Kazerne, Rijksstraatweg 7 b

English translation

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Description

Cluster 17. Bombproof Barracks, Building B.

NEW HOLLANDSE WATERLINIE Introduction

BOMBPROOF BARRACKS, Building B, as added during the modernisation of Fort Nieuwersluis around 1880, with an earth-covered component. Fort Nieuwersluis served to defend several inundation works and a relatively large number of accesses. The fort was, in contrast to most defensive structures from the Old and New Hollandse Waterlinie, arranged to defend against an attack from the south. This could have taken place if the Vecht access had been breached. Fort Nieuwersluis in its current form originated from the reworking of the 17th-century fortification works of Nieuwersluis situated on the west bank of the Vecht. This happened in two phases, namely in 1849, when the tower was built and during the large-scale renewal in 1880-1882, whereby the fort acquired its current form. The barracks were built in 1881-1882 and in 1883 adapted because cracks appeared. In doing so the building was narrowed slightly. In front of the building was initially a retaining wall which was covered by bluestone slabs and was fitted with an iron railing. The barracks are centrally located on the fort and were intended for accommodation of men, officers, magazines, sick bay, latrines and kitchen. Additionally, a detention cell, accommodation for the medical service and a telegraph office were housed in it. The supervising engineer during the construction of the fort was J.C. Gijsberti Hodenpijl. His wife laid the foundation stone of the barracks. This is located in the central stairwell. The barracks were considered bombproof by the standards of the time. With the introduction of the brisance grenade from 1885 there was no longer any bombproof situation and buildings of this type could be regarded as outdated shortly after completion.

Description

The BOMBPROOF BARRACKS, Building B, is an elongated brick building, earthed on three sides and on top, two storeys high, with on the north side (the throat side of the fort) the uncovered front facade. The front facade is fitted with wing walls, in which there are small windows and doors at storey level (from former latrines and storage spaces). At ground level, earthen structures have also been applied against the wing walls. The section between the wing walls is ten bays wide, analogous to the ten rooms behind it. Each of the bays is provided with a slightly recessed and arched recess with on the ground floor a single clamped wooden door, flanked by two windows with wooden shutters. On the upper storey each recess has two larger windows with shutters. The windows and doors are arched and provided with hardstone setting and closing stones. The main entrance, which leads to the stairwell, is marked by a slightly projecting bay with rusticated pilasters and a single door without side windows. In the stairwell a stone is set with the text 'This foundation stone was laid on 23 July 1881 by A.E. Gijsberti Hodenpijl, born Wttewaal Wickenburg'. The layout of the exterior translates directly to the interior. In the interior, ten vaulted rooms have been arranged on both the ground floor and the upper storey. At the eastern and western ends there are several smaller rooms (storage areas and latrines). On the ground floor there is a door to the outside from each room, but the rooms are also interconnected by openings in the partition walls. On the upper storey all rooms are connected to each other by means of a long corridor on the south side. Beneath the barracks are various water reservoirs in which rainwater was stored, which was conveyed via the roof covering and downpipes to the reservoirs.

Valuation

The BOMBPROOF BARRACKS, Building B, of Fort Nieuwersluis is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandse Waterlinie as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially realised from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently strengthened and improved by others for approximately 125 years.

* Architectural-historical values, in particular as an expression of military-strategic building, which is based on:

a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th century),

b. the race with increasingly powerful offensive means (19th century)

The component is an example of a bombproof barracks from 1881-1883.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Hollandse Waterlinie. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The component is a representative example of a barracks, as these were also built elsewhere in the New Hollandse Waterlinie around 1880, according to a comparable framework and with the application of comparable building materials, layout and detailing.

* The component is well preserved because the barracks have not been altered or have been only minimally altered compared to the situation from the construction period, with the exception of some adaptations from 1883.