When you think of Dutch fortified towns, well-known classics like Naarden or Gorinchem immediately come to mind. But a 2.5-hour drive from Amsterdam, hidden in the Groningen countryside, lies a border stronghold that is in a class of its own.
While other fortresses were later incorporated into large 19th-century defensive works such as the New Dutch Water Line, this remained the only fort from the old line to withstand heavy sieges without ever falling.
That fortress is Vesting Bourtange. William of Orange had it built on a narrow sand ridge (tange) to completely block the Spanish supply lines to Groningen. That strategic location formed the basis for an impregnable stronghold full of ingenious defensive secrets and an illustrious history.
The impregnable fortress of 1580
William of Orange had the star-shaped fortress built on a narrow sand ridge: the only dry passage through the impenetrable Bourtange Marshes. This completely blocked the Spanish supply route to Groningen.
The impregnability of Bourtange Fortress was proven in 1593. When 3,000 Spanish soldiers began digging trenches, they immediately filled with gushing groundwater. Without cover in the marshy terrain, the troops became an easy target, after which the Spaniards retreated for good.
The bribery offer of 1672
In the Disaster Year of 1672, the Bishop of Münster (“Bommen Berend”) sought to capture the strategic marsh pass. When his attack stalled, he offered Captain Prott a fortune of 200,000 guilders to open the fortress gates without a fight.
Prott resolutely refused the bribe with the legendary retort: “You can have 200,000 bullets!” The fortress held its ground and succeeded in definitively driving away the superior forces.
Ingenious construction techniques and secret dikes
Behind the red drawbridges of the star-shaped fortress lie ingenious military engineering tricks. The powder magazine, built in 1704, was constructed with a deliberately detached roof. In the event of an explosion, the roof would be blown skyward immediately, completely sparing the thick fortress walls and the surrounding homes.
In addition, the builders constructed the ingenious Rijsdam across the small river Ruiten Aa. This allowed the surrounding marshland to be flooded in a controlled manner within a few hours in the event of imminent danger, rendering the fort completely inaccessible.
Your visit to Bourtange Fortress
🚆 By public transportation, take the train to Winschoten station and continue on neighborhood bus 12 to the “Bourtange” stop.
🚗 Coming by car? Follow the A7 toward Germany and take exit 48 (Winschoten) toward Bourtange.
📍 Willem Lodewijkstraat 33, 9545 PA Bourtange
🗓️ Monday through Sunday (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
⏳ 2–3 hours
💵 The fortress is open to the public (combined museum ticket: €9.50)
