Fort Kota Janji (Fort City of Promise) is located on Ngade Street, Laguna Hamlet, Fitu Village, South Ternate District, North Maluku province. The location of this fort is on the edge of the main road to Ternate from the south.
Historically, Fort Kota Janji was built in 1532 by the Portuguese and named Fort San Jao. However, since the murder of Sultan Khairun of Ternate, the Portuguese were expelled from Ternate Island by the Sultanate of Ternate, who was led by Sultan Babullah in 1575. The fort was later occupied by Spanish troops under Governor Don Pedro de Acuna who came from Manila in 1606 and intended to control Ternate Island.
In 1610, this fort was reinforced by Spain by putting 27 soldiers and 20 papangger soldiers (soldiers consisting of Filipinos) along with 6 cannon and its ammunition. This fort was later named Santo Pedro Y Paulo, in honor of Governor Pedro. In addition to overseeing the sea between the island of Ternate and Tidore, this fort was also used by the Spanish as a military base. If the sea condition was calm, the Spanish fleet that sailed from the Philippines could anchor on the coast in the south of the fort. It also eased them for mobilizing their troops and logistics to this fort.
This trapezoid-shaped fort measured 20 x 20 m, built on a land with area of ??2147.25 m�, at a height of 50 m above sea level. The fort, which was said to be magnificent, has now collapsed. Part of the fort that can still be seen now is just the outer wall composed of stone (andesite), reefs, and sand mix with lime, while the inside has been buried with soil. On the east side of the fort, there is a stair that leads up to the top of the fort where there is a kind of pool that has dried up.
This fort is later known as Fort Kota Janji (Fort City of Promise) until now. It was named like that because the fort had been the witness of a peace treaty between Sultan Khairun and the Portuguese governor at that time, Diego Lopes de Muspito. However Portuguese broke the treaty and betrayed by killing Sultan Khairun in Fort Kastela, not far from the Fort Kota Janji.
In 1989, this fort looks abandoned and left alone. The sand digging around the fort was also neglected until abrasion occurred and most of the fort inundated by sea water. Only in 1994, the fort was re-restored by the Ministry of Education and Culture so it is fully recovered without losing the original shape of the fort.
Many natural beauties can be enjoyed from this fort which has 4 bastions and a well. The view shown from the fort is a stretch of islands in front of Ternate. One of them is the view of Tidore Island and Maitara Island that is depicted on Indonesian 1,000 Rupiah banknotes.
This fort was rehabilitated in 2004, but only to save the cultural heritage area by beautifying the area as a tourist destination. Some fences are built to surround the fort and the park, while the actual form of the fort cannot be seen anymore.
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