Archaeologists in Antwerp found a masonry water tunnel that once regulated the drainage of the Schijn River through the historic Noordkasteel fort. The discovery was made during construction work for the Oosterweel Link, according to Het Nieuwsblad.
The Oosterweel Link aims to reorganize traffic in and around Antwerp, as well as around the Port of Antwerp, in the long term.
The discovered drainage sluice, a massive brick structure, was added after 1883. According to archaeological research, the sluice was likely constructed to manage water flow from the Schijn River into the main moat of the fort. The tunnels are two meters wide, offering insights into the engineering techniques of the late 19th century.
The Noordkasteel fort, was built in 1862 as a military stronghold for the defense of Antwerp at the bend of the Scheldt River. The fort formed the northern closing piece of the Brialmont rampart, also known as the Brialmont Walls, and played a crucial role in protecting the city along the Scheldt River. This historical stronghold was largely forgotten over time.
Designed in the shape of a seven-sided polygon, the fort covered approximately 170 hectares.
Less than twenty years after its construction, the eastern part of the Noordkasteel was abandoned in favor of the expansion of the Port of Antwerp. In 1910, large parts were destroyed due to the port’s expansion. Some parts–the most southern moat, a weapon storage, and the rampart against the Scheldt–were preserved.
“The original size of this military construction disappeared from collective memory,” said Mayor Els van Doesburg, according to Gazet van Antwerpen. “With the current works, a piece of the original fort is being cut again. It gives us the chance to realize the gigantic size of the original Noordkasteel,” she added.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
