Fort Rotterdam, Military fort and museum in Makassar, Indonesia

Fort Rotterdam is a rectangular walled complex with five surviving bastions and a seven-metre rampart. Inside are thirteen buildings, eleven from the 17th century, including a central church and the governor's residence. The walls are built of limestone from Selayar and stone from Maros.

The Gowa Kingdom built the fort in 1545 as part of its coastal defence system. In 1667, after the Makassar War, it was ceded to the Dutch under the Treaty of Bongaya. Admiral Cornelis Speelman had it rebuilt between 1673 and 1679 and renamed it after his birthplace, Rotterdam.

The La Galigo Museum displays prehistoric megaliths, ancient weapons, and coins from across the Sulawesi region. These objects tell the story of trade routes and daily life in this part of Indonesia.

You can walk the ramparts, examine old cannons, and visit the museum to see the collection displayed. Early morning is the best time to visit, as the tropical heat can be intense during the day.

Prince Diponegoro, who led the Java War against the Dutch from 1825 to 1830, was exiled to Makassar in 1830 and held in a prison inside Bastion Bacan, the southwestern bastion, until his death in 1855. The bastion is named after the Bacan Islands, one of the VOC's allies.