Fort on Middenweg - Zuidoostbeemster

The fort is not immediately noticeable: it is largely hidden in nature. The Fort on Middenweg is part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and therefore also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Dutch Water Defence Lines'. These forts were built between 1880 and 1914 some 15 to 20 km from Amsterdam, forming a defensive circle around the city.

The purpose of the Fort on Middenweg was to keep out enemies entering via Middenweg and Zuiddijk. Special about this fort is the lifting turret, a technical masterpiece that could be raised and lowered from the ground. This allowed the soldiers to surprise the attackers.

But there was another technically innovative element in the fort, namely in the soldiers' washroom. Through an ingenious cleaning system, rainwater was cleaned before entering the sinks. The sinks could be tipped over so that the dirty water flowed away again.

Original artillery and machine gun emplacements can still be found in the fort. The de-ironing plant for drinking water, located in the main building, and the original water pumps have been preserved. The open polder landscape on the outside of the walls and the dike and canal within the Defence Line are also as they were hundreds of years ago.

You can admire the fort from the outside, but not visit.

Photo: ©M.L. Slot-Dekker, via Bureau Toerisme Laag Holland