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The history of Zutphen goes back to more than 1700 years ago. Zutphen started as a Germanic settlement. In the 9th century, a ring wall and a moat were already built around Zutphen to protect the city against attack by the Vikings. Part of this old ring wall has remained intact. In the Middle Ages the city developed into a successful trading city and at the end of the 12th century Zutphen was granted city rights. The city was then walled in the 13th century and Zutphen was also expanded. 1284 is known as the disaster year of Zutphen. A major fire destroyed most of the city that year. After the construction of the city, things went a lot better for Zutphen. The 14th century was even a kind of Golden Age for Zutphen. The city then became the capital of the County of Zutphen and the city took part in the Baltic Sea trade. Over the centuries, the fortifications of Zutphen have been constantly reinforced. From 1874 the fortifications were demolished because they had become redundant. Yet there are still plenty of old defenses to be found in Zutphen.