It was hard to find the star fortresses when they were practically razed to the ground. It is even harder to look for them not on the territory of the state, but on the territory of Indonesia, which is located on more than 17,000 islands.
Modern Indonesia became independent on August 17, 1945. On its territory, there were 20 star fortresses on the islands of Suaveesi, Java, Papua, Sumatra and Moluccas. Most of them are in dilapidated condition, but there were also a few in good condition.
1. Fort Belgica, built in the Banda Islands by the Portuguese in 1611
Fort Belgica was built in the 17th century on the Banda island in Indonesia, in Banda Neira. A typical representative of star forts.
Promotional video:
2. Java. Citadel Prins Frederik (demolished, now Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta)
Citadel Prince Frederick (or, called Fort Prince Frederick) is a fortification built in 1837 in Batavia (present-day Jakarta). The fort was destroyed in 1961 to build the Istiklal Mosque, which is the largest in Indonesia and the largest in Southeast Asia.
3. Fort Willem 1, known in Indonesia as Benteng Pendem Ambarawa
A 19th century Dutch defensive structure in Ambarawa, Central Java, Indonesia.
In the photo: Fort Willem 1 in the 1930s.
The diagram clearly shows that Fort Willem 1 is a typical star fortress.
4. Waterkasteel, Batavia - completely destroyed
The surviving plans and maps clearly show a typical fort star.
The fortress was located at the western end of the Sunda Kelapa pier. Due to its location, the fort was also known as "Hornwerk".
5. Yogyarta
Fort Vredeburg Museum (official Indonesian name, Benteng Museum Vredeburg Yogyakarta), located in Yogyarta colonial fortress. In 1992 transferred to the Museum of the Independence Struggle. It is located opposite Gedung Agung and Kraton Yogyakarta (Sultan's Palace).
6. Fort Kalamata-Fort Kalamata
The Portuguese built Fort Kalamata on Ternate Island in the Indonesian Maluku Islands. Formerly called the Red Wood Fort, built in 1540 to strengthen the influence of Portugal, and in 1610 rebuilt by the Dutch, after increasing their influence in Maluku.
The fort is located in the southeast of the island, 1 km south of Bastiong on the edge of the coast. The fort is open to the public.
7. Fort Nassau - Fort Nassau, destroyed
Nasso was the first fort built on the Bando Islands.
Early 20th century.
8. Fort Oranje (Ternate)
Fort Oranje - built by the Dutch in the 17th century, the largest on the island of Ternate. Rectangular in shape, equipped with a moat and cannons. It was once the capital of the Dutch East India Company trading empire in Asia.
Survived by earthquakes, the eastern part of the fort was restored and turned into a park. The interior of the fort is now used by the local army garrison as a boarding house for local police families, which means that the interior is not very well maintained and the ground is littered with debris. Other government offices were also located inside the fort.
Scheme of the 17th century.
9. Fort Rotterdam Fort Rotterdam
17th century fort built by Rotterdam. For a long time it remained the regional Dutch military and government headquarters (until the 1930s). Not used for defensive purposes since 1937. During the short occupation by the Japanese it was used for scientific research in the field of agriculture and linguistics, after which it was abandoned and began to deteriorate. Renovated in the 1970s.