The ' (; "Defence Line of Amsterdam") is a fortification line around Amsterdam, which would function as a national redoubt. It comprises 45 forts, as well as dams, dikes, locks, pumping stations, batteries and casemates. The forts are from the centre and lowlands, which can easily be inundated in time of war. The inundation was designed to give a depth of about , too little for boats to cross. Any buildings within of the line had to be made of wood so that they could be burnt and the obstruction removed.

The was constructed between 1880 and 1920. The Stelling was mobilised and partially inundated during the First World War, but the Netherlands remained neutral and was not invaded. In 1922, the Stelling became part of the . The north side of the Stelling was inundated when Germany invaded in 1940 at the start of the Second World War, but the Netherlands capitulated before the Germans reached the Stelling.

It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Dutch Water Defence Lines.

Background

thumb|Engineer [[Cornelis Krayenhoff was involved in all defence lines around Amsterdam since 1787, in particular the Posts of Krayenhoff named after him.]]

A combination of inundation and posts to protect Amsterdam date back as far as 1629, when these were prepared against a planned but later cancelled attack from the south by the Spanish general Ernesto Montecuccoli during the Eighty Years' War. Another water defence line was prepared in the south in 1672, the Rampjaar, but the invaders failed to get past the Old Dutch Waterline. In June 1787, 27 posts were created by the Patriots and on 18 September 1787, the surrounding polders were inundated. These posts held back the Prussian invasion, but the Prussians managed to get access through the Haarlemmermeer and successfully attacked the posts from behind.

When the English invaded Holland in 1799, a water defence line was created north of Amsterdam, led by engineer Cornelis Krayenhoff. In 1800, the was created led by Krayenhoff to the west of Amsterdam, fearing another invasion by England. When the threat had decreased the next year, the posts were neglected. In 1805, Krayenhoff was tasked with creating a new defence line, because King Louis Bonaparte feared annexation by the First French Empire. The posts would be built in 1809 and 1810 at a distance of 8-12 km from the city, and would become known as the Posts of Krayenhoff. The Incorporation of the Netherlands in 1810 was peaceful, so the posts were not used. Plans were made to improve the posts, but they were never executed because of the liberation of the Netherlands in 1813. In the following decades, new forts would be added to the Posts of Krayenhoff in the poldered Haarlemmermeer: Fort near Heemstede, Fort along Schiphol, Fort along the Liede, Fort along the Nieuwe Meer.

! scope="col" | Fortification

! scope="col" | Group

! scope="col" | Sector

! scope="col" | Model

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! scope="row" | Fort near Edam

| Edam

| rowspan="6" | Ilpendam

| B

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! scope="row" |

| rowspan="5" | Purmerend

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! scope="row" | Fort North of Purmerend

| B

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! scope="row" |

| B

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! scope="row" |

| C

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! scope="row" |

| C

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! scope="row" |

| rowspan="4" | Wormerveer

| rowspan="9" | Zaandam

| B

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! scope="row" |

| A

|-

! scope="row" |

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort along Den Ham

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near Veldhuis

| rowspan="5" | Westzaan

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort along the St. Aagtendijk

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort in the Zuidwijkermeerpolder

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near Velsen

| A

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! scope="row" | Coastal Fort near IJmuiden

|

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! scope="row" | Fort North of Spaarndam

| rowspan="7" | Halfweg

| rowspan="12" | Sloten

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort South of Spaarndam

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near Penningsveer

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near the Liebrug

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort along the Liede

|

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! scope="row" | Fort near Vijfhuizen

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near Heemstede

|

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! scope="row" | Battery along IJweg

| rowspan="5" | Schiphol

|

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! scope="row" | Fort near Hoofddorp

| A

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! scope="row" | Battery along Sloterweg

|

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! scope="row" | Fort near Aalsmeer

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near Kudelstaart

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort near De Kwakel

| rowspan="5" | De Nes

| rowspan="14" | Ouderkerk

| A

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! scope="row" | Fort along the Drecht

| B

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! scope="row" | Fort near Uithoorn

| B

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! scope="row" | Fort Waver-Amstel

| B

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! scope="row" | Fort in the Botshol

|

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! scope="row" | Fort along the Winkel

| rowspan="4" | Abcoude

|

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! scope="row" | Fort near Abcoude

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! scope="row" | Batteries along the Gein

|

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! scope="row" | Fort near Nigtevecht

| A

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! scope="row" | Weesp Fortress

| rowspan="5" | Diemerbrug

|

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! scope="row" | Muiden Fortress

|

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! scope="row" | Battery near Diemerdam

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! scope="row" | Fort Pampus

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! scope="row" | Battery near Durgerdam (Vuurtoreneiland)

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! scope="row" | Fort near Hinderdam

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! scope="row" | Fort Uitermeer

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Locks

  • Inundation lock southern Beemsterringdijk ()

Barracks

  • Amsterdam Cavalry Barracks
  • Oranje-Nassau Kazerne

Other

See also

Dutch waterlines

  • Old / New Dutch Waterline
  • Grebbe line
  • IJssel Line
  • Maas Line
  • Peel-Raam Line

Other

  • Defence lines of the Netherlands

References

  • Website of the Defence Line of Amsterdam
  • Website about the Defence Line of Amsterdam
  • Virtual Tour