Fort Marlborough survives ravages of time

Fort Marlborough survives ravages of time

By Budi Pristiwanto

BENGKULU, Bengkulu (JP): Grandiose and solid. That is the
initial impression of Fort Marlborough in the provincial capital
of Bengkulu, conjuring up thoughts about the time when the
British built it 285 years ago.

The impression became stronger when I entered the fort's rooms
of thick walls and iron bars, legacies of its former use as a
prison and arms warehouse.

Strong feelings of admiration for this historic structure led
me to ask myself: How did the people live at that time? What
happened in these rooms?

Built in the shape of a giant tortoise, it was given the name
Fort Marlborough by the British government in honor of John
Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722).

It was built on the initiative of Joseph Collet, a top
official of the East India Company, on hilly terrain measuring
five hectares. Construction started in 1714 and lasted five
years; it was said that Fort Marlborough was as strong as Fort
George built by the British government in Madras, India.

The fort is constructed with brick and rock held together with
a mixture of sand and mountain chalk processed as cement. The
floor has a concrete foundation and part of its surface is tiled.
The roof is capable of sustaining a weight of 50 tons.

The strength of the fort has been tested by nature. In the
monumental eruption of Krakatau on Aug. 28, 1883, the fort did
not sustain significant damage even though the force of the
eruption, equaling 410 megatons of TNT, destroyed 165 villages
along the west coast of Java and southern tip of Sumatra. More
than 36,000 people perished.

It is easy to reach the fort, which is located on Jl. A. Yani
in the center of Bengkulu, to the left of Barukoto market and
opposite Tapak Paderi harbor.

From the hotel area of Pantai Panjang, visitors can take a
public transportation vehicle for Rp 500 (it is a 20-minute walk
to the fort). From Padang Kemiling Airport, a taxi ride of about
10 minutes costs Rp 10,000. The ticket to enter the fort is only
Rp 300.

A visit to Fort Marlborough allows us to enjoy other
enchanting tourist spots in the vicinity, such as the Tapak
Paderi coast, the Thomas Parr monument, the British resident's
building (now the residence of the Bengkulu governor) and the old
building of Chinatown.

In late afternoon, the views are breathtaking. As far as the
eye can see there is the vast expanse of blue sea, with fishing
boats pictured against the backdrop of the setting sun. A cool
breeze makes visitors reluctant to leave before the late evening.

"Even the most skillful painter will not be able to transfer
the composition of natural colors and the impression of freshness
onto his canvass," said Jane, 30, a tourist from Australia.

It is not surprising that the fort is now considered a major
historical attraction to draw tourists to Bengkulu, Sumatra's
little known and least populated province. To ensure its
preservation, the local government has designated it a protected
heritage site. Annual budget allocations running into several
million rupiah take care of the maintenance and repairs to the
fort.

The fort is also home to a museum. Among the items on display
are reproductions of paintings from 1794 by Samuel Andrews which
show the fort and the surrounding community, duplicates of
letters and printed material of the East India Company and
portraits of the fort through the ages.

Fort Marlborough takes visitors back to the past when the
British briefly ruled an outpost in Sumatra. It no longer serves
to ward off attackers, but instead welcomes travelers who wish to
see its enduring grandeur.