Setting

At first glance the forts of the Defence Line of Amsterdam seem to be hills in an open landscape, frequently surrounded by shrubs and trees. By far the largest part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam is situated in the province of Noord-Holland, and a small part is situated in the province of Utrecht. North of Amsterdam the Defence Line forms part of the peat landscape with the forts situated along the edge of polders and along ring-dykes, such as the Beemster Polder. The western part of the Defence Line runs along the higher dunes, after which a straight dyke, the ‘Geniedijk’ (defence line dyke), crosses the Haarlemmermeerpolder. In the south-eastern part, the forts are situated in the river landscape of the rivers Amstel, Gein, Gaasp and Vecht. In some places, peat pools formed a natural inundation area. The fort island of Pampus lies in the Buiten-IJ, near the eastern access to the ports of Amsterdam. The coastal fort IJmuiden is set on an island in the English Channel near the large sea locks.