Willemstad: a fortress that grew from a hexagon into a heptagon
The ramparts on the Hollands Diep and the Mauritshuis tell how a fortified village turned into a fortress town.
Willemstad lies on the Hollands Diep and, according to the municipality of Moerdijk, has a star-shaped fortress. The local history society describes a more precise building story: the first design followed a regular hexagon around the existing street plan, after which the fortress was extended outside the dyke into a heptagon.
On 30 July 1583 Prince William of Orange gave the order to fortify the village of Ruigenhil. The original plan was drawn by the fortress engineer Abraham Andriesz. The history society then mentions the construction of Bastion Groningen from probably 1598 and that of Bastion Gelderland in 1602.
A visit to Willemstad can begin at the Mauritshuis. Prince Maurice of Orange had that country residence built in 1623. The municipality calls the building a national monument; the visitor centre links the fortress history there with other stories, including the flood disaster.
The Watersnoodkabinet in the Mauritshuis covers that flood history. Another exhibition on the end of the fortress status was announced as on view “until October”. For 14 October that is not a confirmed run; that presentation is therefore not part of this visiting advice.
In the winter season, from 1 October to 31 March, the visitor centre at Hofstraat 1 is open Wednesday to Friday from 11.00 to 17.00 and at weekends from 12.00 to 17.00. On Monday and Tuesday it is closed. The centre’s own site calls the interactive access free of charge.
Inside the fortress, parking is free from Monday to Wednesday, according to the municipality. From Thursday to Sunday a maximum of two hours with a blue card applies between 11.00 and 21.00. Those rules are practical for anyone who wants to see the ramparts and the visitor centre on the same day.