Photograph forts during the Forts & Fortifications Festival

Tuesday 18 August 2026, 15:15 by Elja Trum | 481 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

From 5 to 13 September 2026, the Forts & Fortifications Festival takes place across the Netherlands. During this week, forts, fortifications, bunkers and water defence lines open their doors to the public.  This is interesting for history enthusiasts, and it is also a great opportunity to head out with your camera. More than 300 activities are organised across the Netherlands during the festival. These include guided tours of forts and bunkers, theatre performances, festivals and other activities centred around Dutch military heritage.

Photogenic locations

Forts and defensive structures are naturally attractive subjects for photographers. Old brick walls, dark corridors, dilapidated details and the contrast between military structures and the surrounding nature offer plenty of possibilities. For example, take a wide-angle lens with you for the often cramped spaces inside a fort. A fast lens can be useful in dark corridors and casemates.  There is also plenty to photograph outside: many forts are hidden among greenery and surrounded by water, making them ideal for landscape and architectural photography.

If you have a tripod, it may be worth taking it with you. Of course, bear in mind that using one indoors is not permitted or practical everywhere.

Open Monument Weekend

The weekend of 12 and 13 September is a good time to plan a visit. Open Monument Weekend also takes place then, and many defensive structures are free to visit. The Forts & Fortifications Festival is organised by Stichting Forten Nederland, an organisation committed to making Dutch military heritage accessible and preserving it.

At Forten.nl, you can find the programme and see which forts, fortifications and other locations near you are taking part. Perhaps a good excuse to spend a day exploring a Dutch fort with your camera in September.

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