Fort Bourtange
| Fort Bourtange | |
|---|---|
| Bourtange, Groningen, Netherlands | |
Fort Bourtange from the air | |
| Site information | |
| Type | fort |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Intact |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 53°00′22″N 7°11′31″E / 53.006°N 7.192°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1593 |
| In use | c. 1593-1851 |
| Events | Eighty Years' War, Third Anglo-Dutch War |
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Fort Bourtange (Dutch: Vesting Bourtange) is a fort in the village of Bourtange, Groningen, Netherlands. It was built under orders of William the Silent and completed in 1593. Its original purpose was to control the only road between Germany and the city of Groningen, which was controlled by the Spaniards during the time of the Eighty Years' War.
After experiencing its final battle in 1672, the fort continued to serve in the defensive network on the German border until it was finally given up in 1851 and converted into a village. Fort Bourtange currently serves as a historical museum.