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's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications were shaped over the centuries. Archaeological surveys have given us an impression of what the fortifications used to be like. Since 1977, archaeological research in 's-Hertogenbosch has been carried out by the town's own municipal archaeologists. The following links provide more extensive information on 's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications:
's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications developed over the centuries due to the demands of the era. The following provides a description of these developments. See for map...
Development history
Before 1185, the Aa and Dommel rivers constituted a single delta. 's-Hertogenbosch was founded on a sandbank in the centre of this area approximately where the market square is located now. The town's official name comes from 'des hertogen bosch' i.e. Duke Hendrik I of Brabant's woods. He was 26 when he conferred town rights and the accompanying trading rights to 's-Hertogenbosch in 1196.
The walled town was enlarged on three occasions. The first enlargement was the largest. This had been completed to such an extent in 1351 that part of the town wall between the Orthen and Vughter gates could be issued for the purpose of building stone houses with 'hard roofing tiles' up against the walls, the so-called wall houses. The decision to expand again was taken in the middle of the fourteenth century.
Increasingly powerful artillery necessitated the reinforcement of the fortification's walls. Initially this did not take place systematically. From 1518 onwards, all the earth that became available due to the digging, deepening or widening of the town moats or canals was used to build ramparts behind the walls or to widen or raise the latter.
During the second half of the 16th century, the town’s administration planned to convert the Medieval walls and ramparts into a bastion system. However, for financial reasons little work was carried out for the time being. The town was therefore protected by water, inundation being the preferred method. For most of the year 's-Hertogenbosch's surroundings were flooded, generally leaving two small access roads from the direction of Vught and Hintham open to traffic.
The fortifications' turrets occur on various old engravings and maps. They projected from the walls to their centre lines, were round and closed at the rear. They were approximately 7 metres in diameter on the inside and were higher than the town walls as they also had to serve as vantage points. The development of the canon meant that the turrets were replaced by round bastions which were stronger and roomier. Some turrets were converted into round bastions.
The bastions were built at the start of the 17th century. The bastions were built at locations which were strategic at the time. However, due to the varying lengths of the curtain walls they did not constitute a systematically bastioned system because the bastions could not support and provide cover to one another. Forts, located on the edge of the inundated area, increased the number of defences around the town. Over the years, a number of ravelins, couvre faces and tenailles were added near the gates. To improve the fortifications' and bastions' appearance, the town administration had the ramparts planted with Linden trees in 1636. In 1735, the fortifications were reinforced considerably.
's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications were primarily aimed at protecting the town, but also enabled economic control thanks to the limited number of gates which made levying tolls easy. The fortifications have always been adapted to suit the requirements of the times and necessity. When the canon was developed and the accompanying military strategies, the vertical defence concept (town wall) was converted into horizontal defence (rampart walls, earthen bodies to absorb projectiles, moats, free fields of fire, inundation).
By the time the Netherlands were annexed by France in 1810, 's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications were of almost no importance any longer.
Development of 's-Hertogenbosch's fortifications time line
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until 1185
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The Aa and Dommel rivers constituted a delta and joined the Meuse. One of the sandbanks in this area, in Duke Hendrik I’s woods, is where
's-Hertogenbosch developed.
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| 1196 |
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Duke Hendrik I’s woods, is where 's-Hertogenbosch developed. |
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| between 1200 and 1225 |
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The first walled area in town encircles the area which currently houses the market square. There were three town gates through which people could enter, named after the sister towns of Antwerp, Brussels and Leuven.
This first wall was made of brick. Underground, the wall's foundations consisted of piers between which brick ground arches were built. Buttresses rested on the piers and carried the arches of the wallwalk. Protected by crenels the soldiers could defend the town from the wallwalks.
2 water gates were also built: a northern one behind the Saint Geertrui graveyard and a southern one near the Herman Moerkerkplein which is still partially existant.
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1250
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The town expanded rapidly outside the protection of the first town wall. This is also where work started on the construction of the cathedral of St. Jan.
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| 1300 |
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Duke Jan III gave his permission for the town to be expanded. The town administration was allowed to use taxes to finance the construction of the new town walls. In other words,
's-Hertogenbosch's inhabitants paid for their own wall!
The expansion increased the urban surface area tenfold!
The second wall gave the town the size of the current town centre. Two smaller expansions were implemented later on.
