Japara, fort

Around 1719 the reinforced lodge in Japara was replaced by a fort with four half bastions and a small square fort was built on the Danareja height. In 1741 the city and the fort withstood the assaults of Chinese and Mataram rebels. The High Government in Batavia decided to enlarge the fort on the height by a larger triangular fort. In 1774 the garrison in the fort consisted of on sergeant, two corporals and sixteen soldiers.
In 1830 the buildings inside the fort were demolished, but the batteries remained. The fort was listed as a defense work of the 4th category (against a native enemy). The canons were removed in 1862, but the civil administration had to maintain the fort to use it in case of an emergency. In 1870 Japara was officially removed from the list of defense works in the Dutch East indies.
Fifty years later the gate and the wall were still there, but the earthen support of the walls has been removed. The gate and a part of the wall were later demolished to make a road for the construction of houses on the hill. Currently, the walls have been repaired. The very large new gate doesn’t resemble the original gate. The fort is a public park and a is used as a passageway by the local people.