If you'd like to visit a place of special interest that played a prominent role in Dutch maritime history, then get on board your boat and head north-west to Pampus – a tiny sea fort on an artificial island in the middle of the IJmeer!
The Pampus sea fort was built between 1887 and 1895. It formed part of a defensive plan designed to protect Amsterdam from military attack – the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Dutch: Stelling van Amsterdam). The fort was built to defend against a naval attack from the IJmeer. A location was chosen on the Pampus sandbank.
Today, Pampus and the Stelling van Amsterdam are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites. The fort has a visitors' centre where you can enjoy the interactive Pampus Xperience exhibition that depicts the island's intriguing four-hundred-year history. A truly fascinating experience for young and old alike.
You can get to Pampus using your own boat, but beware! There's a ring of basalt blocks just below water level on which boats can easily run aground, and apparently regularly do! The basalt ring is about 15 m (50 ft) offshore and is virtually undetectable. It is marked on most charts however!
