The Padri War
One of a network of forts.
Official Website of The Ministry of Education and Culture — Public domain · Firmnal — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Adhmi — CC BY-SA 4.0
A fort the Dutch built in the 1820s in Batusangkar during the Padri War, the long conflict with Minangkabau scholars who called for religious reform, named after the Dutch governor-general van der Capellen. It was part of a network of highland forts, like Fort de Kock in Bukittinggi. The present building is a simple white colonial fort with thick walls and small windows around a courtyard; it has been restored and is now used as a cultural centre for exhibitions and events on the region's history. Entry is a token fee, and the visit is short, twenty minutes to half an hour. The fort is in central Batusangkar, minutes from Pagaruyung Palace and Batu Batikam, a short addition to a Tanah Datar tour for history lovers.
One of a network of forts.
Exhibitions on the region.
Minutes from Pagaruyung.
Batusangkar, Tanah Datar regency
Both were Dutch forts of the Padri War, de Kock in Bukittinggi and van der Capellen in Batusangkar, controlling the highland routes.