Fort van Duffel

About the museum

Fort van Duffel, also known as the Spoorwegfort (Railway Fort), is part of the ring of forts around Antwerp. After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, an outer ring of 21 additional forts was planned around the city, covering about 95 kilometres. Antwerp was Belgium's national redoubt, the place where government and army would retreat in wartime. The fort near Duffel was tasked with protecting the railway line between Antwerp and Brussels.

Construction began in 1886 on an earthen fort with a redoubt, a moat and earth ramparts. In 1894 it was converted into an armoured fort with vaults of unreinforced concrete.

Today the fort is managed by Kempens Landschap. The permanent exhibition tells how the fort was built, what functions it had and what happened in wartime, and also highlights the natural value of the estate with its typical plants and animals. Bats hibernate in the underground spaces; on average about forty stay there, and their number is rising. Visitors who wish can also follow a walking route along the outside of the moat, and Brasserie De Krone is located in the former dormitories.

Highlights

• Armoured fort from 1886-1894 of the Antwerp fortress ring
• Free exhibition on construction, functions and wartime history
• Underground passage (April to September) with hibernating bats
• Walking route of about 1.2 km along the moat
• Vossenstreken app and heritage app for children and grandparents

Permanent exhibition

• Permanente tentoonstelling Fort van Duffel – Tells how the Spoorwegfort was built, what role it played in the Antwerp fortress ring and what happened during the war, and highlights the natural values of the estate.

Operated by

Kempens Landschap

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the exhibition and the estate is free.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The fort is largely accessible to wheelchair users and people with disabilities; more information is available from Toegankelijk Vlaanderen.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

The free heritage app “op stap met Achille” is made for children and their grandparents and covers about 500 years of the fort's history through playful tasks. The Vossenstreken app offers routes about soldiers in the First World War, bats (in the summer months only) and the kingfisher.

Getting there & parking

The fort lies on the provincial cycle node network between nodes 25 and 55, close to the cycle highway between Antwerp and Mechelen, with an exit to the Mechelsebaan.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant

Brasserie De Krone in the fort's former dormitories; reservations on +32 15 69 98 59.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit