Barracks of the Citadel of Namur

The barracks are located on the part of the site called Mediane and Terra Nova.

This area was first developed between 1631 and 1675 by engineers on behalf of the Habsburgs of Spain . There is almost nothing visible left of these works in the current landscape. After it was dismantled under Emperor Joseph II of Austria and by Napoleon, who found it useless , the Citadel became a mere shadow of its former self by the early 19th century.

Only in 1815 , with the integration of our regions into the Netherlands by the Congress of Vienna, did the Citadel experience a revival. The site was rebuilt without following the lines of the old fortifications . The defensive lines were redrawn with new buildings or renovation of existing ones. The construction of the Terra Nova Barracks is part of this process and it is undoubtedly the flagship of the Citadel.

The original barracks had two floors , including a vaulted floor covered with earth to withstand the bombs. The building could accommodate 1,200 men . The soldiers and non-commissioned officers were housed on the ground floor, while the first floor was reserved for the officers. The inside was equipped to allow independent living on the site , such as a horse mill, a flour sieve (a kind of rotating sieve) and a rain barrel .

Although the designers had thought about supplying the soldiers, one essential factor was neglected: heating! Humidity and freezing temperatures made the location uninhabitable. In 1837 this problem was tackled and about twenty cast iron stoves were installed. This improvement required the first floor vaults to be modified to install the fireplaces and chimneys.

In 1839 the barracks were raised by one floor of rooms and the protective layer of earth was removed. The excavated earth was reused to create the access ramp leading from the Terra Nova area to the property. The new bedrooms were accessed from the outside, via a gull-wing door and a wooden walkway . The barracks now have a succession of small gable roofs with a window in each facade.

In 1891, a large part of the site was dismantled as a military fort and converted into a holiday resort. Médiane and Terra Nova remained occupied by the army until 1977. Meanwhile, in 1951 the top floor was adapted to its current appearance.

Now used for various tourist activities (exhibition halls, projection rooms, brasserie), the barracks has always retained its "military" furnishings and comfort.

At the Terra Nova Visitor Center you will discover 2000 years of urban and military history of Europe through the history of Namur and its Citadel. In a dynamic and pedagogical representation , the Terra Nova Visitor Center presents the history of an exceptional site linked to the history of the city it dominates.

Willem Vandenameele