Fort Bourtange, A Unique Fort with the Shape of a Star

This fort was built by William the Silent during the Eighty Years' War.
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Fort Bourtange is a fort in the village of Bourtange, Groningen, Netherlands. The fort was completed in 1593 under the orders of William the Silent during the Eighty Years' War. After the last war in 1851, the fort was converted into a village where it currently serves as a history museum.

An aerial view of Fort Bourtange /
An aerial view of Fort Bourtange / Wikipedia

The fort's design with solid walls shaped like a star and surrounded by a marshy moat was adopted from Italy in the 15th century. This design is able to provide optimal protection from the threat of attackers from all directions and make the fort difficult to conquer.

View of the village around Fort Bourtange /
View of the village around Fort Bourtange / Wikipedia

This is evident at the end of the war, the fort and the village in it, which contains churches, windmills, bridges and military barracks, have been perfectly preserved until today as a tourist museum.

Windmills at Fort Bourtange /
Windmills at Fort Bourtange / Wikipedia

Hotel in Groningen, Netherland

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