Benteng Vredeburg | Old Dutch Architecture

Vredeburg Fortress doesn't separate with Kasultanan Jogjakarta. The born of the Kasultanan Jogjakarta begin from Giyanti agreement which is the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie) intervention. The VOC want to divide the Mataram Kingdom become two parts, named Kasunanan Surakarta and Kasultanan Jogjakarta.

After separated, the Kasultanan Jogjakarta was led by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. He was built the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace soon. The quick establishment of the palace make fearful for the VOC. This condition make the VOC want to build a fortress to control the development of palace.

At first, the name of Vredeburg Fortress is Rustenberg Fortress. Rustenberg means resting place. At 1765 - 1788, this building was completed by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I permission and the name has changed become Vredeburg. It means the reconcilement fortress. At 1760 - 1830, Vredeburg was changed function to fortification fortress. At 1830 - 1945, Vredeburg Fortress was used to the Holland and Japanese camp militaries. After 1977, the fortress was resigned by the government. Daoed Yoesoep as the Education and Culture Ministry by the permission Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX as the owner of the palace, Vredeburg Fortress as the center of information and development of National Culture at August 09^th 1980.

The building shape is a square. In four corners of fortress, you can find seloka which are function as the controlling room. The internal building was adapted with the new function as the museum. Vredeburg Fortress has many buildings collection. The collections are jagang or the ditches / gutters; bridges; walls or beteng in Javanese; gates; and the middle part of the building like a hall or barn which is function as soldiers shed.

The museum also has collections, which are real, not imitation. The collections have direct role in a historical moment, a development of history, science and technology development and the development of culture. The collections are households, clothes, kitchen equipments, weapons, manuscripts, etc. This museum also has the photo collections, miniatures, replicas, the paintings, and the many visualization and miniramas. Miniramas is the description of history moment with three dimensions display. Now, Vredeburg Fortress Museum has totally 55 miniramas which are set up on four rooms.

What you can do?

You can look around the Benteng Vredeburg and also you can see the collection from this benteng and look the history from one room to other room, it is connecting and you can find the history about Indonesia. Also look the old building from Dutch. The price is not expensive to look around here just 10.000 IDR only per person. 

Benteng Vredeburg Address               : Jalan Jendral Ahmad Yani No 6, Yogyakarta Phone                  :  (0274) 586 934 | (0274)  510 996 Opening Hours    : Tuesday to Friday     08.00 am – 04.00 pm                              Saturday to Sunday  08.00 am – 05.00 pm Entrance Ticket   : 10.000 IDR (1 USD)