Fort Steendorp

Fort Steendorp lies in the town of Temse, in the province of East Flanders in the Flemish region in Belgium.

After Belgium gained independence in 1830, concerns about a European conflict or invasion persisted, mainly from the Netherlands and France. Since Belgium lacked significant natural defenses, it was decided not to defend the entire country but to establish a 'National Redoubt.' For strategic, political, and economic reasons, the city of Antwerp was chosen to serve as that Redoubt.

In 1859, the Belgian government decided to defend Antwerp by constructing a new rampart around the city, called the 'Big Rampart,' based on plans by military engineer Capt. Henri Alexis Brialmont. It included a 15 km-long earthen rampart with 19 gates and an advanced ring of 8 forts, known as the Brialmont Forts.

Although building the rampart and forts was a massive, costly project, it was completed in 1864. However, due to the city's expansion and advances in artillery, these fortifications became insufficient just a few decades later. As a result, at the end of the 19th century, a new line of defense was constructed, which included 6 additional forts, among them Fort Walem and Fort Steendorp.

Fort Steendorp was built between 1882 and 1892 as the largest fort in the area around Antwerp. It was the last Belgian fort to be built of brick and the most expensive. It features a trapezoidal ground plan and is surrounded by a dry moat, which was unique among the forts near Antwerp. However, due to blockage, the dry moat is now partly flooded.

In 1913, rebuilding began to adapt the fort to advances in artillery, but this was never completed because of the outbreak of World War I. After being damaged during World War I, it served as a military facility for the production of war gases. The German army occupied the fort again during World War II and used it for ammunition storage. Later, it became a military training ground for the Belgian army.

Since 2001, it has been owned by an environmental organization and used as a bat habitat.

Currently, Fort Steendorp cannot be freely visited; only during guided tours on special days. I hope to visit it in the near future.

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