Fort Rotterdam ("Benteng Ujung Pandang")
Fort Rotterdam not only contains some interesting
buildings, an arts centre and the "La Galigo" museum but also provides a quiet
haven away from the noisier parts of town. In the late afternoon and evening you
will often find here young people playing music or rehearsing for theatre performances.
The King of Gowa built the fort in 1545. After other forts in the area were destroyed in
1669, Fort Rotterdam was taken over by the Dutch. In 1937 it lost its military function
and was handed over to the Fort Rotterdam Foundation for cultural purposes.
Benteng Somba Opu
Sketch of Fort Somba Opu and surroundings - ca. 1665
The ruins of the Makassarese fort Somba Opu are
located in the
delta of the Jeneberang River, about 7 km south of the centre of Makassar. In 1669 Bugis-Dutch forces
destroyed the fort while bringing about the ruin of the powerful Makassar kingdom. During
the following centuries a large portion of the bricks were taken away to serve as building
material for houses and wells in the area.
On the old picture above the
fort is located at the seaside. Nowadays Fort Somba Opu lies nearly two
kilometers inland. Sediments from the river Jeneberang probably have
caused this situation.
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Part of western wall of Fort Somba Opu |
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Western wall with bastion at end |
Little is left of the once all-important fort, though parts of its western wall have been
restored, and can be visited. For many people the highlight of the trip is the adjacent
open-air museum of traditional houses from South en West Sulawesi. The complex also contains an
archaeological museum housing objects found during excavations of the fort and its
surroundings.
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Open Air Museum Somba Opu - traditional Toraja houses |
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Open Air Museum Somba Opu - traditional Mandar house |
Paotere Harbour
Pinisiq-style cargo boats in Paotere
Paotere is the harbour in the north of
Makassar where traditional Buginese sailing boats (pinisiq) load and unload their cargo. It is
fascinating to see the boat workers running across narrow wooden planks from the dock to
the boats carrying unbelievably large loads.
The pinisiq have been motorised and the number and length of the masts have been reduced,
but these boats still make attractive subjects for photography. The boats sail to nearly
all parts of Indonesia. Sails are used to reduce fuel consumption and in case of engine
problems.
Late afternoon street soccer at Paotere
Besides
the long distance sailing 'pinisiq' Paotere is visited by smaller boats
that transport cargo to the islands in the Makassar Strait. Some of
these smaller boats bring frozen fish from the islands that are sometimes
more than 15 hours
away. On the way back home they bring ice blocks for preserving the new
catch and provisions like rice and fuel.
The entrance fee to
Paotere was in July 2009:
1,000.- Rupiah for motorbikes,
2,000.- Rupiah
for cars
500.- Rupiah for passengers.
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Small fishermen's boats in
Paotere |
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Smaller fishing and cargo boats
in Paotere |
Below a satellite view
of Makassar provided by Google Maps. You can zome and move by using the
panel in the top left hand cormer.
View Larger Map
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