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Willemstad harbor - Click 'Details' for more information
Driving toWillesmtad across the green flat landscape, it is hard to imagine that all this land used to be a muddy marshland which was often flooded by the sea, but until the 16th century this was the case. It was used by shepherds who lived on artificial dwelling mounds to protect them from high water.
The land was owned by a marquis who decided to turn the area into a polder in 1564 after several other areas in the region had been reclaimed. This resulted in a piece of land called Ruigenhil and in 1565 a town of the same name was built there. The town consisted of three parallel streets with a big square graveyard at the end of the middle street. This pattern is still visible today.
In 1583 the Spanish took the town of Steenbergen situated just south of the new land. According to William I of Orange
William I of Orange (1533-1584) was a leading figure in the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish and the start of the 80 Years’ War, resulting in the declaration of independence of the northern provinces. William of Orange was assassinated in 1584.
‘this formed a threat for the rest of the Netherlands and he decided to fortify the village of Ruigenhil.
Looking along a curtain wall (left) towards a bastion (centre).
William came into possession of the town after the new marquis took sides with the Spanish in 1567 and was discharged of his possession. As a dispensation for all the costs of the war William was declared the new marquis by the Dutch state.
One of the bastions flanking the entrance road.
The position of Ruigenhil was a very strategic one; right on the border between the southern and northern Netherlands along one of the most important Dutch rivers – the Maas. Abraham Andriesz (an prolific military engineer in the Netherlands at that time) designed the fortications in 1583.
In 1584, the same year William I of Orange died, the city was renamed Willemstad in his honour. In 1609 a twelve year long truce was signed between Spain and the Netherlands.
As a consequence of this the discharge of the old marquis in 1567 was declared illegal and the lands had to be returned. Willemstad remained in the hands of Maurits (William’s son) because William fortified the town (according to the treaty the parties had the right to keep the towns they fortified).
The fortifications of Willemstad and the windmill on the ramparts.
From that time on Willemstad has always been an estate of the crown, giving it special rights and a certain amount of independence. The fortifications have changed over the years in accordance with updated fortification theories and the overall form of the current fortress dates from the 1680s.
A bastion, showing a retired flank.
The fortifications were designed according to the Old Dutch System, only here the flanks of the bastions
A bastion is a pentagonal work that projects outwards from the main wall. Cannon in the flanks could cover the curtain wall and the faces of the adjacent bastions.
‘are not perpendicular to the curtain walls but have a retreated curved shape (the use of these arrow-headed bastions
A bastion with retired flanks to give more protection to the guns sited there.
Arrow headed bastion at Blaye.
’suggests an Italian influence) and are quite short.
In later years some of these flanks were modified to make them perpendicular to the curtain wall. Apart from the walls facing the sea, which were revetted in brick, all the ramparts were unrevetted earthworks.
The seaward front of the town consists of two bastions with water in front of them. Between this water and the river (which in the past was part of the sea) there is a glacis, which prevented ships from coming too close to the walls and gave extra protection against enemy fire.
One of the seaward bastions.
A small canal connects the harbour inside the city with the river. The water in the ditch
A wide trench in front of the walls that stopped attackers from reaching the walls easily. Sometimes flooded.
Dry ditch at Blaye and flooded ditch at Calais.
‘is cut of from the river by a dam.
The western dam and the seaward fortifications.
The dike surrounding the polder is connected to the town by two dams. To regulate the water level in front of the two seaward bastions there are sluices in the western dam and near the harbour on the eastern side. On the harbour side a second sluice is made to flood the ditch inside the town.
This was a small ditch running along the inside of the ramparts as an extra obstacle for the enemy once they got inside.
To regulate the water level in the ditch surrounding the town and the covered way
The first line of defence, a covered path in front of the fortifications where soldiers could fire down the glacis.
Covered way (left and foreground) in front of a bastion (right) at Maubeuge, with traverses clearly visible
‘as well as a means to flood the polder a third sluice was made near the only landward gate to the town. Protecting this gate is the only demi-lune
A half-moon outwork that protected the stretch of wall between two bastions. The entrance to a fortress was often protected by a demi-lune.
Demi-lune at Blaye
‘in the fortress.
The inside of a bastion, showing the inner ditch.
In later centuries buildings like powder magazines
A building that housed amunition for a fort or fortress. The powder magazine was usually a very strong building, or an underground cellar, built so as to be protected from enemy fire.
Powder magazine at Brouage. Photo: Michel Plancon.
, bombshelters and, in WW II, blockhouses have been added. These mainly 19th century later additions to the fortress are quite extensive and very well preserved.
The fortress officially lost its military status in 1926. The population of Willemstad asked for the preservation of the fortifications and today the town and its surroundings are a monument.
According to me the beauty of this fortress lies in two things: the waterworks with the harbour and the surrounding lands. The harbour is still right near the water and is used intensively, this also adds to the historic atmosphere.
As for the surrounding lands, not only the city but also it’s surrounding lands are preserved. This means that building around the town is mostly forbidden. This makes it possible for the visitor to get a good impression of how things must have looked centuries ago.
View along the curtain wall looking towards a bastion.
The town can be reached by car easily and you are free to visit the fortifications. There are signs along the paths explaining the various features of the fortress.