Fort Harssens

Fort Harssens is a former fortress and museum in Den Helder North-Holland. It protected the naval base Willemsoord. The fortress had 4 heavy naval guns placed in two armored cupolas. Nowadays, the maritime traffic control center sits on top of the fortress.

In the late eighteenth century, a harbor was constructed at the Nieuwediep (river). This later became the naval base Willemsoord. Due to the construction of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal, Den Helder also became the access to the port of Amsterdam. Soon, plans were developed to cover Den Helder with fortifications. In 1803 Jan Blanken made a plan to build a fort in the water just outside the base. Another plan called for a fort in the Marsdiep of about 80 guns and 500 men. These first plans were not executed.

In 1811 Napoleon visited Den Helder and saw the potential of the site. He ordered the construction of the first fortresses and a big naval base. This led to the Fortifications of Den Helder and the naval base Willemsoord. The daring plans for a fortress in the water were not executed.

In 1875 the minister of war Enderlein came with a specific plan to build a fortress on the shoal Harssens, on the east bank of the Nieuwediep. By 1875 a plan had been made for a fortification at Harssens. An investigation of the grounds was already underway. Enderlein wanted to postpone all other plans till this was ready.

There were many other plans. Weitzel and others wanted a fort in sea at the shoal 'De Laan'. Van Stirum and others a fortress on the shoal 'Zuidwal' to the northeast of Harssens. Others did not want to do anything until there was an overall plan for the defense of Den Helder.

In 1879 Minister of War Den Beer Poortugael took action by amending the fortifications budget law for 1879. 300,000 guilders were allotted for Fort Harssens. The total cost of the fortress was estimated at 1,050,000. There were some doubts about the plan, but many also understood that in view of the higher cost of alternatives, Fort Harssens was a realistic and effective option. In 1880 another 200,000 guilders were allotted to the fortress.

On 16 August 1879, the construction of the flood resistant glacis of the fortress was awarded to contractor J.J. Bakker from Lent for 143,900 guilders. In 1879 a commission of officers visited Germany and its coastal fortresses of Langlütjen.

Text adapted from “Fort Harssens” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Fort Harssens ranks #6,975 of 8,134 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #139 of the 201 mapped in Netherlands. 1 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Amsterdam, 67 km away. See how Netherlands compares in the castle statistics.

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