Elden

Still retaining much of its village characteristics Elden has become part of the county of Arnhem. Known around town for a number of reasons one of them being a magnificent 258 year old Sycamore just behind the dyke near the picturesque white Bonifatius Church and the Horseshoe which was part of the Dutch Water Line, a system of defenses that would allow the Dutch to stop or slow down any enemies attacking by flooding the lands behind the dikes. This line of defense ran from Pannerden near the German border all the way up to the former Zuiderzee (now known as the IJsselmeer since the 20 mile long Afsluitdijk - a closure dike - was built connecting the two northern provinces of North-Holland and Friesland together, turning an inlet of the North Sea into the largest fresh water lake in Western Europe). Fort Elden was an earthen fort built in 1860 and demolished in 1877. All that remains of the fort is the moat in the shape of a horseshoe which has become a favourite spot for carp fishers.









Interested in reading more about this Line of Defense?

Dutch Water Line

Afsluitdijk

IJsselmeer

Zuiderzee