Fort K'IJK Experience Centre | World Heritage The Dutch Waterlines - Uitgeest

UNESCO World Heritage The Dutch Waterlines tells the story of the strategic use of water in the defence of the Netherlands. The water lines were also called the secret weapon of the Netherlands.

Secret weapon
In a waterline, water is used to stop the enemy. A system of locks, dykes, canals, rivers and pumping stations ensured that entire polders could be flooded. The layer of water was only 40 to 50 centimetres. This was too deep to walk and too shallow to sail. At vulnerable points, forts were built for extra protection. Many of these forts can be visited.

In 2021, UNESCO World Heritage The Stelling van Amsterdam (World Heritage since 1996) will be expanded with the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie to complete the picture of the Waterlinies as one World Heritage Site - the Dutch Waterlines.

If you'd like to find out more about the Dutch Waterlinies, stop off at Belevingscentrum Fort K'IJK; one of the official visitor centres of the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Here you can experience how the water lines protected people and the landscape and learn more about nature and the strategic landscape. Thanks to projections, light and dark, an audio tour and imagination, the fortress comes to life. Enjoy the surrounding landscape and delicious coffee or tea.

Want to visit other parts of the Dutch Waterline? Check out: www.stellingvanamsterdam.nl or https://nieuwehollandsewaterlinie.nl

The photos are made by Mike Bink