Naarden (NL)

FORTE CULTURA Stop: The Fortified Ideal City of Naarden (NL)
Image: Nederlands Vestingmuseum

The fortified model town of Naarden (NL)

Fortress architecture in a perfect star shape

Like a green star, the fortified model town of Naarden lies in the North Holland countryside: surrounded by ramparts, moats, six bastions and six ravelins. This almost entirely preserved fortification complex impressively illustrates how military architecture has shaped towns, landscapes and European history since the age of gunpowder.

Following the destruction of the original settlement, which had been situated closer to what was then the Zuiderzee, Naarden was rebuilt further inland in the 14th century at a more strategically favourable location. From here, the town controlled an important access route to the economic heartland of Holland.

After Spanish troops had ravaged Naarden in 1572, the military engineer Adriaen Anthonisz. began designing modern defences from 1579 onwards. 100 years later, in 1672, French troops under Louis XIV were able to capture the outdated and subsided fortifications almost effortlessly. Following its recapture by the Dutch army under William III, the fortress – which was vital for the defence of Amsterdam – was fundamentally redesigned.

Between 1675 and 1685, an extraordinary bastion front was constructed, comprising six bastions and six ravelins in front of them, which gave Naarden its distinctive star shape. Subsequent modernisations adapted the defences to new artillery technology and integrated Naarden even more closely into the Dutch system of fortresses, dykes, sluices and areas that could be deliberately flooded. As part of the Dutch Waterlines, the fortress has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021 and today stands as a prime example of the unique combination of hydraulic engineering and military defence in the Netherlands.

Experience the fortress

A walk along the green ramparts offers ever-changing views of bastions, casemates, city gates and the geometric order of the ‘ideal city’. Behind the defences lies a vibrant historic city centre with cobbled streets, monuments, small shops, galleries and restaurants. The Dutch Fortress Museum on the Turfpoort bastion brings to life the history of fortifications, daily life in the garrison and the history of the water defences; at certain times of the year, the ring of walls can also be explored from the water.

FORTE CULTURA tip: Start at the De Gele Loods visitor centre, walk or cycle around the fortress, and then take some time to visit the Grote Kerk and the Fortress Museum. This makes Naarden a special travel experience combining architecture, nature, history and European cultural heritage – a former defensive structure that today inspires as a place of encounter and peace.