1. The History
Kuto Besak fort is one of the historical heritages of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. The draftsman of the Kuto Besak fort was the first Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin (1724-1758 A.D.), but the process of the building had started in 1780 A.D. The process of the construction spent 17 years. This fort was announced officially by Sultan Mahmud Bahauddin on February 21, 1797 A.D., after completing the construction.
The fort is not only functioned as the historical heritages of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate, but also as keraton (palace). In the 18th century, the fort become the fourth center of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate together with Keraton Kuto Gawang, Keraton Beringin Janggut, and Keraton Kuto Batu/ Kuto Lama.
In the beginning, the palace (Keraton) of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate was Kuto Gawang, which is now purposed as the manufacture of the Crivijaya‘s fertilizer (PT. Pupuk Sriwijaya). In 1651 A.D., the Dutch colonialists attacked this palace for trading monopoly in the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate. Unfortunately, not only had their attacks devastated the palace, but also burned the Kuto Gawang‘s Palace. The capital of the sultanate then moved to Beringin Janggut, nearby the edge of Tengkuruk River, which is now located around Pasar 16 Ilir, ever since. Under the control of the first Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin (1724-1758 A.D.), the capital of the sultanate was moved to Keraton Kuto Lama. In his ruling period, the governmental administration of the sultanate was moved to Kuto Besak fort.
2. The Location
The city of Palembang, the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate, and Kuto Besak fort were located in the mainland surrounded by tributaries separating the city that developed into island. Kuto Besak fort is located in the northern Musi River bordered by Sekanak River in the west, Tengkuruk River in the east, and Kapuran River in the north. Since 1928, the Tengkuruk River had been buried. In the recent times, the River becomes General Soedirman‘s street that in line with the Ampera bridge. From other sides, the fort is located in the western of Keraton Kuto Lamo.
3. The Description of the Fort
The first Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin had established to protect the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate from the rebellion and enemy‘s attacks. The fort was located around the rivers, so that nobody could not enter easily to the castle. If there were enemies entering this fort, the soldier would be easy to find them and would anticipate their coming.
The structure of the fort is rectangle with 288,75 x 183.75 meters in size, 9.99 meters (30 feet) in height, and 1.99 meters (6 feet) in the thickness of the wall. This fort faces the south east, on the edge of Musi River. There is a bastion in every fort‘s corners. Three bastions, that are located in the east, south, and west, shape trapezium, and a bastion, which is situated on the northwest corner, shapes five-sided-figure. The fort has three gates, in the northeast and northwest, and the main gate (Lawang Kuto) which is located in the south east facing to the Musi River.
The basic material of the construction is stone-bricks that is orderly structured. The raw material, that is used for assembling the stone-bricks, is lime stone taken from Ogan River mixed by albumen.
The fort‘s walls have uniqueness; the shape and the height of every fort‘s walls are apparently different. The walls in the northeast have same thickness, and the height of the front wall is 12,39 meters, and the interior side is 13,04 meters in height. As a result, the upper fort shapes flat-oblique-area.
The northeast wall is decorated by angle cleat and equipped with pipper that shaped rectangle with superstructure‘s arch. The pipper lessens in the mid part of the wall. The southwestern-interior-wall has two different shapes. Why? Because, there is a gate in the mid part of the wall. The southwest-interior-wall of the south has different thicknesses; the bottom wall is thicker than the upper wall, arranging around 1,95 and 1,25 meters. The inner and the outer walls are 2,5 meters in height. The southwest-interior-wall of the north has different thicknesses; the bottom wall is thicker than the upper wall, arranging around 2,35 and 1,95 meters. The height of the inner and the outer walls are 2,5 meters. The northwest-interior-wall has similar structure as well as the southwest-interior-wall of the south. The bottom and the upper walls are 1,6 and 1,15 meters in width, with 2,25 meters in height.
On the outside of the fort, there are many buildings such as Pemarekan building (the building for welcoming foreign guests), and Pendopo Pemarekan. Both of the buildings are located in the right of Lawang Kuto‘s gate.
4. The Social Functions
The fort is now functioned as a museum storing many historical heritages of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate and the Dutch colonial government. The archeological heritages of the Palembang Darussalam Sultanate are the fort walls and the southwest gate, while the archeological heritages of the Ducth colonialists are the main gate of Kuto Besak fort and the other buildings in the fort.
This fort is also purposed as Komando Daerah Militer (Kodam) Crivijaya headquarter. Along time ago, the local government of South Sumatra Province has planned to purpose the fort as one of the interesting tourism objects in the province, and will be opened for domestic and foreign tourists. (TN/trj/34/11-07).
References:
- Bambang Budi Utomo, “Benteng Kuto Besak”, www.budpar.go.id.
- www.bbs.keyhole.com.
- www.id.wikipedia.org.
- www.indonesia.go.id.
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