Fort Margherita, Colonial fort near Sarawak River, Kuching, Malaysia.

Fort Margherita is a three-storey tower block in the style of an English castle, with a watchpoint on top and a courtyard enclosed by a high wall set with sharp glass shards. Wooden windows built into the wall served as firing points for cannons aimed at the Sarawak River.

Construction began in 1879 under the second Rajah of Sarawak to defend the city against river pirates. This action marked a turning point in local security and colonial control of the region.

The gallery inside displays personal items and artifacts related to the rulers who governed Sarawak for many generations. Visitors can see how their presence shaped daily life and structures throughout the region.

Fort Margherita stands on the north bank of the Sarawak River, across from The Astana and beside the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. Reach it by a short river cruise from Pangkalan Batu, in front of Main Bazaar on the Kuching Waterfront, or by a 15-minute drive along Petra Jaya. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.

The courtyard wall was built with sharp glass shards set into the masonry, and wooden windows in the wall served as firing points for cannons. Prisoners were executed in that same courtyard until the Japanese occupation in World War II.