Fort Everdingen
Fort Everdingen was built between 1842 and 1847 as part of the New Dutch Waterline. In the centre of the fort, between the earthen ramparts, is a large round gun tower with walls more than three metres thick. Later, additional fortified buildings and bunkers were built around it. Together with Fort Honswijk, Fort Everdingen formed the Lek access: the forts hermetically sealed off the high-level passage (access) of the Lek dikes and the floodplains when the surrounding land was flooded with the sluice system. Not for nothing are they sometimes called 'The guards of the Lek'.
In addition to the function the fort had at the time v...
Fort Everdingen was built between 1842 and 1847 as part of the New Dutch Waterline. In the centre of the fort, between the earthen ramparts, is a large round gun tower with walls more than three metres thick. Later, additional fortified buildings and bunkers were built around it. Together with Fort Honswijk, Fort Everdingen formed the Lek access: the forts hermetically sealed off the high-level passage (access) of the Lek dikes and the floodplains when the surrounding land was flooded with the sluice system. Not for nothing are they sometimes called 'The guards of the Lek'.
Besides its function during the time of the Dutch Waterline, the fort was also used by German troops at the end of World War II as a defence line against the advancing Allies. After the war, Fort Everdingen lost its defensive function, but until 2014, the Explosives Clearing Service used the fort for storage, training and exercise. Today, the fort is the sturdy home of beer brewery Duits & Lauret.
Murals
During World War II, German soldiers made murals in one of the fortremises. Remarkably, they form one large entity on walls and ceiling of what was presumably a relaxation room or 'beer cellar'. You can see mock drawings of Winston Churchill and probably Marlene Dietrich, among others, interspersed with references to German beer traditions and student or guild customs. For a long time they were neglected and damaged by damp, but now this fraught heritage has been restored. Striking detail: today there is a brewery at the fort!
The Fort is free to visit. Guided tours are offered every Sunday - sign up via the website. Also stop by the tasting room located in the Genieloods for one of the special beers brewed at the fort.
Read also Kasteel Batestein, Kasteelterrein Hagestein, Burcht Vianen, Statue Brederode, Dorpskern Everdingen and Watertoren.