Fort de Bilt
Fort de Bilt

This fort that is located in the city of Utrecht has a lot of history to it.

Fort de Bilt was once one of the most important defences of the New Dutch Waterline in the municipality of Utrecht. The fort was built between 1816 and 1819 and served to close off the access to the Biltse Straatweg, the road between Utrecht and De Bilt.

During the mobilisation in 1939 a number of soldiers planted a Wilhelmina tree. This tree has been officially christened with chocolate milk, because champagne wasn’t available.

• During World War II, Fort de Bilt was used by the occupying forces as a place to execute people.
• According to the name stones deposited there, 139 resistance fighters are said to have been executed here during that period.
• In 1949, the Fort de Bilt Memorial by Leo Jungblut was placed.
• Immediately after World War II, the fort became a prison camp for NSB members and collaborators.

Today there is an educational memorial centre with an interactive exhibition about tolerance, war and peace and resistance during World War II. The southern half is still in use by the Royal Dutch Marechaussee. In the vicinity of the fort are still some wooden houses.