Seribu Islands is one of the closest tourist destinations to Jakarta. You will be presented with a panoramic view of the island cluster, as well as various activities, such as island hopping and snorkeling. Something is interesting if you want to explore the Thousand Islands, namely Fort Martello, a heritage site of the Dutch Colonial era in Jakarta, Indonesia, which will make you want to enjoy the atmosphere here.
Fort Martello was built on four islands in Pulau Seribu, namely Onrust, Cipir, Kelor, and Bidadari Islands.
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| Fort Martello (Photo: ticmpu.id) |
Now, Fort Martello is still intact on Kelor Island and Bidadari. While on Onrust and Cipir Islands, only the foundation remains.
History of Fort Martello in Seribu Islands
Taking information from Kompas.com who conveyed that the construction of Fort Martello in the Thousand Islands began in 1850.
Several literature write that former Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Van der Capellen originally planned to build a shipyard on Onrust Island, Thousand Islands, along with its defense system.
Also, read: Jakarta Architecture Festival 2023.
Then, on January 21, 1849, Governor-General Jan Jacob Rochussen decided to build a cannon-equipped island defense system.
Martello is a type of tower-shaped fortress developed on the European continent in the 18th to 19th centuries, adapting the tower fortress at Mortella Point, France.
The fortress is in the form of a tube tower with thick brick walls. The fort was built two to three stories and surrounded by a moat.
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| Fort Martello (Photo: ticmpu.id) |
The roof of the Martello fortress was built horizontally to be used to lay cannons.
On the first floor, there will be a kitchen, supply room, gunpowder, and ordnance warehouse, as well as a water reservoir.
This fort was originally intended to be built on six islands north of Jakarta, namely Onrust Island, Cipir, Bidadari, Kelor, Batu Karang Mathilde, and Trigosson.
However, the construction of tower fortifications at Mathilde Rock and Trigosson was halted. The towers then changed their function to become storage warehouses in 1871. The tower on Kelor Island was restored in 1908.
Currently, tourists can still find Fort Martello on Kelor Island and Bidadari which is one of the leading tourist attractions in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta.
The condition of Fort Martello
Currently, Fort Martello is still intact only on Kelor Island and Bidadari. In Onrust and Cipir, only the foundation remains.
Bidadari Island with an area of about 6,641 hectares is the closest island to the mainland of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. The island has been designated as part of the Cultural Heritage Area. The condition of Fort Martello on Angel Island is still maintained.
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| Fort Martello condition (Photo: ticmpu.id) |
Meanwhile, Kelor Island with an area of about 0.28 square kilometers is about 2 kilometers from the coast of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta.
On this island, there is Fort Martello with a diameter of 9.26 meters and a height of 7.94 meters as well as a shipyard.
Kelor Island has been designated as part of the Cultural Heritage Area.
Access to Fort Martello
Fort Martello can be accessed in two ways:
- Take a fast boat through Marina Ancol. The price of this travel package tends to be more expensive.
- Many travel packages are managed by agents who cooperate with tourist destination managers.
His departure was centered in Muara Kamal, North Jakarta. By spending IDR 85,000, tourists can travel to Onrust Island, Cipir Island, and Kelor Island.
The package was quite in demand. Only in the future needs assistance from the Provincial Government of the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (to provide a tourist travel boat port). Not only for fishermen but also a special port to Thousand Islands.
That's a little tourist information about "Fort Martello, a heritage site of the Dutch Colonial era in Jakarta, Indonesia". Hopefully, this information can be a reference for those of you who want to enjoy historical and natural tourism in Indonesia.
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