Fort Rotterdam

Fort Rotterdam is a well-preserved 17th-century fort in Ujung Pandang, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Originally built as Benteng Ujung Pandang by the Gowa-Tallo Kingdom in 1545 and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1673, it features Vauban-style bastions. Now a designated cultural heritage site, it houses the La Galigo Museum and serves as a cultural and educational center near Losari Beach.

Visitors can expect a large walled fort complex with thick coral-stone walls, bastions, and gates surrounding a central courtyard. Inside are restored Dutch colonial buildings housing the La Galigo Museum with archaeological and ethnographic collections, former prison cells including that of Prince Diponegoro, cannons, and exhibition halls. The grounds include gardens, paved walkways, and open areas used for cultural events, with views toward the Makassar Strait.

Originally constructed in 1545 by the Gowa Kingdom as Benteng Ujung Pandang using earth and later stone. Captured by the Dutch under Admiral Cornelis Speelman in 1667 following the Treaty of Bongaya, it was rebuilt between 1673 and 1679 in Vauban fortress style and renamed Fort Rotterdam after Speelman's birthplace in the Netherlands. It served as the Dutch colonial administrative center in eastern Indonesia and as a prison, most notably holding Javanese Prince Diponegoro from 1830 to 1855.

Designated as a cultural heritage site, the fort is a symbol of Makassar's history and houses the La Galigo Museum, which preserves and displays the cultural heritage of South Sulawesi including Bugis, Makassar, Mandar and Toraja collections and manuscripts of the La Galigo epic. It functions as a cultural center for exhibitions, performances and education.