Utilizați butonul de Translate din dreapta pagini pentru traducere.
To highlight the importance of national heritage, the Royal Netherlands Mint has launched a new issue in the "UNESCO World Heritage" series. This is the eleventh coin in this collection, and this time it is dedicated to the Netherlands Water Defence Lines.
Dutch Defence Water Lines
In the Netherlands, a country where water has been both an ally and a threat throughout the centuries, one of the most ingenious defensive solutions in history emerged: the Water Defence Lines. This system, now recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is not just a set of fortifications, but a masterpiece of engineering that transforms the landscape into a strategic weapon.
The idea that gave rise to these lines is as simple as it is brilliant: flood fields and polders in a controlled manner to halt the enemy. Deep enough to impede foot traffic, but too shallow to allow ships to navigate, the water became an almost impenetrable natural barrier. This principle began to be applied in the 16th century, during the Dutch struggle for independence, and was refined during the 18th and 19th centuries, when the nation consolidated a structured defense system spanning tens of kilometers.
Among its most iconic elements is the Stelling van Amsterdam, a ring of fortifications built between 1880 and 1914 around the capital, designed to be flooded in the event of an invasion. Later, the New Dutch Water Line extended this concept to an even wider territory, incorporating 96 forts, dikes, locks, canals, and pumping stations that, together, formed a continuous system capable of protecting the political and economic heart of the country. Every element, from the fort to the lock, was precisely thought out, demonstrating a profound understanding of both hydraulic engineering and military strategy.
What makes these waterways unique is not only their effectiveness as a defense, but also the way they integrate the landscape and everyday life with the protection of the territory. The fortifications blend in with nature and the villages, the dikes and canals serve multiple functions, and water itself takes center stage. UNESCO recognizes them for their Outstanding Universal Value, not only for their technical ingenuity, but also as an example of how humans can transform and adapt to the environment in creative and sustainable ways.
After being deactivated as a military system in 1963, the Water Lines have been preserved and restored. Today, visitors can walk their paths and trails, explore the forts and castles, and understand firsthand how a country learned to turn its greatest challenge—water—into its most effective defense.
This issue is available in three versions, which share the same obverse and reverse design, differing only in a few specifications, metal, and presentation.
Common design
The coin was designed by Hans Gremmen, who depicted a map of the Netherlands on the reverse , highlighting three key elements: land, water, and military structures. The Dutch landscape is shown in different planes that symbolize the territory; some are shaded to allude to flood zones. A line traces the location of the Dutch Defence Water Lines, while triangles mark the locations of fortresses, castles, and other defensive features along them.
For the obverse , Gremmen created a portrait of King Willem-Alexander, integrating the same visual elements. Water acts as a unifying element in the design, also referencing the monarch's commitment to water management, which he focused on before his investiture.
5€ Coin – Coincard
Country: Netherlands
Quality: BU
Face value: 5 euros
Diameter: 29 mm
Metal: Silver-plated copper
Weight: 10.5 g
Issue volume: 10,000
5€ Coin – Wallet
Technical characteristics
Country: Netherlands
Quality: Proof
Face value: 5 euros
Diameter: 33 mm
Metal: 925 silver
Weight: 15.5 g
Issue volume: 3,500
10€ gold coin
Country: Netherlands
Quality: Proof
Face value: 10 euros
Diameter: 22.5 mm
Metal: 900 Gold
Weight: 6.72 g
Issue volume: 1,000
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu