Woudrichem Fortress

Woudrichem is an ancient, picturesque little city with a rich cultural and historical past and a simply wonderful example of a fortified city! The city has been known as Woudrichem since 1389, but it was already regarded as a city in 1290 as it had a sheriff, aldermen and a city council. This quaint town used to be the principal centre of the surrounding area known as The Land of Heusden and Altena. Woudrichem was granted city rights in 1356, and on 3 June 1362, the inhabitants of Woudrichem, the ‘Woerkummers’, were granted fishing rights, which allowed them to fish on large stretches of the Maas and the Merwede. These fishing rights were a special privilege because they were granted by the sovereign to the ordinary people, instead of to a knight, baron or town council. When in 1877 the borough council interfered with this centuries-old entitlement, the whole town rose up in a genuine ‘Fishing Revolt’, organised by the poor fishermen with their large families in fear of losing their livelihood. The local constabulary and infantry units from Loevestein and Gorcum had to be called in to suppress the uprising.

The historic harbour is home to authentic Dutch sailing ships such as tjalks, schooners and clippers. Woudrichem’s harbour and Museum of Fishing and cultural history (Visserij- & Cultuurhistorisch Museum) bear witness to the city’s centuries-old history of salmon fishing. The old centre, which is the actual fortress area, dates from 1587 and is a beautifully preserved monument city where visitors can wander back through times gone by. The ‘Hoogstraat’, with its very fine properties and beautiful gable stones, is also well worth a visit.