City Walls & Bastion Oranje
Vestingwerken & Bastion Oranje
Well-preserved 17th-century city walls encircle the southern side of the old town. Old cannon are displayed on the bastion, and walking paths along the walls offer views over the wetlands.
Den Bosch was once a fortress nicknamed the 'Dragon of the Marshes', and the surrounding marshes could be flooded to block enemy forces. The roughly 3.5-kilometer stretch of city wall on the south side of the old town was fully restored in the 2000s. You can walk along the top of the walls and look down over the marshes outside the city. Bastion Oranje displays a 16th-century heavy cannon nicknamed 'Stuer'. The City Walls Visitor Center (Stadswalbezoekerscentrum) explains the history of the fortifications, and guided tours take visitors into secret passages inside the walls. Walking the walls is free and ideal for an evening stroll. To the north, the 17th-century five-pointed Citadel now houses the provincial archives.
Opening hours
City walls open all day; visitor center approx. Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Design Museum Den Bosch
- Het Noordbrabants Museum
- Markt
- Parade
- Uilenburg
- De Moriaan
- St. John's Cathedral
- Zwanenbroedershuis