The Dutch fortified towns

Amersfoort is a very pleasant and large fortified city in the province of Utrecht. Despite the fact that Amersfoort has become a large city, there is still a lot of the fortress left, you will still find city gates, fortress walls and part of the city walls in Amersfoort.

Bergen op Zoom is nowadays a versatile city in Brabant, which was originally a fortified city. Bergen op Zoom was fortified with a wall around 1330, you can still find a beautiful city gate in the city.

Bergen op Zoom is located in the west of the province of North Brabant, the city borders our province of Zeeland.

Blokzijl is a really cozy fortified town where you really go for the atmosphere. Blokzijl became a fortified city in 1581. Today you can still see the shape of the fortress (walls).

Bourtange is a real example fortified town, small but very cozy with the atmosphere as if you have really gone back in time. After the fortress was dismantled, only buildings of the city remained, but the fortress was completely reconstructed again.

Brielle is a well-preserved fortified town in the province of South Holland, which arose in the 17th century. In Brielle you really taste the atmosphere of a fortified city with completely preserved ramparts and city gates.

Coevorden is a pleasant fortified town in the province of Drenthe, in the year 1215 the area had to be fortified by the bishop of Utrecht. This made Coevorden a fortified city, the star shape with the moat around the city still reminds of the Coevorden fortress. In Coevorden you will also find a castle, the castle in the Drenthe flag refers to this castle.

Culemborg is a cozy fortified town in Gelderland. The city was fortified in 1400 with a city wall and city moat. To this day, part of the wall and a city gate are still present. The city moat is also still present, it is not very noticeable since Culemborg is not built in star shape.

Deventer is a very pleasant fortified city and Hanseatic city in the province of Overijssel. As early as 882, Deventer had already started building ramparts to defend the city. The city is very historic and still looks medieval. A piece of the city wall and the star shape are still a good reminder of the fortress of Deventer.

Doesburg is a fortified town in the province of Gelderland. Doesburg was fortified with ramparts and walls in the 16th century. The city is still historical in character and the star shape and part of the wall are still present.

Dokkum is a nice fortified town in Friesland. In the 13th century Dokkum became a city, the city is still very historic with a good atmosphere. The star shape of Dokkum is still clearly visible.

Dordrecht is a beautiful old fortified city on the Maas in South Holland. Dordrecht received its city rights in the year 1220. A beautiful gate is still visible from the fortress, there is a canal even though Dordrecht never had a star shape, you also have to search for the wall, but the city wall is still located on the houses on the Maas side.

Elburg is a nice fortified town which received its city rights in 1233. To this day, Elburg is still a real fortress with its visible city moat, ramparts, city walls and city gates. The canals/walls do not have a star shape, Elburg did not have this shape.

Enkhuizen is a very pleasant fortified town with a particularly pleasant harbor with a beautiful city gate, Enkhuizen received its city rights in 1289. The star shape of Elburg is still clearly visible and there are also 2 city walls.

Geertruidenberg is a pleasant fortified town in the province of North Brabant, which was fortified with walls and ramparts around the year 1320. The star shape around the town is still clearly visible.

Goes is a lively fortified town in about the middle of the province of Zeeland. Goes received permission in 1417 to fortify itself and make the city a fortress. Goes is nowadays a fairly large city and there is a lot to do, you can still see the star shape of the fortress around Goes.

Gorinchem is a beautiful fortified town in the south of the province of South Holland, which was already a fortified town at the end of the 23rd century. At the end of the 16th century the old fortification was replaced by a new defence, the city immediately became a lot bigger. You can still see the star shape very clearly around the city and a city gate has also remained intact.

Grave is a very cozy fortified town where you really feel the history. Grave is located right on the Maas in the province of North Brabant against Gelderland. All basic parts of a fortress can still be found in Grave.

Harderwijk is a fishing town as well as a fortress town and was originally located on the Zuiderzee and is still in Gelderland. The fortress was built in 1231. In Harderwijk the defense objects are still clearly visible, with pieces of wall, a gate and partly the star shape.

Harlingen is a fortified town in the west of Friesland on the Wadden Sea which received its city rights in 1234. The star shape of the ramparts is still clearly visible.

Hasselt is a fortified town in the province of Overijssel, the city received its city rights in 1252. You can still recognize the city by the star shape as a fortified city, there is also a small piece of wall with a gate left of the fortress.

Hattem is a small cozy fortified town in the province of Gelderland. The city received its city rights in 1299. To this day there is still a beautiful city gate, city wall and the canals can still be admired. However, this canal is not in star shape.

Hellevoetsluis is a fortified town in the south of the province of South Holland below Rotterdam. In the early 17th century the fortress was strengthened. The city walls of the fortress are still clearly visible and there is still a part of the city wall.

Hoorn is a pleasant fortified town in the province of North Holland, which has a lot to offer today and received its city rights in 1357. You can still see city gates and the city walls of the fortress.

Hulst is a fortified town in the south of Zeeland nearby, Hulst has great influence from Belgium. In 1431, the city's defenses were built. Hulst is still a complete fortified city with city walls, city walls and city gates.

IJsselstein is a nice fortified town in the province of Utrecht. It is a small town but nice to visit for a trip with a historic character. The moat still surrounds the city, although it is not a star shape, you will also find parts of the wall and city gates (not whole gates, but still the sides).

