Present
The small forts 1-7 were demolished during the construction of the Brialmont wall, except fort 2, of which the reduit is part of the current sports arena. The Brialmont forts 2-8 still exist. Fort 1 (Wijnegem) has been demolished in 1959 (when it was 100 years old) during the construction of the shopping centre Wijnegem and the extension of the roads N12 and R11. Of the forts of the Act of 1870 the forts Merksem, Kruibeke, St. Philip and Zwijndrecht still exist. Fort De Perel has been blown up in the Second World War by the Germans. The last remains were demolished in 1958.
All forts from the period 1877-1883 (Walem, Lier, Steendorp (formerly also called Rupelmonde), Schoten) still exist. Of the period 1883-1893 the redoubts in Duffel and Kapellen still exist. The redoubts Oordenen and Berendrecht were demolished in connection with expansion of the port of Antwerp. All forts built between 1906 and 1914 still exist. Redoubt Massenhoven was demolished for the construction of a reservoir along the Albert canal. All other redoubts also still exist. The redoubts Smoutakker and Schilde were blown up by the retreating Belgians in the First World War. Of the Brialmont forts 2-8 two are now a museum, two are nature reserve, one is communal property, one recreation area, one property of the University of Antwerp. Of the forts from the period after 1870 two are still military domain, one is a recreation complex and one nature reserve. Of the forts from the period 1877-1883 one is military domain, one nature reserve, one communal property (formerly Ministry of Finance) and one is owned by a shooting club (plus radio amateurs). Redoubt Kapellen is militarily domain, redoubt Duffel private and will be opened to public after maintenance financed by European funds. Fort Sint Katelijne Waver has been overbuilt with recreation houses. Fort van Stabroek is recreational property (paint ball). Of the forts from the period 1906-1914, three are still military domain, one has been overbuilt with recreation houses, one with fishing houses, two serve as museums, two are private property and three recreation area.
Many of the forts now serve as hibernation reserve for bats. This is the case for five of the Brialmont forts 2-8 and for 11 of the later forts. Fort Brasschaat has the largest numbers of hibernating bats, between 800 and 900. The other forts accommodate smaller numbers between 20 to over 300.
Read more about this topic: National Redoubt Of Belgium
Famous quotes containing the word present:
“How do you know antiquity was foolish? How do you know the present is wise? Who made it foolish? Who made it wise?”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)
“If, at any time, it comes into my head, that a present is due from me to somebody, I am puzzled what to give, until the opportunity is gone.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“History is more or less bunk. It’s tradition. We don’t want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker’s damn is the history we make today.”
—Henry Ford (1863–1947)