Luchtwachttoren 6H3 - Oudemirdum, Military surveillance tower in Oudemirdum, Netherlands
Luchtwachttoren 6H3 is a concrete observation tower standing on the edge of Jolderenbos forest in Oudemirdum. The structure features a square platform at the top accessible by internal stairs.
Built in 1953 as part of a national network for detecting aircraft during the Cold War, this tower was part of a coordinated air surveillance strategy. It represented a significant investment in civil defense infrastructure across the country.
The tower represents Dutch military engineering from the 1950s, designed by architect Marten Zwaagstra using prefabricated concrete elements for rapid construction.
The tower opens to visitors on weekends who can climb the internal stairs to reach the top platform. The elevated vantage point provides wide views across the surrounding landscape and forest.
The parapet walls bear numbered markings that observers once used to report aircraft positions to the command center in Leeuwarden. These details reveal how the tower functioned as part of a wider communication network.
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