Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie
Fortified towns, forts, sluices, towers and waterways. All this and more can all be explored along the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie (New Dutch Inundation Line). This old "water line" or inundation zone was built between 1815 and 1885 and stretches from Muiden in the province of Noord-Holland to the Biesbosch in the province of Noord-Brabant.
Water as ally
It served as a military line of defence against enemy attacks. Elements of the Waterlinie are still clearly visible in the landscape. A walk or bike ride along the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie demonstrates how water was not only Holland's biggest enemy, but also a strong and loyal ally.
The Waterlinie in the provincie of Zuid-Holland
In the provincie of Zuid-Holland the military defence line streches from the towns of Leerdam and Gorinchem to Schoonrewoerd, Kedichem, Arkel and Dalem
The Waterlinie in the province of Zuid-Holland
In the province of Zuid-Holland, the military defence line stretches from the towns of Leerdam
The town of Leerdam, renowned for its glass industry and its rich history, is part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. The area around the Diefdijk still boasts many remnants of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. The Diefdijk acted as a flood dam in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. The Werk op de Spoorweg at the Diefdijk and a movable crane bridge, built in 1880, are both still intact. The Wiel van Bassa (Wheel of Bassa) near Schoonrewoerd was created by a mass of water breaking through the Diefdijk, and is also well worth a visit.
Fortified Gorinchem
Gorinchem is a unique fortified town with a turbulent past. The history of Gorichem and the history of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie are inextricably linked. The area received water from the Waal and the Linge via the Dalem sluices (near Gorinchem). Together with the fortresses of Woudrichem and Slot Loevestein, the fortified town of Gorinchem forms the Vesting3hoek, the Fortified Triangle. In the Vesting3hoek, it is possible to visit three provinces in one day, experience 600 years of history and navigate two rivers around the Hollandse Waterlinie.