Kampen is a very nice example of a fortified city, also a Hanseatic city. Kampen is very cozy and has a beautiful historic character, the city is located on the IJssel in the province of Overijssel. You will still find very beautiful city gates in Kampen, the star shape is still visible and a little bit of city wall is still there.

Leerdam is a fortified city in the south of the province of South Holland and received its city rights in 1407. Although it is not a very attractive city, there is still a very beautiful monumental piece of city wall in Leerdam.

Leeuwarden is a beautiful fortified city and capital of the province of Friesland. Leeuwarden is a bustling city, what you can expect from a capital. Leeuwarden received its city rights in 1435. Only the star shape reminds us of its history as a fortress city.

Leiden is an incredibly nice fortified city with a lot to do. The city already had city rights before 1266. You can still find the star shape around the city center, there is also a wall tower and city gates are present in Leiden. In the center you will also find a beautiful walled castle.

Maastricht is a pleasant, large fortified city in the south of the province of Limburg. In the year 1229 the city started to build the fortress. You can still find the first city wall of the Netherlands here, there are still city gates and part of the star shape (especially at the Hoge Fronten).

Middelburg is a beautiful large historic city and the capital of Zeeland. In the year 1217 Middelburg received its city rights, you can still see from the star shape of the city that the city was an extra defended city. There are also castles in the city center.

Muiden is a nice fortified town in the province of North Holland. You can see from the star shape, the castle and the fortress that Muiden has been well defended. At the beginning of the 15th century, the defenses of Muiden were started.

Naarden is a real model fortified city where the Fortress Museum is also located. All parts of a fortress can be found in this city. Naarden was founded in the year 1350.

Nieuwpoort is a fortified town on the Lek in the province of South Holland, where a somewhat larger fortified town, Schoonhoven, is located on the other side of the Lek. You can still see from the star shape that it is a defended city. In the 17th century, the fortifications for the Old Dutch Waterline started.

Ravenstein is a fortified town in the province of North Brabant on the river Maas, Ravenstein is a small town with a cozy character. In 1509 the city got its defenses. You can still recognize the city's defenses from the star shape of the city walls and the city gate.

Schoonhoven is a pleasant fortified town in South Holland on the river Lek, opposite the city on the other side of the Lek is a smaller fortified town Nieuwpoort. Schoonhoven was founded in the year 1247, on part of the city walls, city wall and city gate you can still see that it was a defended city.

s-Hertogenbosch, also known as Den Bosch, is a large and also the capital of the province of North Brabant. You can experience a lot in this city as you would expect from a capital. In 1184 s-Hertogenbosch received its city rights. In the city you can still find the star shape of the city walls and parts of the old city wall.

Sluis is a very nice fortified city in the south of the province of Zeeland and became a fortified city in the year 1382. The city is definitely worth a visit, you can still find city gates, the star shape and a little city wall.

Sneek is a cozy fortified town in the province of Friesland, Sneek started building the fortifications in 1492, as the first town in Friesland. The shape of the city moat is still present (no star shape) and the most important monument of Sneek, the Waterpoort.

Tiel is a fortified town in the province of Gelderland, which received city rights in the 13th century. From the fortress you will still find a rebuilt water gate and partly the city walls in star shape.

Valkenburg is a beautiful and very touristy fortified town in the south of the province of Limburg. The name Valkenburg was already mentioned in 1041. In Valkenburg you will find two city gates which were partly destroyed, but were restored in 2014 to the original style. In addition, there are also parts of the city wall.

Veere is a fortified town in Zeeland with a beautiful view over the Veerse Meer. The city's defenses were built around 1500. In the city you will still find the ramparts, a city gate with city wall.

Vianen is a nice fortified town in the province of Utrecht, just below the city of Utrecht. The town has a pleasant historical character. In 1336 Vianen received its city rights and with that the defenses were built. In Vianen you will find a sgtadspoort and parts of the city wall from the time of the fortress.

Wijk bij Duurstede is a fortified town in the province of Utrecht which borders on a crossing of 3 rivers and a canal (Nederrijn, Lek, Kromme Rijn and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal). In the year 1300, Wij at Duurstede obtained its city rights. In the city you will still find parts of the city wall and a city gate which goes through a mill.

Willemstad is still really a model fortified town, the city received its city rights in 1585. With the complete ramparts in star shape (with bunkers from the Second World War) and parts of the city wall, you can clearly see that Willemstad is a fortified city.

Woerden is a fortified city in the province of Utrecht, the city is cozy and has a reasonable center. Woerden received its city rights in 1372. You can see from the clear star shape that Woerden is a defended city, there is also a castle.

Zaltbommel is a very pleasant historic fortified town in the province of Gelderland, which received city rights in the 13th century. Zaltbommel has so-called gutter ghosts, figurines that are located in the gutter of various buildings. Zaltbommel is recognizable as a fortified city by parts of the city wall, a city gate and city walls.

Zierikzee is a really nice and cozy fortified town in Zeeland, with imposing buildings and city gates. In 1248 Zierikzee received city rights. In the city you will still find beautiful city gates, parts of the wall and the moat (no star shape).

Zutphen is a beautiful fortified city which really gives you the experience of having entered history. This city, which received its city rights in 1190, clearly shows that it is a fortress city with the star shape, city gate and parts of the city wall.

Zwolle is a pleasant fortified city and also the capital of Overijssel, which received its city rights in 1230. Zwolle has a lot to offer, as you would expect from a capital. The star shape is still visible, as is the Sassenpoort and parts of the city wall.