#Landmark
Waterland - estate in wartime
Situated just behind the outer defensive line of Festung IJmuiden, the estate Waterland played a modest yet notable role during the war years.
During both the mobilization of the Dutch army and the German occupation, the park itself and its grounds did not hold a direct strategic function in the defense of Velsen.
However, the estate did not escape German influence. In the outbuildings of the manor house at Waterland, the Wehrmacht established a veterinary hospital, known by its German name “Stall Schloss Waterland.” Resistance reports also mention the presence of a storage facility for chemical weapons and a large stockpile of munitions, including dozens of Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons.
Across from the park entrance, in the meadows, stood a German anti-aircraft battery. Operated by the Kriegsmarine, this battery defended the easternmost edge of Festung IJmuiden from both air and ground threats. The anti-aircraft guns were capable of targeting not only enemy aircraft but also tanks and armored vehicles. The site of this battery was completely demolished after the war.
To the north and south of the Waterland estate lie the estates Beeckestijn and Velserbeek, both of which also served military purposes during the occupation.
Today, the manor house at Waterland — where no bunkers were built — is home to a hotel, set amid the tranquil parkland that once bore the marks of war.