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| 1399 |
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Addition of the last part of the Vughterdijk between "Kuipertjeswal" and "Willemsplein". A new gate was built there, the "Pickepoort". |
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| around 1500 |
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Expansion of the "Hinthamereinde" outside the "Pijnappelse Poort" gate (now known as Hofstad). A new town gate was built near the current Watertoren [water tower]. |
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| after 1500 |
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Increasing artillery fire power necessitated the reinforcement of the ramparts with gutter sludge and sludge from the Binnendieze, and the walls were topped. The crenels and turret tops were removed.
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1511
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The much feared canon Stuer Ghewalt was forged at the town's expense by the German blacksmith Jan Fyck from Cologne. The canon proved worthless, but rather beautiful! |
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around 1540-1543 |
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The court in Brussels ordered the town walls to be reinforced everywhere by 7 metre ramparts. This was a response to the threat of Gelderland’s troops led by Maarten van Rossum
The St. Jans gate and the Orthen gate were entirely renewed. Moreover, the town moat was deepened and broadened.
The town’s first bastion, located outside the Orthen gate, was built after a design by famous military engineer and architect Alessandro Pasqualini.
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1591 |
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Prince Maurits’ troops failed to capture the town because the town’s surroundings had been systematically inundated. The Abbott of the monastery of St. Geertrui from Leuven came up with the idea. He was in town staying at the Refugiehuis (located on the Spinhuis ramparts).
The town seemed impossible to capture and was nicknamed the Swamp Dragon. |
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1568 - 1648
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Period of the Eighty Years’ War.
Until 1629, ’s-Hertogenbosch was part of the Catholic Southern Netherlands. |
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1601 |
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Prince Maurits laid siege to the town again. Once again without result, however this time a large number of buildings were heavily damaged.
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1609-1621 |
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Twelve years’ Truce. The town took advantage of the opportunity to improve the fortifications. Jan van der Weeghen was commissioned to draw up a design which would equip the town with bastions.
Bastions were added on either side of the harbour mouth and on either side of the town gates. In 1625, a hornwork was added.
The St. Anthonie Bastion, Baselaar Bastion and Maria Bastion were built. The Kruithuis [gunpowder depot] was built between 1609 and 1618.
Fort Isabella was built outside the town during this period.
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| 1629 |
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After a siege that lasted 5 months,
's-Hertogenbosch was captured by Frederik Hendrik.
Engineer Leeghwater came up with a method of undoing the inundation.
From then on, 's-Hertogenbosch is part of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands.
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| after 1629 |
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The fortifications were repaired, |
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| 1635 |
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Because the distance between the Baselaars and Vught bastions was too large, the Oranje Bastion is built in order to improve the defences. |
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| 1635-1640 |
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The town’s population is largely Catholic and so it was decided that a citadel the Willem Maria had to be built to control the town’s inhabitants and to provide a defence against attacks from outside.
The Citadel was nicknamed the Papist Glasses because it was built to watch the Catholics. |
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1697 - 1701
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Military engineer Menno van Coehoorn was commissioned to draw up a plan for the construction of lines of defence in the most threatened parts of the country by the States General.
's-Hertogenbosch was included in the Southern frontier.
Upon the advice of Van Coehoorn, the town was equipped with a large number of advanced works.
The Isabella, Sint Anthonie, Crèvecoeur and Engelen forts were restored to their former functions.
Lunettes and ravelins were built outside the Sint Jans gate, the Vughter gate, Hinthamer gate and the harbour mouth.
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| 1794 |
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The town was captured by the French general Pichegru and in 1810 the Northern Netherlands were annexed by the French empire. |
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| 1800 |
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The occupying troops left the country and Willem I of Orange became King of the Netherlands. |
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| 1830 |
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This was the last occasion the fortifications were readied.
After the Belgian Revolution, the Southern Netherlands split off and the State of Belgium was founded.
Due to the new state situation, the decrepit walls were restored over the course of the years. A few powder stores were built and lunettes were built on the Vught heathlands.
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| 1850-1860 |
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The exterior of the fortifications were in bad condition. Measures had to be taken. The existing walls’ outer shell was stripped off and subsequently equipped with 22 centimetre thick brick cladding.
To this day, this brick edging wall determines the appearance of a large part of ’s-Hertogenbosch’s fortifications. |
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| 1874 |
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In 1874, parliament laid down the lines that were to surround Fortified Holland.
No important role was set aside for
's-Hertogenbosch. The fortifications could therefore be dismantled.
Gates were demolished and the majority of the ramparts dug away.
The advanced works on the Hinthamereinde and outside the St. Jans gate were demolished, filled with rubble and covered with sand. This provided room for ambitious town expansion.
Luckily, the walls continued to defend 's-Hertogenbosch from the water.
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