Nederland - Naarden, vesting

The history of Naarden goes back to the 10th century. In that time the town was not situated on its current location. After destruction the town was rebuild in 1350 on its current position on a high sand ridge that formed the only access to Amsterdam out of the east.

Due to this strategic position, Naarden developed into one of the most important fortified towns in the Netherlands in the upcoming centuries. A fortified town differed from medieval cities with walls and solitaire forts; fortified towns combined the civil and military function and were situated on important strategic positions. For Naarden this function was the defence of Amsterdam, the country’s capital and economic centre.

The current unique star shape of Naarden with double stone ramparts and moats dates back to the 17th century, when the fortifications were reinforced and updated to modern standards after the siege of 1673 by the French. Most of the fortifications that exist today date from this period. During the 19th century the fortifications were updated, resulting in the construction of many new bomb shelters and other army-related buildings like barracks.

After the World War I the need for Naarden as a fortress was over. The army left and the city with its fortifications was turned into a monument and preserved just in time to prevent it from being demolished. The beautiful fortifications and the many military buildings are the silent witnesses of that glorious period and a perfectly preserved piece of Dutch defensive history.