Kaaipoort by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About "Kaaipoort"

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

About the artwork

Brielle still owns its old city walls, built according to the old Dutch fortification system. The fortress belt of Den Briel has nine bastions and five ravelins and was restored between 1972 and 1975. Since 1713, little has changed to the fortress, making it one of the most important remaining fortifications in the Netherlands.

In 1694 Menno van Coehoorn insisted on modernising the fortress. Important was the shortening of the city on the south side, where many buildings were demolished. The result was an elongated star-shaped fortress with nine bastions, five ravelins, five bears with monks and four gates. The Waterpoort, dating from 1625, was demolished in 1894. The accompanying mid-18th-century gatekeeper's house was preserved. In 1704 the Langepoort was completed.

The Kaaipoort gate from 1709 was decommissioned around 1860 and replaced by a denomination on the East Dam. The nine bastions built according to the Old Dutch system are the Molenbolwerk with the windmill 't Vliegend Hert, the Kruithuisbolwerk with white plastered gunpowder house (circa 1710), the Galgebolwerk with bunker, the Bleykersbolwerk, The Westerbolwerk with bombproof ammunition storage (circa 1860), the Hollebolwerk (Bastion VI), the Oranjebolwerk with bombproof guardhouse (1860), the Lijnbaansbolwerk with powder magazine and finally the Noordbolwerk with the remains of the Noordpoort.