Explore the Dutch Water Defence Lines
The Netherlands was built on water. But for centuries, it also protected us. Not with high, impenetrable waves, but with a shallow layer of water that could bring an army to a standstill. This episode of our Orange Horizons podcast covers the Dutch Water Defence Lines. A unique system of forts, dikes and locks that grew into an ingenious defence network. It’s now a vast UNESCO World Heritage Site where nature and history come together.
- Discover UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Dutch landscape.
- Find out how water was cleverly used as a defence for centuries.
- Visit forts now steeped in culture and teeming with nature.
🎧Listen and learn all about the historic Dutch Water Defence Lines.
Forts with a new purpose
Centuries ago, large areas of land were deliberately flooded in times of threat. Too shallow for boats, too deep for soldiers. What looked like a peaceful polder turned out to be a clever line of defence. Together, the New Dutch Water Defence Lines and the Defence Line of Amsterdam form a network spanning over 200 kilometres, with forts that now serve as museums, restaurants and cultural venues. Explore the area by bike, visit the Waterline Museum at Fort bij Vechten or stroll through the star-shaped fortress of Naarden-Vesting.
Want to know more about how the Netherlands used water as an ally? Listen to the episode using the player above or via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Podimo and PocketCast. Discover a landscape that looks peaceful on the surface but tells an intriguing story of innovation, collaboration and resilience.
