Fort Kastela
Benteng Kastela
The site of the first European fort in Ternate, built by the Portuguese in 1522, where Sultan Babullah drove out the Portuguese. A monument now marks the spot.
Fort Kastela, also known as São João Baptista, was the first fortress the Portuguese built in Ternate in 1522. In 1570 Sultan Khairun was assassinated here by the Portuguese, after which his son Babullah launched a siege. In 1575 he forced the Portuguese to withdraw, making it a landmark event in Southeast Asian anti-colonial resistance. Only partial walls survive, and at the entrance a monument in the shape of a clove recounts this history. It stands beside the ring road in the southwest of the island, is free to visit, and takes about 20 minutes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Laguna Lake
- Mount Gamalama
- Cengkeh Afo
- Fort Kalamata
- Maitara Island
- Lake Tolire
- Fort Oranje
- Kedaton of the Sultanate of Ternate