Fort Lillo

Fort Lillo is a former military fortress built in the 16th century on the orders of William of Orange to protect Antwerp. As part of Antwerp's line of defense on the right bank of the Scheldt, it was attacked by British troops in the 19th century during the Napoleonic Wars. While the surrounding villages of Lillo-Kruisweg and Oud Lillo were demolished to make way for the expansion of the port, Fort Lillo was the only one to survive. Today the complex sits in the middle of the industrial port and is part of the historic grounds of the ethnological polder north of Antwerp, where you can experience the historical significance of this strategic site.