It always rains in november

During the years the fort was in use, three people were employed fulltime to check, refill and (re)light the oillamps that were scattered throughout the fort. Today, a more modern method of lighting is employed.

Equipmentbox set up in one of the chambers of Pampus.

Walking through the remains of Pampus can be like walking through a maze. This is one of the places with actual light falling in.

The wall of Fort Pampus are up to 13 meters thick on the enemy side.

This room of Pampus, currently a party-room, was originally used as a reservoir for water. Rainwater goes from the rain gutter of the main building to 9 small and 2 large containers, which is then pumped into the reservoir.

After the fort closed a lot of different people, seeking some time away from the rest of the world, stayed there for a while. Legend had it that Charles Manson and his ‘family’ are among the visitors. Some visitors left something to remember them by. Like here, in the kitchen.

The fort-island of Pampus, built in 1895, never saw any enemy action though. It became useless in 1932 when the Afsluitdijk (Closure Dike), closing of the Zuider Zee, was finished, and Pampus was therefore closed a year later. During the heavy winter of ‘44-’45 the island was reachable by ice and the people of Amsterdam looted the island for everything useful. Some tiles remained, though.