# Fort Provintia

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fort_Provintia
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fort_Provintia.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Provintia
> Source revision: 1335315634
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Dutch outpost in Taiwan}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name              = Fort Provintia
| ensign            = 
| ensign_size       = 
| native_name       = 赤嵌樓
| partof            = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| location          = [West Central](/source/West_Central_District), [Tainan](/source/Tainan), [Taiwan](/source/Taiwan)
| nearest_town      = <!-- used in military test site infobox -->
| image             = Chihkan Tower 03171.jpg
| alt               = 
| caption           = 
| image2            = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = 
| type              = [Fort](/source/Fortification)
| coordinates       = {{coord|22|59|51|N|120|12|10.12|E|type:landmark_region:TW|display=inline,title}}
| gridref           = 
| image_map         = 
| image_mapsize     = 
| image_map_alt     = 
| image_map_caption = 
| pushpin_map       = Tainan
| pushpin_mapsize   = 250px
| pushpin_map_alt   = 
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| pushpin_relief    = 
| pushpin_image     = 
| pushpin_label     = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_mark      = 
| pushpin_marksize  = 
| ownership         = <!-- government department such as the MoD or the United States DoD -->
| operator          = <!-- where different from ownership such as the RAF or the USAF -->
| controlledby      = <!-- such as RAF Bomber Command or the Eighth Air Force -->
| open_to_public    = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label  = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other        = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->  
| site_area         = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code              = <!--facility/installation code, applies to US -->
| built             = 1653
| used              = <!--{{End date|1946}} -->
| builder           = 
| materials         = 
| height            = <!-- height of tallest part, not above sea level -->
| length            = <!-- for border fences or other DMZs -->
| fate              = <!--changed from demolished parameter-->
| condition         = 
| battles           = 
| events            = 
| current_commander = <!-- current commander -->
| past_commanders   = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison          = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants         = <!-- squadrons only -->
| designations      = 
| website           = 
| footnotes         = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox that doesn't work in new code -->
}}
250px|thumb|Remains of the wall of the original fort

'''Fort Provintia''' or '''Providentia''', also known as '''Chihkan Tower''' ({{zh|c={{linktext|赤|嵌|樓}}|p=Chìkǎnlóu|poj=Chhiah-khám-lâu}}), was a [Dutch](/source/Dutch_Republic) outpost on [Formosa](/source/Formosa) at a site now located in [West Central District](/source/West_Central_District), [Tainan](/source/Tainan), [Taiwan](/source/Taiwan). It was built in 1653 during [the Dutch colonization](/source/Taiwan_under_Dutch_rule) of Taiwan. The Dutch, intending to strengthen their standing, sited the fort at ''Sakam'', about {{convert|2|mi}} due east from modern-day [Anping](/source/Anping_District).{{sfnp|Campbell|1903|p=546}} During the [Siege of Fort Zeelandia](/source/Siege_of_Fort_Zeelandia) (1662), the fort was surrendered to [Koxinga](/source/Koxinga),{{sfnp|Davidson|1903|p=38}} but was later destroyed by a rebellion and earthquakes in the 18th century. It was rebuilt afterwards in the 19th century under Qing rule.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tainanstudy.nmth.gov.tw/article/detail/668/read?highlightQuery=|script-title=zh:赤嵌樓考|trans-title=Research on Chihkan Tower|website=National Museum of Taiwan History|language=zh|last=Huang|first=Dian-quan|date=30 September 1968|access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nrch.culture.tw/twpedia.aspx?id=8114|script-title=zh:赤嵌樓|trans-title=Chihkan Tower|website=nrch.culture.tw|language=zh|last=Huang|first=Shu-qiu|date=9 September 2009|access-date=12 August 2022}}</ref>

The fort's name derives from the [Taiwanese aboriginal](/source/Taiwanese_aboriginal) village recorded by the Dutch as ''Sakam'',{{efn|Other early forms of the name are Chhaccam, Sacam, Saccam, and Zaccam.{{sfnp|Campbell|1903|p=546}} Also ''Sakkam'' per {{harvp|Davidson|1903|loc=Index p. 32}}}} which has developed into the modern-day Tainan. After growth in size and trade, the Chinese called it ''Chhiah-kham'', and surrounded it with high brick walls. It eventually became the capital of the whole island under the name of Taiwan-fu.{{sfnp|Campbell|1903|p=546}}

In addition to the site's architectural and artistic significance, its library of dictionaries and business transactions documents the [Siraya language](/source/Siraya_language) spoken by the native inhabitants of the region during Dutch rule.

The fort is up for redevelopment which will see it turned into a museum. The project is led by Taiwanese architecture studio HOU x LIN, the two partners of which both have a connection to The Netherlands. The project should be finished by 2024 in time for the celebration of the 400 year old relationship of the two countries.<ref>{{citation |title= Nederlandse architectenbureaus floreren in Taiwan (Dutch architecture firms thrive in Taiwan) |url= https://www.volkskrant.nl/cultuur-media/nederlandse-architectenbureaus-floreren-in-taiwan~b60f29fb/ |publisher= [Volkskrant](/source/Volkskrant) |access-date= July 24, 2020 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Taiwan|Architecture|History}}
* [Fort Santo Domingo](/source/Fort_Santo_Domingo)
* [Ft. Zeelandia](/source/Fort_Zeelandia_(Taiwan))
* [Cape of San Diego](/source/Cape_of_San_Diego)
* [Eternal Golden Castle](/source/Eternal_Golden_Castle)
* [History of Taiwan](/source/History_of_Taiwan)
* [Taiwan under Dutch rule](/source/Taiwan_under_Dutch_rule)
* [Koxinga](/source/Koxinga)
* [Siraya](/source/Siraya_people)

==Footnotes==
{{notelist|30em}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|author1-link=Tonio Andrade |last=Andrade |first=Tonio |title=How Taiwan Became Chinese: Dutch, Spanish, and Han Colonization in the Seventeenth Century |publisher=Columbia University Press |chapter=Chapter 6: The Birth of Co-colonization |chapter-url=http://www.gutenberg-e.org/andrade/andrade06.html |year=2005 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Campbell |first1=William |author-link=William Campbell (missionary) |title=Formosa under the Dutch: described from contemporary records, with explanatory notes and a bibliography of the island |year=1903 |publisher=Kegan Paul |location=London |oclc=644323041 |chapter=Explanatory Notes |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/formosaunderdut01campgoog#page/n554/mode/2up}}
*{{cite book |last1=Davidson |first1=James W. |author-link=James W. Davidson |title=The Island of Formosa, Past and Present : history, people, resources, and commercial prospects : tea, camphor, sugar, gold, coal, sulphur, economical plants, and other productions |year=1903 |publisher=Macmillan  |url=https://archive.org/details/islandofformosap00davi |location=London and New York |ol=6931635M }}
{{refend}}
----
{{Commons category|Chihkan Tower}}
{{Osmway|158995081}}

{{Forts in Taiwan}}

Category:1653 establishments in Dutch Formosa
Provintia
Category:Dutch Formosa
Category:Buildings and structures associated with the Dutch East India Company
Category:National monuments of Taiwan
Category:Former star forts

{{Taiwan-struct-stub}}

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fort Provintia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Provintia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Provintia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.