jump to the content

Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie (New Dutch Inundation Line)

Recherche avancée

Les noms des biens figurent dans la langue dans laquelle les Etats parties les ont soumis.

Pays-Bas (Europe et Amérique du nord)

Date de soumission : 26/09/1995
Critères: (i)(ii)(iv)
Catégorie : Culturel
Soumission préparée par :
Netherlands Department for Conservation
Coordonnées
Provinces of Noord-Holland, Utrecht,Zuid-Holland….. Coord. 118000- 142500 / 420500- 480000
Ref.: 472

Description

The Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie was built in the course of various building projects (18151824, 1840-1860, 1867-1870, 1871-1881) between 1815 and 1885. It was a 3 to 5 kilometre wide inundation zone stretching approximately 70 kilometres from Muiden (situated on the Zuiderzee, currently IJsselmeer), past the city of Utrecht towards the east, down to the large river district (the Nieuwe Merwede) and the Biesbosch. Up until 1940 it was the main defence line of the Dutch defence system aimed at defending the western part of the country against any attacks coming from the east and the south.

After 1883 and starting at Fort Nigtevecht (municipality of Abcoude), the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of Amsterdam, built between 1883 and 1914) was linked up to the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. An inundation line consists of a cleverly linked chain of inundation fields (approximately 35 to 50 centimetres high) and natural waters.

The system consisted of 6 what is termed inundation basins, which could be regulated by dikes, culverts, canals, fan locks, dams and sluices. A system of defences, such as forts (covering 2 hectares to 32 hectares) was located at the accesses to the inundations, e.g. near higher roads, or where the inundations could be traversed via existing dikes, lakes or rivers and wherever it was necessary to protect the inundation facilities. There were more than 60 defences of varying types in this Inundation Line. Civil and military roads (available for civil use during peacetime) were also a part of the Inundation line. Planting of the defences was strictly regulated. The permanent defences varied from simple earthworks without permanent buildings to earth defences with brick turrets, 'turret forts', bomb-proof barracks, guardhouses, casemates and bomb-proof shelters for artillery.

A few older fortified towns (Muiden, Naarden, Weesp, Gorinchem, Woudrichem) were also a part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. They had been provided with fortifications as early as the 16th and 17th centuries. They were modified during the 19th century to fit into the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. Many hundreds of what are termed concrete group shelters, typified by three bevelled walls (so that bombs and grenades would only graze them), were built during 1939 and 1940.

The forts served as defences up to 1960, after which they were closed down.