Forts near Leerdam

Situated on the Linge, surrounded by reed banks and water lilies, lies"Glass City\\\" Leerdam. The town was founded in 1143 and was then called"Ter leede\\\". Leerdam obtained city rights in 1382 from the Lord of Arkel and again in 1407, from Willem IV of Holland. In the eighteenth century, the wood and glass industry took off and the town became prosperous. The rich history of Leerdam is still clearly visible in the old buildings, such as the Grote Kerk, the museum het Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden and the remaining city walls, which have been restored. It is not only the glassblowers from home and abroad who do their work in the Glascentrum from Easter until the end of September that give Leerdam fame these days; Leerdammer cheese is also a well-known (export) product.

The cycle route takes you to various forts in the region. The first is the Werk op spoor Diefdijk. This fortification was built in 1880 on both sides of the Dordrecht-Elst railway. The railway line cut through the Waterlinie and had to be protected. Movable crane bridges were located in front of and behind the work. One unique example can still be viewed.

Two kilometers further you will also see KunstFort Asperen. Art and history lovers will get their money's worth here. This fort is the first 'art fort' in the Netherlands; since 1981, cultural events and exhibitions have been organized here annually. In the past, the tower fort was surrounded by a moat and could only be reached via a wooden drawbridge. Fort Asperen is part of the New Dutch Waterline and is an impressive monument.

You cycle to the Fort bij de Nieuwe Steeg/Geofort, also called Fort bij Herwijnen. The fortress was built in 1879 as part of the New Dutch Waterline. This fort closed off an obscure bend in the Linge and the Lingedijk and was an important pillar for the older works of Fort Asperen and the Wapenplaats. The fort has a unique, bombproof barracks, which consists of two buildings. Next to the barracks, a moat with a drawbridge and guardhouse was constructed. In the decades after the Second World War, the fort lost its military function and came into the possession of Staatsbosbeheer. In 2006, the access bridge was rebuilt and in 2011 a restoration took place. Since then, the fort has been set up as the "GeoExperience", an educational attraction in the field of cartography and navigation.