Fort 8

Fort 8 lies in the town of Hoboken, in the province of Antwerp in the Flemish region in Belgium.

After Belgium gained its independence in 1830, fears of a European conflict or invasion persisted, mainly from the Netherlands or France. Because Belgium had no significant natural defenses, it was decided not to defend the entire country, but to establish a 'National Redoubt.' For strategic, political, and economic reasons, the city of Antwerp was chosen as that Redoubt.

In 1859, the Belgian government decided to defend Antwerp by constructing a new rampart around the city, called the 'Big Rampart,' based on a plan by military engineer Capt. Henri Alexis Brialmont. This rampart consisted of a 15 km-long earthen wall with 19 gates.

It also included an advanced ring of eight nearly identical brick forts. These forts, given straightforward names like Fort 1 through Fort 8, were built approximately 2.5 km outside the city, spaced about 2 km apart, to shield the city from enemy fire. Each fort covered about 30 hectares and was equipped with a central reduit, caponiers, platforms, earthen walls for artillery, and was surrounded by a wide moat.

Although building the rampart and forts was a massive and costly project, it was completed in 1864. In 1907, the rampart and forts were modernized. The rampart was dismantled in 1960. The forts are now more commonly known as the Brialmont Forts. All forts except Fort 1 still exist today.

During the modernization of 1907, Fort 8 was the only fort left untouched. It is the most westerly fort and is near the Scheldt River. Fort 8, like Fort 5, was also equipped with a battery aimed at the city, called a traditor battery, in case the fort was bypassed by the enemy. Its earthen walls, like those of Fort 7, are higher than at the other forts. Probably, the groundwater level here is higher, which caused the moat to be dug out to a deeper level, requiring more earth to build the walls.

Currently, Fort 8 is considered one of the best remaining Brialmont forts, although its entry bridge is gone and some parts of its earthen walls have been excavated. The buildings inside the fort now house various associations, including sports, fishing, and pétanque.

Fort 8 is freely accessible, and there is a walking path around the moat. It’s a nice fort, though it looks a bit unorganized, with the different uses of its original buildings and some recent structures. The central reduit can only be visited on special days with a guide. I hope I'll be able to visit soon.

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