Fortress Sint-Marie (Zwijndrecht)

 place with historical importance, fortification, draw only border, listed building / architectural heritage

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Fortress Sint-Marie is one of the 17 fortifications constituting the small defensive girdle around Antwerp.

Along with De Perel fort 2 kilometres north and Sint-Pilips fort on the opposite bank (both have disappeared), the building of this coastal batteries started in 1584 to defend Antwerp from being invaded via the river.

Through the centuries the fortresses underwent several upgrades. In 1850 the fort was rebuilt and renamed “Sint-Marie II”. The outdated coastal battery was rebuilt in 1840 as a so-called "armoured fortress”.

Unfortunately, these slow conversions could not keep up with the rapidly changing technology and the fortress remained obsolete. To keep abreast, part of the casemate was demolished and the interior altered in 1877. In 1881 the fortress was fitted with two underwater torpedo launch tubes which can fire up- and downstream.

The fort was used as a depot after WWII. Then, in 1961, the fortress was turned into a marine base for river minesweepers.

Today it houses the Cenflumarin Maritime Lyceum," a naval college.