FORT MALBOROUGH

Fort Marlborough is a fortress of a building located on the coast Tread Padri Bengkulu City. The fort was built by the colonial British in 1914 - 1719 under the leadership of Governor-General Josef Colin during their occupation in the area of Bengkulu. Marlborough is the largest castle fortress ever built by the United Nations during colonialism in Southeast Asia.

Fort Marlborough building construction is indeed very strong with the British style of architecture 20th Century 'magnificent' and 'established'. The overall shape of the fortress complex of buildings that resemble cross-body 'turtle' is very impressive power and grandeur. The details of building a European presence Taste impress people great and glorious in those days. Of the various relics that are still present in the fort buildings can also note that in his time the building also serves as a center for various activities including offices, even prisons. Various historical accounts have this happening in Fort Marlborough, among them about various events in the life of the English nation in Bengkulu that time, several weddings between them, stories spice trade, wars going on, until the death of Hamilton's story, the death of Thomas Parr and subordination / domination of this castle for about six months by the opposition Tobo Bengkulu with her Rajo Lelo.

In an age that has reached three centuries, the building is certainly more than just historic buildings in Bengkulu this Earth. But Fort Marlborough is also the 'inscription' that tells about the fabric of the interaction of two different nations, namely the English and Malay peoples Bengkulu '. Fort Marlborough like a 'jewel' history that unites the memories of two different nations in a strand necklace 'peradaban' his honor respectively. Fort Marlborough is a site that not to be missed when tourists visited Bengkulu

In general, Fort Marlborough on the edge of the sea and have an area 44,400 square meters, has a rectangular floor plan. The fort has a bastion at the four corners. The entrance to the fort located on the southwest side of the building that is separate and

make a plan triangle. Marlborough has a moat around the fortress that separated the main building with the front building. In front of the building there is an arched entrance perfect. This building has no room, just a hallway leading to the bridge connecting the main building. In the hallway there are 4 tombstones, 2 pieces of tombstones come from the Fort York and the other comes from the Fort Marlborough. On the tombstones are listed the name of George Shaw (1704), Richard Watts ESG (1705), Kames Cune (1737), and Henri Stirling (1774). At the top there is a wall around the main building which has cracks triangular slit that serves as a reconnaissance. At the rear of the building there are two pieces to eat with a headstone made of stone, but it can not be read anymore. Bastion-bastion fort in the corner of Marlborough are north, east, and west. At the top of every bastion there is a wall that has a gap around the reconnaissance. In the southern bastion still looks the rest of the circular rail cannon. On the north wall, south and east of the iron ring attached to 8 pieces, each within 1 meter. In northern and western bastions there is some room. The room on the north bastion consisting of two rooms. Room ceiling curved and has a 80 cm diameter hole that penetrates through the top of the bastion. Meanwhile, in the bastion west room has a 2 bedroom that serves as a prison that is located opposite each other. At one prison that is located there is a lower-ceilinged hallway there is a painting made of charcoal stars. Between the north and the east bastion, bastion south and west, and south and the east bastion, there are several buildings. The building between the north and east bastion has a rectangular floor plan and split in two, separated by a hallway to the back door of the fort. Building on the left consists of three rooms, while building on the right consists of 4 rooms. In general, the windows of the building is rectangular in shape. The top of the building there is a saddle-shaped roof and at the back there is a meter wide corridor. Building between the southern and western bastion make a plan rectangular and divided into two separated by a hallway that led to the main gate. The main door is arched and decorated by pseudo-pole. Left the building consists of three rooms partitioned by walls. Generally the windows and doors are arched building. In the third room there is a door leading to the room west bastion. Building the right consists of seven rooms are partitioned with a wall. As the buildings on the left, windows and doors are generally curved. In one room there are paintings and writings speak Dutch compass made by scratched his on the wall. The top of the

building between the southern and western bastion is not roofed, but given the form of floor tiles brown glaze. Meanwhile, building on the east and south bastion make a plan rectangle and form a long room. The windows and doors in the building is shaped arch. The top of the building has no roof but the floor was given a brown glazed tiles. Just like a building between the southern and western bastion at the top of the building there is a wall that has a gap around the reconnaissance. At the front of the building there is a 1 meter diameter wells whose walls are made of brick with a pattern of wall tie England.

Historic relics of the British fort last renovated in 1984 is less well maintained condition. As a result, the condition of the building which used to serve as a military stronghold and as a place of supervision was impressed slum trade routes. Outside the fortress walls seem dull and overgrown with moss. Meanwhile, inside the castle walls are painted white, also peeling in many places and moldy. Even in one corner of the fortress overlooking the sea, has now turned into a landfill. These conditions create a very strong fortress that looks dirty. In addition, in some fortress walls built in 1714, there are a lot of graffiti that damage its beauty. In fact, a number of cannon mounted on top of the fort, is also not free from the hands of ignorant. A number of cannon filled with scribbles hand. The buildings inside the fort has also been damaged. Building a house that extends inside the fort, the roof was leaking a lot because of the urgency of rupture. Condition of roof ceiling no less cause for concern because it is broken here and there. Paint on the walls of the building is also already peeling and mildew making it look dull.