Naarden, situated on a sandy ridge on the shore of the former Zuiderzee, used to be the only access road from the east to the County of Holland and the merchant city of Amsterdam. Due to this military-strategic location, Naarden developed into one of the most important fortress towns of the Netherlands through the centuries, and was often fought over.
Discover the story of Naarden Fortress in the context of the history of the Netherlands in our entirely new video presentations.
Naarden was granted its city rights in 1300 (the only town in the Gooi with these rights) and later developed into a fortified garrison town with a textile industry.
In 1572, the city was sacked and burnt down, and only 60 people survived the Massacre of Naarden. The massacre was committed by Spanish soldiers against the townspeople of Naarden as part of a punitive expedition against Dutch rebels later known as the Spanish Fury. The destruction of the city galvanized the Dutch rebels, leading them to continue the Dutch War of Independence against Spain.
Naarden is an example of a star fort, complete with fortified walls and a moat. The moat and walls have been restored on numerous occasions, most notably during the French era (1795-1814).
[when?] After the Battle of Leipzig (1813), the Netherlands were liberated by an allied force of Dutch, Prussian and Russian armies. During this period, Naarden was besieged for months since the French commander didn't believe that Napoleon was captured. In May 1814, the French soldiers left the city in a retreat with honour.
Despite its earlier importance, Naarden's population was surpassed by Hilversum in the 18th century and today it is smaller than its neighbour Bussum.
The city's distinctive shape made it a rallying point for Allied bombers returning to England after raids on Germany.
The Dutch Fortress Museum is located on the Turfpoort bastion in Naarden, one of the six bastions that give the fortress town its characteristic star shape. This 17th-century heritage site has been largely preserved in its original state and gives a good insight into how the fortress functioned as a fortification. In the outside area you can stroll around in a park-like environment and enjoy the view of the fortifications. The casemates house the exhibitions of the museum.
Turfpoort Bastion
The current form of the Turfpoort bastion dates from the period between 1675 and 1685, when the fortress was modernised at the behest of Stadholder William III, following the principles of the New Dutch Fortress system. The bastion was enlarged and provided with canons positioned on two levels, the so-called high and low flanks. Behind the shoulders of the lie posterns; small ports that give access to the moats. This way, soldiers could be transported to the ravelins, the islands in the moat.
Casemates
During the modernisation of the fortress in 1685, casemates were constructed in the bastions. A Casemate is a bomb-proof brick room provided with an earthen covering. In some cases, the walls are almost 2 metres thick, the earthen covering is 3 to 4 metres. As a result, the casemates were well-protected against incoming fire, consisting of massive iron bullets without an explosive charge. In the casemates the canon cellars from where the enemy could be attacked. The artillery was positioned in such a way that the fire lines overlapped in a cross: lethal crossfire!
Powder rooms
Without gunpowder you cannot fire canons. For this reason, the bastion has 2 powder rooms in which gunpowder was stored. The walls of the powder rooms are the thickest of all buildings of the bastion.
Modernisation 19th century
In the 19th century, the fortress was modernised to be able to resist the increasing range of the artillery. On the Turfpoort bastion a mortar casemate was built in 1877 with 3 mortar recesses (high-trajectory artillery). This casemate IJ consists of two levels and accommodated 48 soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers. Besides, a bomb-proof storage room was constructed for canons: Canon depot X. In the depot, consisting of 2 vaults, you find the entrance box, the museum shop and the museum café.
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