| Fort near Edam | |
|---|---|
Fort bij Edam | |
| Part ofStelling van Amsterdam | |
| NearEdam in Netherlands | |
 | |
| Site information | |
| Website | Official website |
| Location | |
  Fort near Edam | |
| Coordinates | 52°31′4.1″N5°4′1.9″E / 52.517806°N 5.067194°E /52.517806; 5.067194 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1914 (1914) |
TheFort near Edam (Dutch:Fort bij Edam) is a Dutch fort that is part of theStelling van Amsterdam. It lies near the city ofEdam. The fort protected theEdam lock [nl], which was used toflood theZeevang polder [nl]. The fort was finished between 1908 and 1914.[1][2]
The Zeevang polder was flooded during theGerman invasion of the Netherlands.[3]
After the Second World War, the fort was used as a prison for women who had ties with German soldiers or members of theNational Socialist Movement (NSB). For a short time, it would be used as internment camp for convictedcollaborators. In 1948, it was used as an ammunition storage facility by the Dutch Army. In 1951, a shooting range was added, where the police andNational Reserve Corps trained, which would later be used by a shooting club.[3]
In 1986, the Dutch Army gave the fort toStaatsbosbeheer. It was barely used, which gave way to uniqueflora andfauna. It became a protected nature reserve. Since 2005, Staatsbosbeheer leases the fort to a foundation, which has made the fort accessible to the public.[3]