Chinese Name: 熱蘭遮堡遺構
Establishment: 1624
Location: Gubao Street, Guosheng Road, and Anping Road in Anping District of Tainan City
Did You Know That…?
Unearthed in 2021, the outer west wall and drainage system of Fort Zeelandia are historical sites previously undiscovered. Notably, remnants of important infrastructure facilities like the drainage system are rarely mentioned in historical records, making such findings significant.
In 1624, the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, VOC) constructed a fortress named Fort Oranje on the western side of the Taijiang Inland Sea (臺江內海) in Tayouan (now Tainan’s Anping area) in southern Taiwan. Four years later, the fortress was later renamed Fort Zeelandia, which was the most important trading post for the VOC in the 17th-century East Asia, the large fortress farthest away from the mainland of the Netherlands, and a testament to Taiwan’s role in global trade.
From 1624 to 1662, the Dutch constantly built the Fort Zeelandia on the sandbar. To fulfill the Dutch’s ever-changing needs in military, politics, and economy, the fort often underwent the process of expansion and renovation. Its construction could be roughly divided into five stages: primary stage (1624-1628), structural strengthening stage (1628-1635), large-scale expansion (1635-1645), stagnant stage (1645-1659), and reinforcement stage (1659-1662).
In 1661, Southern Ming general Zheng Chenggong (鄭成功), better known internationally as Koxinga, led his army to occupy the Zeelandia city and lay siege to Fort Zeelandia. The Dutch surrendered in February 1662, ending their 38-year rule in Taiwan. After Koxinga defeated the Dutch, he took Fort Zeelandia as his royal fort while establishing the Ming loyalist Kingdom of Tungning. In 1683, the Qing Dynasty sent an army led by general Shi Lang (施琅) and overthrew Zheng’s kingdom. Taiwan was formally integrated into the Qing Dynasty the next year, and Fort Zeelandia became a site for the Military Equipment Bureau (軍裝局).
In 1871, an arsenal at Fort Zeelandia exploded and the fortress collapsed. In 1874, considering the fort has lost its military value, Shen Pao-chen (沈葆楨) decided to tear it down and reuse its bricks to build the Eternal Golden Castle (億載金城), also known as Erkunshen Battery (二鯤鯓砲台). In 1897, as Japan had started its colonial rule on Taiwan, the Japanese constructed a platform on the remains of Fort Zeelandia to build the dormitories for Anping customs officers. In 1933, the Government-General of Taiwan designated Fort Zeelandia as a national historical site in accordance with the “Law for the Preservation of Historic Sites, Scenic Spots, and Natural Monuments” to protect it from vandalism and destruction. Since then, the site of the fortress had become one of tourist destinations for the general public in Taiwan during the period of Japanese rule.
In 1983, the remnant of Fort Zeelandia was registered as the first-grade historical monument by the Ministry of Interior. In 2004, the wall and architectural remains of the fortress were designated as a municipal historical site by the Tainan City Government, and later they were elevated to national-level. In 2023, the Ministry of Culture announced all the ruins of the fort were officially named “Fort Zeelandia Historical Sites.”
The architectural structure of Fort Zeelandia originally consisted of the “upper main fort,” “lower main fort,” and “external fort.” The 12 existing monuments are divided into the round bastion and walls of the lower main fort and the bastion and walls of the outer bastion main fort, which roughly reflect the original layout of the Fort Zeelandia. Recent archaeological excavations suggest that many architectural remains still lie underground. Generally, Fort Zeelandia can be deemed to be the best-preserved large fortress constructed by the Dutch East India Company in 17th-century East Asia.
Profoundly influenced by the Italian Renaissance bastion fort design , Fort Zeelandia reflects the “Old-Netherlands System” of fortification during the early years of the Dutch Republic. The fort’s location ensured smooth communication and supplies through sea routes, and its planning and construction were adapted to the local topography.
In terms of site selection, the emphasis was placed on the external connections and sea area supplies. Its construction reflects the diversity of building materials, technical systems, and skilled craftsmanship employed under the Dutch East India Company. Overall, Fort Zeelandia can be regarded as a model for military fortresses planning, design, and construction for European overseas strongholds during the Age of Discovery.