Our Travel Journey through Europe, some Bridges to go.

This travel journey brings out a kind of holiday feeling. Driving with the horses normally is hard work for them and us. But now the weather is soft, sunshine and little breeze in our face, the road is easy.

German border

The horses act relax and friendly. We almost reach the German border. Our first step in to the “unknown”. Other language, other people to deal with, it looks promising to our feel of adventure!

Real fort

We just left the previous place where we stayed for four day’s. Beautiful spot and lots to explore in the neighbourhood. We went to Pannerden. A small village with a great reputation because of his fort.

The fort was constructed between 1869 and 1871 to serve as part of the New Dutch Waterline. It had strategic significance in that it guarded the Pannerden Canal, but the fort never saw active service. After 1945, the building fell into disuse.

Squatted

From 1988 onwards, there have been attempts to repair the fort. In 2000 the fort was squatted. Working with local residents and trust foundation (a foundation set up to maintain and promote the fort), the squatters carried out essential repairs and held a monthly open day.

The local city council forbade the open days and the owner, took the squatters to court, saying it wanted to make a museum there. The owner won the court case.After the squatters refused to leave, police, riot police and army forces beginning November 2006 evicted them in a two-day operation. Twenty-five squatters were removed from inside the building.

Contract

End of November 2006, the fort was re-squatted by a group of between eighty and one hundred squatters. After first threatening to evict the fort again despite the huge costs involved, the council signed a contract in December with the squatters. The squatters agreed not to live there, but four out of the group are now responsible for the upkeep of the building.

Silent

We travel by bike to the fort. Walking around it. It is a beautiful fort surrounded between hills and water. Birds live their al over the place. It’s quiet again and the open days are once more permitted. Its exciting to explore my own country on this travel journey!

End of Travel journey back to Journey without maps

End of Travel Journey back to Homepage