fort Rotterdam, perched on the western coast of Makassar in South Sulawesi, is a striking relic of Indonesia’s colonial past and a symbol of the city’s enduring spirit. Originally built in 1545 by the Gowa Sultanate as Fort Ujung Pandang, it was ceded to the Dutch after the Treaty of Bongaya in 1667 and rebuilt between 1673 and 1679 into the star-shaped bastion we see today.

The Dutch renamed it Fort Rotterdam, after Admiral Cornelis Speelman’s hometown, and used it as their regional military and administrative headquarters until the 1930s. The fort’s architecture blends European and local styles, with thick stone walls, five bastions, and a moat (partially preserved).

Inside, 17th-century buildings still stand, including the governor’s residence—now part of the La Galigo Museum, which houses artifacts from South Sulawesi’s rich cultural history. One of the fort’s most poignant chapters is its role as the prison of Prince Diponegoro, a Javanese hero exiled here after leading a rebellion against Dutch rule.