Zonsondergang bij de Geniedijk, a photo by M-MZ on Flickr.

The Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defenses conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century. Fortifying and combining natural bodies of water, it could be used to transform the Dutch Republic almost into a fortified island. Sluices were constructed in dikes and forts and fortified towns were created at strategic points along the line with guns covering especially the dikes that traversed the water line. The water level in the flooded areas was carefully maintained to a level deep enough to make an advance on foot precarious and shallow enough to rule out effective use of boats (other than the flat bottomed gun barges used by the Dutch defenders).

This is fascinating.

Naarden, NL – not to be confused with Coevorden, NL

Instead of merely using ramped earth, the Dutch used shallow ponds full of water to repel invaders. Only an early frost permitted Napoleon to breach the defense. In addition to the shallow ponds (30cm / 12″ deep) the Dutch also fortified strategic locations starting with Renaissance fortifications – much like Coevorden, NL, then Martello towers then combined fortifications which ultimately became obsolete as war-fighting became mobile and airborne.

Today, most of the water line is still intact with the Stelling van Amsterdam (below, simplified image) declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site (you know how I love those Heritage Sites). I would love to visit these installations and undertake a long study of them.

More information:

• List of Defense lines of the Netherlands: Dutch Water Line, Grebbe line, Frisian Water Line
• Stelling van Amsterdam
• Stelling van Amsterdam Google Map

Coevorden is a municipality and a city in the northeastern Netherlands. The city was redesigned and altered according to Renaissance “Ideal City” design theory in the early seventeenth century by Maurice of Nassau. Coevorden undoubtedly is the result of the Italian city of Palmanova with streets laid out in a radial pattern within polygonal fortifications and extensive outer earthworks. The introduction of explosive shells, rifled borings (longer range), mortarts, and plunging fire technique rendered the intricate wall geometry obsolete. Today, much of the original wall and ramparts have been removed and has been bisected by railroad tracks.

Coevorden is an excellent example of what happens when infrastructure becomes obsolete in the face of massive urban change. Coevorden sits at the intersections of rivers and canals with modern highways encircling its suburbs; Palmanova sits in a plain, with the modern city sitting outside its contiguous borders. It is hard to judge which city is most “complete” as Coevorden has moved forward in progress while Palmanova is arguably stuck in the 16th century. I am inferring that Coevorden has prospered throughout the years to a degree which Palmanova hasn’t and as Bourtange, Netherlands certainly hasn’t. Just like Over the Rhine in Cincinnati, Ohio, the poorer areas are often the most unchanged throughout the years while districts with higher income and prosperity are a continual palimpsest of change.