- Type
- Fortress
- Built
- 1611 · 17th century
- Coordinates
- -4.5266°, 129.8987°
History
For centuries the Banda Islands were the world's only source of nutmeg, and the Dutch and English fought over them. In 1609 the Dutch East India Company built Fort Nassau on Banda Neira, and in 1611, on the orders of Governor-General Pieter Both, Fort Belgica was raised on the hill above it. In 1621 Jan Pieterszoon Coen conquered the islands, and most of the inhabitants were killed or deported. In the second half of the 17th century the fort was rebuilt in stone as a pentagon. Around the turn of the 19th century the British twice occupied the islands. The fort was restored in the late 20th century.
What to see
The fort is laid out as a pentagon with round towers at the corners, and a taller inner ring of walls encloses a courtyard. From the walls you can see the bay and the town of Banda Neira, the remains of Fort Nassau at the foot of the hill and the cone of the Gunung Api volcano across the strait.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q4982061
Popularity: articles about this site in 15 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).