Naarden, Weesp, Muiden, Muiderslot – Joan Blaeu, 1649

FORTIFIED TOWNS ALONG THE VECHT

“Naerden”, “Weesp”, “Muyden”, “’t Huys te Muyden”, copper engravings published by Joan Blaeu in Amsterdam in 1649 as part of his “Tooneel der Steden van de Vereenighde Nederlanden.” Coloured by a later hand. Size: (plate mark) 42 × 51 cm (each individual plan approx. 21 × 25.5 cm).

At the time Blaeu compiled his town atlas (1640s), the Dutch Waterline had not yet been formally constructed (this followed shortly afterwards, in the 1670s), but the concept of such a defensive chain of fortifications already existed in military planning. The combination of these three towns on a single sheet thus reflects, albeit implicitly, that defensive network. Together they formed a line of Holland’s frontier towns facing the Bishopric of Utrecht.

Owing to its position near the Zuiderzee, Naarden functioned as an advanced defensive post and as a key element in the protection of Holland. The plan predates the well-known star-shaped fortifications for which the town is now famous and which make it one of the best-preserved fortified towns in Europe. Instead, it reflects the earlier situation as laid out in the late 16th century by Adriaan Anthonisz, here shown in a state of around 1632. The bastioned system as it survives today was only completed in 1673.

At the mouth of the river Vecht lies Muiden, a fortified town where the river flows into the Zuiderzee. Enclosed by walls and moats, the town has a compact, slightly elongated layout shaped by its waterside location. Here the inland waterway met the maritime access to Amsterdam, giving Muiden a key role in controlling both traffic and defence.

Further upstream lies Weesp, another fortified town whose structure closely follows the course of the river that runs through it. Buildings line the banks, connected by bridges, while the church marks the urban centre. Weesp controlled an important stretch of the route between Utrecht and the Zuiderzee and played a role in both navigation and water management, notably through its sluices and inundation systems.

This strategic importance is underscored by the separate view of the Muiderslot, depicted as a massive moated castle with towers rising along the Vecht. The castle guarded the river’s mouth and formed an essential element in the defensive system. In the 17th century it was the residence of P.C. Hooft (poet, historian, and bailiff of Muiden) and served as a cultural centre where the renowned “Muiderkring” convened.

Price: Euro 650,-