Fort Rotterdam not only contains some interesting buildings, an arts centre and the "La Galigo" museum but also provides a quiet haven away from the noisier parts of town. In the late afternoon and evening you can often find young people playing music or rehearsing for theatre performances.

The King of Gowa built the fort in 1545. After other forts in the area were destroyed in 1669, Fort Rotterdam was taken over by the Dutch. In 1937 it lost its military function and was handed over to the Fort Rotterdam Foundation for cultural purposes.

Benteng Somba Opu

The ruins of this Makassarese fort can be found in the delta of the Jeneberang River, 7 km south of Makassar. In 1669 Bugis-Dutch forces destroyed the fort while bringing about the ruin of the powerful Makassar kingdom. During the following centuries a large portion of the bricks were taken away to serve as building material for houses and wells in the area.

Little is left of the once all-important fort, though parts of its western wall have been restored, and can be visited. For many people the highlight of the trip is the adjacent open-air museum of traditional houses from South Sulawesi. The complex also contains an archaeological museum housing objects found during excavations of the fort and its surroundings.