Fort in the Zuidwijkermeerpolder, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

Fortifications UNESCO World Heritage sites

The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam (in Dutch named Stelling van Amsterdam) is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers from the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war. The flooding was designed to give a depth of about 30 cm, insufficient for boats to traverse. Any buildings within 1 km of the line had to be made of wood, so that they could be burnt and the obstruction removed.

The Stelling van Amsterdam was constructed between 1880 and 1920. The invention of the aeroplane and tank made the forts obsolete almost as soon as they were finished. Many of the forts now are under the control of the town councils and the nature department, and may be visited. Monuments Day, on the second Saturday in September, is the ideal day to visit as entrance is free.

  • Fortress Zuidwijkermeer.
  • Zuidelijke keelkasemat van fort Zuidwijkermeer.
  • Dak van fort Zuidwijkermeer.
Country:
Netherlands
Rating:
10
Latitude:
52,4544059
Longitude:
4,6826246
Wikipedia:
Link
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    Casemates Muiden-West, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Developments in warfare during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 prompted another round of upgrades and the construction of forts part of the Stelling van Amsterdam, Casemates Muiden-West.

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    Fort along Den Ham, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort along Den Ham is a fort that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Stelling van Amsterdam. It's located along the railroad from Uitgeest to Krommenie. The earthen walls date from 1896, the fort itself was finished in 1903.

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    Fort along Middenweg, North front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The function of the Fort along Middenweg was to defend the access that was formed by the Middenweg and Zuiderweg roads. In 1885 the fort was completed as a defendable earthwork. It was not until 1914 that the fortress reached its final completion, though, when the construction of the shellproof building was finished.

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    Fort along Nekkerweg, North front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    In 1886 the Fort along Nekkerweg was completed as a defendable earthwork. The shellproof building was finished in 1912 for the purpose of defending the accesses that were formed by the Nekkerweg and Volgerweg roads in the Beemster Polder.

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    Fort along the Drecht, South front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam (in Dutch named Stelling van Amsterdam) is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers from the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war.

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    Fort along the Liede, West front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort along the Liede is one of the four fortresses that were built after the reclamation of lake Haarlemmermeer. On the northern part of the fort’s grounds there is a casemate carrying the Mercury emblem of the Corps of Engineers and the year 1914.

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    Fort along the St. Aagtendijk, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort along the St. Aagtendijk has been given a remarkable new lease on life as a rehearsal space for musicians. Unique to this fort is the front caponier that was made from concrete: it’s an extension to the centre of the fort’s front wall that is outfitted on both sides with embrasures that could be used to fire sideways. The front of this caponier was protected against shellfire by a heavy protective earth wall.

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    Fort in the Waver-Botshol, South front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort in the Botshol is the only Defence Line fort whose defensible earthwork from 1895 has been preserved. The soggy peat soil around Amsterdam made it necessary to first strengthen the terrain with large amounts of sand. Also unique is the bridge behind the fort watchman's house, whose centre piece could be removed in times of danger.

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    Fort Island IJmuiden, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Fort Island IJmuiden (Dutch: Forteiland IJmuiden) is situated at the estuary of the Noordzeekanaal and is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. This sea fort island was built in 1885 as the most important advanced defence post of the entrance to Amsterdam.

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    Fort near Aalsmeer, Southwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Fort near Aalsmeer (1905), in popular language also called Fort Rijsenhout, is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. The fort is made with a double fort canal. Special is that the lever dome buildings remained intact, while most of these were taken apart and blown up during World War II.

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    Fort near De Kwakel, South front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort bij De Kwakel is a fort that is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. It's located in the village of De Kwakel. It's one of four forts that form the linie Kudelstaart - Uithoorn. To the west is fort bij Kudelstaart, to the east you find fort aan de Drecht and fort bij Uithoorn.

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    Fort near Hinderdam, Southeast front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Today the grounds of the Fort near Hinderdam are hardly recognizable as such, because the island is fully overgrown. Natuurmonumenten (a society for the preservation of nature monuments in the Netherlands) consciously allows nature to erase the traces of the military past.

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    Fort near Kwadijk, North front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The function of the Fort near Kwadijk was to defend the accesses that were formed by the Amsterdam-Hoorn railroad and the Middelie-Axwijk road. Construction of the defendable earthwork with moat was completed in 1895, but work on the concrete fortress was abandoned with nothing but the foundations and part of the flooring put in place.

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    Fort near Marken-Binnen, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort Markenbinnen is currently being used by RBOC "Fort Markenbinnen", an education and training centre for firefighters and rescue workers. This foundation has refurbished the fortress. The wooden partitions in the fort’s premises and the sanitation facilities are still in place.

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    Fort near Spijkerboor, North front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Fort near Spijkerboor (1913) is one of 42 fortifications of the so-called Defence Line of Amsterdam. Recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage site, Mostly mostly due to the ingenious concept of using controlled flooding, to stop the enemy.

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    Fort near Uithoorn, South front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam (in Dutch named Stelling van Amsterdam) is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam. Fort near Uithoorn, South front, Defence Line of Amsterdam.

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    Fort near Veldhuis, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    The Fort near Veldhuis had the job of defending the causeway coming from Heemskerk/Assumburg. This dike served in part to regulate the accurate flooding of the land on both of its sides (inundation dike). The defensible earthwork was completed in 1893, the shellproof building in 1897.

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    Fort near Velsen, Northwest front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    This is the only Defence Line fortress made of concrete that has been partly demolished. The fort was outfitted, amongst others, with three turrets with 150 mm guns. These had a long range and could fire at targets as far as the estuary of the North Sea Canal and the area between the towns of Haarlem and Castricum.

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    Muiden Fortress, Zuiderzee front, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    Muiden Fortress (Dutch: Muizenfort - 'fort of mice') is a Dutch fortress in Muiden. It is part of the defence line of Muiden, that is part of the Stelling van Amsterdam, the UNESCO World Heritage site that consists of a set of forts around the city of Amsterdam.

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    West Battery, Muiden, Defence Line of Amsterdam

    West Battery is a smaller fort from the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam). It is located near the waterfront at the western end of town, there is a very small but nice sandy beach next to it.