Benteng Pendem, an Enchanting Abandoned Dutch Fortress in Ngawi

NGAWI – Benteng van De Bosch or Benteng Pendem a.k.a Pendem Fort is an abandoned Dutch Fortress which has become a tourist attraction in Ngawi.

This fort has attracted so much people to visit with its beauty. The third son of The President of Indonesia, Kaesang Pangarep even attracted to visit this place just to feed his thirst of historical place.

"I have no business here, I just curious and wanted to know about its history, it's a historical place that we need to adore and preserve," Kaesang said.

In the 19th-century, Ngawi was known as the center of trade and shipping in East Java. The Dutch established a defense center in the region of Madiun especially to cope with the Java War.

The fort was finished in 1845 and was named Fort van den Bosch. It was equipped with rooms for 250 soldiers, 6 cannons, and 60 cavalries led by Johannes van den Bosch.

During the Japanese occupation period, the fort was converted into a civilian camp for men and boys. Several people of Indo-European men and boys who refused to swear loyalty to the Japanese authorities were also imprisoned in this fort.

After sovereignty handover the fort was briefly used by Indonesian Army before fell into deterioration until its current dilapidated condition.

In February 2019, President Joko Widodo announced that the Benteng van De Bosch or Benteng Pendem a.k.a Pendem Fort complex in Ngawi will be repaired and revitalized into near original condition for tourist destination.(*)

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