Visitor centres
Find out why the Dutch Water Defence Lines are world-class heritage at one of the UNESCO visitor centres!
Visitor centres
UNESCO's Dutch Water Defence Lines visitor centres explain how the Dutch turned water to their advantage and used it as a weapon. This is how the administrative heart of the country was protected from the enemy from the east. You will also find out why forts, trenches, casemates and batteries were built in some places in the landscape.
Fort K'ijk (Fort near Krommeniedijk)
Experience at Fort K'ijk how the Defence Line of Amsterdam protected first man and later the landscape. The voices of the forester and the fort keeper take you on a journey via an audio tour. Imagination, projection, light and darkness bring to the fore the fort's unique architecture.
Come to Fort K'ijk
Fort Island Pampus
Fort Island Pampus is the figurehead of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and tells you in grandiose style the story of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a route through the fortress, you unravel a secret in different areas: a ring of forts, dikes and sluices that were hidden in the landscape, ready to stop the enemy that never arrived. The highlight is a balloon ride that visitors take while flying over the Defence Line of Amsterdam.
Cruise to Pampus
Fort C (Muizenfort)
At Fort C (the Muizenfort), the role the Fortress of Muiden played in the Dutch Water Defence Lines is revealed. A film showing the origins and history of Muiden in a nutshell will also be shown. For children, there is a discovery unit that allows them to learn more about the Vesting Muiden interactively.
Visit the Muizenfort
The Gele Loods
The Gele Loods is the starting point for your visit to the Naarden Fortress, one of the best preserved fortified towns in the Netherlands. In the visitor centre, you can visit the exhibition 'Naarden and the Waterlines' and watch a film about the New Dutch Waterline. This brings to life the history of this town and its role in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More information on the Gele Loods
Fort de Gagel
At Fort de Gagel on the outskirts of Utrecht, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks and it is also a UNESCO visitor centre. Inside the fort, you can use 3D glasses to view various panels that make the water lines come to life for you. Using these, the World Heritage Site story is told. Near the fort, you will find Noorderpark Ruigenhoek, which contains several group shelters and Fort Ruigenhoek. A group shelter close to the fort features unique paintwork.
Go to Fort de Gagel
The Waterline Museum
The Waterline Museum at Fort Vechten is an educational experience for young and old. With virtual reality goggles, you make a parachute jump over the New Dutch Waterline and outside is a 50-metre-long model. It is also possible to join a guided tour. For children, the fort is a play paradise with exciting discovery tours.
Experience the Waterline Museum
Fort Pannerden
Not far from the German border, you will find a junction of the Rhine, the Waal and the Pannerdensch Canal. At this strategic spot lies the imposing Fort Pannerden, the 'stopcock' of the New Dutch Waterline. On top of the fort, you have spectacular views over the wide surroundings. In the fort you will find fun recreational and cultural activities, such as an exciting puzzle expedition and an escaperoom in which you brave the elements.
Explore Fort Pannerden