Fort of Merksem

Fort of Merksem -- Fort Merksem is one of the type 'Fort with reduit with wet moat' and was part of the Defence Line of Antwerp. It was built in brick from 1871 to 1882 and later, in 1911 and 1912, reinforced with unreinforced concrete. However, that did not help because at the beginning of WWI the Germans had Dikke Bertha, a mortar that could pierce the concrete from a great distance. At the beginning of the war, the fort did not come into action and was even blown up by the Belgian army just before the fall of Antwerp in October 1914 in order not to let it fall undamaged into the hands of the Germans. Several clubs now have their accommodation there and there is also a sports ground.

De Wandelmaker