Do you see the sloping hill with water around it on your left? This is Fort Edam, the northeastern point of the Defence Line of Amsterdam.
As you can see, the fort does not stand out at all. With its pollard willows and reed collars, it looks more like a small lake around an old mound. Fort Edam blends in beautifully with the landscape. And that was exactly what the builders intended. They wanted enemies to see this bastion only at a late stage. Too late, when they were already within shooting range of the cannons.
Under the hill in the distance, a complete military powerhouse was hidden about a hundred years ago. With five cannons, nine machine guns and space for 225 soldiers. Of course complete with dormitories, kitchens and ammunition depots. Until 1986, the fort remained a prohibited military area. As a result, nature was able to take its course in this varied area with water, marsh, hills and trees. In addition, this fortress, like all the fortresses in the Defence Line, was built on fertile sandy soil because the marshy peat could not support the concrete foundations. This is also a reason for the lush nature around the fortresses. Nowadays, the Fort of Edam is a protected nature reserve. Due to its sheltered location, it is the ideal breeding ground for migratory birds. Many different species of animals and fish also live there. The fortress is one of the best preserved defence works in the Defence Line of Amsterdam.
On Sundays from twelve to four o'clock in the afternoon, you can view the fortress from the inside. Not only the fortress grounds themselves, but also the polders around it have hardly changed in the past century. This is still open terrain that can be flooded, the so-called inundation area.
Translated by Google •
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