The Fort Vredeburg Museum Yogyakarta is a colonial fort built by the Dutch East Indies colonial government. This fort is located in the heart of Yogyakarta, and is located close to many important landmarks such as Malioboro Street, Yogyakarta palace, and Beringharjo market.
This fort was built in the 18th century gradually. Since its construction, Fort Vredeburg has undergone many renovations and has even changed its name. Here are some facts about the Fort Vredeburg Museum.
Strategic location
Fort Vredeburg Museum is visited by many tourists because of its strategic location. This Benteng is located at the end of the legendary Malioboro Street, with very good access. Most visitors come here to enjoy the atmosphere of Malioboro. Tourists can also reach many other popular tourist attractions in the city of Yogyakarta from this castle museum.
History
After the foundation of the new palace of Jogjakarta, the government ordered the construction of a fort in Yogyakarta. It was provided by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I in 1760.
Initially the fort was only simple wooden fort with four bastions. 7 years later, the fort was expanded and was built more permanently by Dutch architects; Frans Haak. The fort was finally completed in 1787. The fort was named Fort Rustenburg (resting fort).
A century later, the fortress was destroyed by the earthquake. The fort was later rebuilt and renamed at Fort Vredeburg (peace fort). This fort was once used as the main Japanese army headquarters and then being used as a command post for the Indonesian Army.
Become a museum
The idea to change Fort Vredeburg from the army headquarters into a cultural institution was brought on by Ki Hajar Dewantoro. It was not until 1980 that the central government found an agreement with Yogyakarta Sultanate to revamp this fort into a cultural institution.
A major renovation took place in 1982 and in 1984, but then the government changed the plan and created a museum out of Fort Vredeburg. The museum was intended to show the history of Indonesia’s struggle for independence. The museum was inaugurated in 1992.
Tourist Destination
Fort Vredeburg Museum has now become a popular destination with good facilities. Here, you can expect basic amenities like toilets, prayer rooms, guest rooms, guides, audio visual rooms, performance rooms, libraries, and seminar rooms. You can also see various exhibitions like dioramas, old photographs, historic objects, and many replicas.
Formally, the address of the Fort Vredeburg Museum is on Jl. Margo Mulyo No.6, Ngupasan, Gondomanan, Yogyakarta City. The location is right at the southern end of Jalan Malioboro. Tickets to enter the museum are very cheap, only around IDR 3,000 per person for domestic tourists. For foreign tourists, the ticket price is IDR 10,000.
The Fort Vredeburg Museum not only presents historical tourism, but also a destination with a lot of wonderful photo spots. This is a great easy place to visit, since it is located in the center of the city.
