Fort Tienhoven

Fort Tienhoven

You are now at the bridgeheads of the bridge that led to Fort Tienhoven. This fort island was built in 1844-47 to protect the Kraaijenestersluis, which is located a bit further away, towards the Vecht and the Tienhoven Canal, along with the quay next to it. This formed a well-passable passage through the main defensive line of the NHW, a so-called access. On the island, a defensible guardhouse was built measuring 15 by 15 meters with walls 1 to 2 meters thick and a simple earthen rampart encircling it.

In the ongoing race between attack and defense, the fort underwent significant modernization around 1880. The guardhouse was transformed into a ‘bomb-proof barracks’ and expanded with cannon sheds on both sides, equipped with a meter-thick covering of sand and earth towards the enemy side. At the back of the fort, a new guard building with powder and projectile storage rose near the access bridge. The encircling earthen ramparts were also elevated with better protection and firing positions for riflemen and the six cannons present.

Diagonally behind the fort, two earthen wing works were constructed in 1886 for better visibility and defense on either side of the fort and the access in front of it. In the southern part (behind you), the fort guards' residence and an artillery shed were built at that time; the place where the cannons were stored dry during peacetime.

During the mobilization of 1939-1940, two group shelters and two originally equipped with a cast steel dome machine gun casemates were placed on and around the fort, which kept fire on the anti-tank barriers located 300 meters in front of the fort. At that time, the ramparts and earthen coverings of the fort were also excavated to use the released sand outside the fort to create resistance nests with trenches in the meadows.

Notably, there is dense vegetation in some places. These are remnants of the military planting found at each fort: shooting willows to hold the slope together, hawthorn hedges as natural 'barbed wire', coppice (e.g., elms) as utility wood, and large trees with airy leaves as transparent camouflage. This planting was able to develop undisturbed as a nature area after the Waterline was abolished and the forts were closed.

Route: Carefully cross the road diagonally and walk to the gate of the scouting.

ZichtopdeVechtstreek