" The more you know about the PAST, the better prepared you are for the FUTURE "
" I like the dreams of the FUTURE better than the history of the PAST "
"If you stop LEARNING, you stop creating HISTORY and become HISTORY"
" I like the dreams of the FUTURE better than the history of the PAST "
"If you stop LEARNING, you stop creating HISTORY and become HISTORY"
| The Dutch & Portuguese Empire in Asia |
The might & sea power of the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British & French empire in Asia during the 15th to 19th century - a very meaningful hands-on history & refresher lesson for me in my world of travelling thus far !
1) Historic Centre of Macau (a former Portuguese colony) - an UNESCO site, Macau was administered by the Portuguese Empire from the mid 16th century till late 1999, the last of the remaining European colony in Asia
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| 2013 |
Fortaleza do Monte, Santo Antonio, Macau (1617-1626)
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| 2013 |
2) Old Town of Galle, & its Fortifications (UNESCO), Sri Lanka (under Portuguese & Dutch influence during the 16th century) - Galle was a main port of Sri Lanka in the 14th century. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century during the Dutch colonial period. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South East Asia.
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| 2013 |
Galle Fort - built in the 16th century by the Portuguese
3) Melaka (UNESCO), a historic city of the Straits of Malacca, Malaysia (a former Portuguese, Dutch & British colony) - The Malacca Sultanate started during the 14th century & the colonial era from 1511 (Portuguese Empire), 1641 (Dutch Empire), 1879 (British Empire) & 1942 (Japanese occupation)
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| 2016 |
A Famosa, Portuguese-Dutch Fortress of Melaka (15th & 16 century)
4) Georgetown (Penang), a Historic City of the Straits of Malacca (UNESCO) - Penang was part of the Sultanate of Kedah but was under the British Empire after Captain Francis Light landed in Penang in 1786.
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| 2017 |
Fort Cornwallis, Penang, Malaysia - built by the British East India Company in the late 18th century
5) Hue, Vietnam - Hue was the national capital of Vietnam during the Emperor Gia Long period in the early 18th century. Minh Mang (1820-1840) was the 2nd emperor of the Nguyen dynasty and was well known for his opposition to French government's involvement in Vietnam
Citadel & its fort & canons
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| 2014 |
6) Intramuros (Old Spanish City of Manila) of Philippines - Manila was under Spanish rule in 1571. However, the British Navy invaded & captured Manila in 1762. Two years later, the British had a ceasefire with the Spanish. In 1898, Philippines was under the American rule till the end of the 2nd World War. In 1946, Philippines gained her sovereignty from the American.
Fort Santiago (Spanish Military Garrison) & its fortified walls in Intramuros - Spain invaded Manila on June 24 1571. Fort Santiago & its fortified walls were built in 1590. Jose Rizal, one of Philippines national heroes was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. (2017)
7) Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
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| 2013 & 2014 |
Hulishan Fortress in Xiamen (built in 1894 during the Qing dynasty to protect the island from foreign invasion)
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| 2013 |
8) Jakarta Old Town (Kota Tua Jakarta), Indonesia - Kota Tua is in the downtown area of Jakarta, it is also known as Oud Batavia (Dutch Old Batavia). The Chinese downtown area of Glodok is a part of the Kota Tua. Old Batavia was the 1st wall settlement of the Dutch in Jakarta area. It was an inner walled city with its own castle. It became importance during the 17-19 century when it was established as the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies. The area was a center of commerce due to its strategic location within the spice trade industry in the archipelago. The Dutch rule Batavia for 320 years until 1942 when the Japanese invaded & occupied Indonesia. (2017)
9) Al Fahidi Fort of Dubai, United Arab Emirates - built in 1787 as the premises of the Monarch & a fort of defense, situated at the south of the Dubai Creek near the Al Soulk & Al Kabir areas. Opened to public in 1971, now becomes the official museum that display the history of Dubai and its original heritage. (2018)
10) Fort Al Mirani & Jalali Fort, Muscat, Oman - both forts were built during the 16th century by the Portuguese, situated in the harbor of Old Muscat. In 1649, the Sultan of Oman ousted the Portuguese and succeeded in retaking over the forts ! (2018)
11) Lalbagh Fort, Dhaka, Bangladesh - an incomplete 17th century Mughal Fort, located before the Buriganga River in the south western part of Dhaka. Construction started in 1678 by the son of Emperor Aurangzeb and later became emperor himself ! (2017)
Most of the forts in India are actually castles, fortified palaces or fortresses, but when the British Government in India were cataloguing the defences in the 17th - 19th century they used the word forts which became the common description across India. The capital of each raja or chieftain was a fort around which a township grew & developed; this pattern can be seen in many South Asia cities such as Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, Lahore, Pune, Kolkata, Surat & Mumbai. I had done 3 free & easy overseas trips to India & had the opportunities to visit a few of these forts ie Red Fort (Delhi), Agra Fort (Agra), Amber Fort (Jaipur) & Golconda Fort (Hyderabad)
12) Amber Fort, Jaipur, India - located 11km from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, originally built by the Meenas & later it was ruled by Raja Man Singh, the fort is known for its artistic style elements with its large ramparts & series of gates & cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake which is the main source of water from Amer Palace.
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| Amber Fort, Jaipur (2007) |
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| Agra Fort, Agra, India (2007) |
14) Red Fort, New Delhi, India - Red Fort (UNESCO) is a historic fort in the city of Delhi in India New Delhi. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal dynasty for nearly 200 years, until 1856. It houses a number of museums (2018)
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| Red Fort, New Delhi, India (2018) |
15) Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, India - Golconda Fort is also known as Golkonda or Golla Konda is a fort, an early capital city of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, located 11km from Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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| Golconda Fort, Hyderabad, India (2019) |
16) Ramnagar Fort, Varanasi, India - The Ramnagar Fort is a fortification in Ramnagar, Varanasi. It is located near the Ganga River on its Eastern bank opposite to the Tulsi Ghat. The sandstone structure was built in the Mughasl style in 1750 by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh.
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| Ramnagar Fort, Varanasi, India (2018) |
17) Qaitbay Fort, Alexandria, Egypt (2008) - the citadel of Qaitbay is a 15th century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean sea coast in Alexandria, Egypt; established in 1477 AD by Sultan AL-Ashraf Sayf-al-Din Bay, situated on the eastern side of the northern tip of Pharos island at the mouth of Eastern Harbour.
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18) Dutch Fort, Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia - the ruins (a 17th century warehouse built by the Dutch to store tin ore) are the remnants of an outpost of Dutch attempts to control trade in the Malay peninsula
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