Stelling van Amsterdam

Stelling van Amsterdam

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 135-kilometre ring of fortifications around Amsterdam. The Stelling van Amsterdam was constructed between 1880 and 1920. It has 42 forts that are 10–15 kilometres from the centre and lowlands, which can easily be flooded in time of war.

About Stelling van Amsterdam in brief

Summary Stelling van AmsterdamThe UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 135-kilometre ring of fortifications around Amsterdam. The Stelling van Amsterdam was constructed between 1880 and 1920. It has 42 forts that are 10–15 kilometres from the centre and lowlands, which can easily be flooded in time of war. Many of the forts now are under the control of both the town councils and the nature department.

They may be visited by the public, and admission is free on Monuments Day, the second Saturday in September. The dike through the Haarlemmermeer, which made it possible to flood the southern portion of the polder while the northern portion could continue to produce food for Amsterdam, is now cut by the A4 motorway.