Guided tour of Fort Wierickerschans
Description
Fort Wierickerschans is currently undergoing renovation. To take a closer look at the technology behind this renovation, we are organising a guided tour of the fort.
During this tour, we will first tell a general story about the fort, after which we will look at the renovation site.
Here, the tour guide will elaborate on the technical background of the renovation.
At the heart of the fort is the Green Heart Square. An open space surrounded by historic walls. On the south side is the Kuiphuis with its restaurant, flanked by two white stuccoed arsenals.
On the opposite side, Building 1830 houses the Visitor Centre. Next to the Visitor Centre are two non-monumental buildings from the 1950s. The walls will be taken out; the buildings will be transformed into covered market halls. A lively regional market with products from the Green Heart should flourish here.
History
In the year 1672 (the 'disaster year'), France, England (linked by the secret Treaty of Dover) and the dioceses of Münster and Cologne declared war on the Republic of the United Netherlands. The history books reported: the government was helpless, the people desperate and the country helpless. After English invasion plans were foiled by a combination of heavy storms and the ingenuity of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, the French invasion posed the greatest danger to the Republic. Led by Louis XIV, the French slowly advanced northwards. The slow pace of the advance gave the Dutch, led by King Stadholder William III, the opportunity to retreat behind the Old Dutch Waterline. This ran from the Zuiderzee, via Schoonhoven, Nieuwpoort and Gorinchem, among others, to the Biesbosch.
Houses from 1673
In this area, a wide stretch of land could be flooded (inundated). The area in question was -with the help of sluices and by breaching dykes- put under a layer of water about 30 cm. deep. This depth made wading through impossible (the ground was boggy and already existing ditches and canals became invisible) while the water level was too shallow to navigate.
William III's main force moved into an encampment near Bodegraven, where one of the weakest spots of the Water Line was formed by the Oude Rijn, which was easily navigable.
Three small and weak entrenchments had been raised here.
The inundation was eventually successful: the French retreated. The eventful history of the siege of these entrenchments
Between 1945 and 1960, the Wiericker Schans was again used as an ammunition depot. In 1960, the last ammunition was removed and the fort began to function as a storage depot for the army and the Delft-based weapons museum.
In the 1970s, Wiericker Schans functioned, among other things, as a communication centre of Defence with the Dutch military stationed in West Germany.
13.30 - 13:45 at the information centre
14:00 guided tour and presentation by Peter Kraan duration approx. 1.5 hours with film, tour of the construction (renovation).
15:30 closing drinks with a snack.
Location
Fort Wierickerschans
Route description will follow after registration
Organiser
Utrecht region
Name and contact details for information
Roel Troost