Fort Rotterdam, also known as Fort Ujung Pandang, is a fortress dating back to the Gowa-Tallo Kingdom. It is located on the western coastline of Makassar City.
The fort was originally built in 1545 by the 9th King of Gowa, Daeng Matanre Karaeng Tumapa'risi' Kallonna. The site was later ceded to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under the Treaty of Bungaya in 1667 for occupation. The fortress features six bastions and is surrounded by a seven-meter-high wall and a two-meter-deep moat.
It was subsequently utilized by the Dutch as a central spice depot for eastern Indonesia. The fort also served as the regional military and administrative headquarters for the Dutch until the 1930s. In 1937, ownership of Fort Rotterdam was transferred from the Dutch East Indies government to the Fort Rotterdam Foundation. The fortress was officially registered as a historical building on May 23, 1940. Extensively restored in the 1970s, the fort now serves as a cultural and educational center, a venue for various music and dance events, and a popular tourist destination.
