Fort Honswijk
Fort Honswijk is a fortification on the Lek River near Houten in the Netherlands and part of the larger water defense line system. The core is a tower built from 1841 to 1848 that housed mechanisms to control river passage and flood the surrounding land when needed.
The fort was built between 1841 and 1848 to block the Lek passage against invaders and work together with nearby Fort Everdingen for river defense. Transferred to municipal management in 2016, it underwent major renovation from 2020 to 2021 and is now open to the public.
The fort is named after its strategic location on the Lek River and its role in the water defense system. Today it serves as a gathering place where visitors can experience both the historical significance and the natural landscape that define this region.
The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset and offer space for walking and resting with views of the river and surroundings. Volunteers lead guided tours on Sundays, and various walking and cycling routes connect the site to nearby forts and surrounding areas.
The grounds are home to a colony of bats that find shelter in the fort's structures and bring life to the site. Visitors can also view a photo exhibition with 22 panels explaining how the water line's flooding systems worked in the region.
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