Utrecht Gate

Once, Naarden had six city gates, one between each bastion. The Utrecht gate is the only one that has been preserved; with its richly decorated facade, it is a real eye-catcher upon entering the fortress. The gate was built in 1877 on the site of a 17th-century gate. On the city side, the faces of King William III and his wife Sophia can be seen, while on the outside, among other things, the city coat of arms of Naarden, a double eagle. The rooms on either side of the gate housed the guard, but also the dungeon where criminals were locked up. The open passage could be covered with iron beams in case of a war threat, onto which earth or even concrete could be poured to create a safe shelter. For many years, the famous regional steam tram, the so-called Gooische murderer, would enter the fortress through the gate: the smoke traces are still visible on the ceiling....

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