{"id":5607,"date":"2026-07-10T17:05:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:05:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forte-cultura.com\/?p=5607"},"modified":"2026-07-10T17:06:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T15:06:02","slug":"willemstad-nl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forte-cultura.com\/en\/willemstad-nl\/","title":{"rendered":"Willemstad (NL)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FORTE CULTURA Stop: Willemstad (NL), the fortified model city<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Willemstad \u2013 The star-shaped ideal city named after Oranien<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortress of the Seven Provinces<\/em><\/em> \u2013 Where history lives within the ramparts<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fortified model city of Willemstad was founded in the 16th century as part of Holland\u2019s defences. In 1583, William of Orange ordered the city to be laid out, resulting in the construction of a unique, seven-pointed, star-shaped model fortified city. Due to its location on the Hollands Diep and the Volkerak, Willemstad played an important military role: the town secured access to Holland via the estuaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, several forts were added around the fortified model town of Willemstad, creating a system of fortifications that became an important part of the Zuiderwaterlinie. Even today, the city walls, bastions and surrounding forts are clearly visible and tell the story of centuries of defence using water and military engineering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Discover the fortified ideal city <\/strong>Discover Willemstad<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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