Fort Kastela

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Fort Kastela, or Benteng Kastela, is a ruined Portuguese fortress on the southwest coast of Ternate in the Maluku Islands, Indonesia. Built in 1522–1523, it is considered the first colonial fort in the Spice Islands. The fort has been known by several names, including São João Baptista de Ternate, Fortaleza de Ternate, Ciudad del Rosario (Spanish), and Gammalamma; locals often call it Kastella.

Why it was built
A Portuguese fleet from Lisbon, led by Jorge de Brito, landed on Ternate to establish control over the spice trade. The fort sits near the Sultan’s Court and controls three narrow reef passages, allowing small boats to load cloves but keeping larger ships away.

Early improvements
Improvements to the fort began under Governor António Galvão around 1536.

Turmoil and change of hands
In 1570, Sultan Hairun was killed by the Portuguese, and the fort was besieged by Sultan Baab for five years. In 1575 the Portuguese handed over the fort and retreated to Ambon. Baab renamed it Gammalamma and used it as his royal palace. He also built an additional fort about 5 km to the east, known today as Fort Kota Janji.

Dutch and Spanish influence
In 1605 the Dutch (VOC) captured Portuguese forts on Ambon and Tidore and established a base on Ternate. In 1606 the Spanish, allied with Portugal at the time, recaptured Kastella and took Sultan Saidi Berkat to Manila. They renamed Gammalamma to Ciudad del Rosario and turned the area into the Spanish capital of the Moluccas, with churches, a Franciscan monastery, and a hospital.

Later history
Dutch Admiral Paulus van Caerden was held captive in Kastella by the Spanish, who considered the fortress invulnerable. The Spanish period lasted until 1663, when they left and the Dutch occupied the fort. Today the site is a large area of ruins scattered with local houses and crossed by the island’s main road. You can still see parts of the old walls and bastions from the Spanish era, and there is a monument commemorating the 1575 Ternatean victory over the Portuguese.