Fort Margherita is a

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

constructed in 1879 by Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, situated in

Kuching Kuching ( , ), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak Ri ...

Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

. The fort is an important landmark and monument in Sarawak's history which goes back to the century-old Brooke dynasty of Sarawak. The fort, built in the style of an English castle, was designed to protect Kuching from attacks by

pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

. It served as a Police Museum from 1971 before being handed over to the

Government of Sarawak The Sarawak Government is an authority governing Sarawak, one of the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Borneo states of Malaysia, and is based in Kuching, the state capital. The state government adheres to and is created by both the C ...

and now is a tourist attraction in Kuching. The fort now houses the Brooke Gallery, an exhibition showcasing the history of Sarawak under the Brooke dynasty. It is situated across the

Sarawak River The Sarawak River () is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. It is an important source of water and transportation for the inhabitants in southwestern Sarawak. The river is also used for water-related sport activities such as the annual Sarawak Regatta ...

near The Astana, the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, and is accessible by road. It is a 15-minute drive along Petra Jaya, or a short river cruise from Pangkalan Batu, in front of Main Bazaar on Kuching Waterfront and located next to the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. It is part of the Kuching Heritage Trail.

History

Fort Margherita is named after Brooke's beloved wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, whom he married at

Highworth Highworth is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, England, about north-east of Swindon town centre. The 2021 Census recorded a population of 8,258. The town is notable for its Queen Anne and Georgian buildings, dating ...

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

, on 28 October 1869; she was raised to the title of Ranee of Sarawak with the style of Her Highness upon their marriage. The fort was built on a hill overlooking the

and situated on the north bank opposite the then fast expanding town centre of

. The fort was well equipped to protect the capital from river-borne invasions.

Features

The three-storey tower block's battlement includes a watchpoint on top, a courtyard surrounded by a high wall with sharp glass shards inlaid for protection, and set into the wall itself are wooden windows from where the cannons were fired. Executions of prisoners were carried out in this courtyard, right up to the Japanese occupation during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

The Brooke Gallery

In 2016, The Brooke Gallery, which showcases belongings from the Brooke family and artefacts during their time as the

White Rajahs The White Rajahs of Sarawak were a hereditary monarchy of the Brooke family, who founded and ruled the Raj of Sarawak as a sovereign state, located on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo in Maritime Southeast Asia, from 1841 to 1946. Of ...

, was opened. The gallery is a collaboration between the State Museum Department, Tourism Cultural and Heritage Sarawak and the Brooke Trust. The opening of the gallery received support from volunteers from Sarawak, the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

References

External links

Brooke Gallery - Brook Trust website
{{Raj of Sarawak Buildings and structures in Kuching Margherita Royal residences in Malaysia Monuments and memorials in Malaysia Tourist attractions in Kuching 1879 establishments in Sarawak 19th-century architecture in Malaysia