Nederland - Oudeschans, Doodenbastion

Oudeschans is the smallest fortress-village of the Netherlands. The fortress itself was built in 1593 ad the fortification was used for military purposes until 1814. The sconce changed into a common rural village and much of the military past disappeared. Until 1972, when a reconstruction of the fortress started. As a result the walls, moats and bastion are visible again. Almost twenty years later the fortification became a state protected village area.

Oudeschans had and has four so called bastions: a pentagonal masonry or earthen extension of a defensive wall or embankment. On one of the bastions lies a cemetery, called the Doodenbastion (“Death Bastion”). It is situated on a bastion because the fortress itself was located in a marshy area, which is not very suitable for a cemetery. The cemetery has been put into use shortly after the construction of the fortress. The cemetery has very old tombstones and tombs from our time.