Tra forti e opere idrauliche. La Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, da segno di difesa a simbolo della tutela del paesaggio nei Paesi Bassi

The New Dutch Waterline represents an emblematic case of how a military landscape can determine a significant trace in the defensive history of a place, becoming at the same time the symbol of modern landscape protection in the Netherlands. The defense line was realized starting from the early 19th century, though the waterline concept was conceived during the revolt of the 16th century against the Spanish rule and it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle against water, a starting point for the development of the Dutch technical expertise in water management. The basic principle of the waterline was to inundate a network of floodable fields, which were connected to a series of military objects placed in strategic points. Following the decline of its defensive potential, due to the introduction of the most recent war tactics since the Second World War, it is from the 1990s that the New Dutch Waterline once again became the center of attention within the Dutch landscape protection policies. Considering this introduction, the paper aims at deepening the knowledge on the New Dutch Waterline, highlighting the mutual relationships between architectures and military landscape. Starting from the study of the sources regarding the surviving material traces, it will focus on the protection and conversion process fielded nationwide and the role played by the military presence in the protection of the Dutch historical landscape.