Yellow Shed
This warehouse in the Naarden Fortress was built in 1882 as a storage facility for the Genie Service. Since then, the building has had many different functions, until it became vacant more than 10 years ago. The Yellow Warehouse is still almost completely in its original state and is the only military warehouse left in Naarden. Monumentenbezit transformed the warehouse into a visitor center in 2021
Location
Naarden
Year built
1882
Client
the Service of Engineers
Current position
Visitors' Centre for the Naarden Fortress
Special feature
Only remaining wooden shed in the Fortress
Owned by Monumentenbezit
Since 2016
Visitor information
Since 2021, the Gele Loods has been the visitor center for the Naarden Fortress. It consists of a tourist information point with a shop and a permanent exhibition about the Naarden Fortress and the New Dutch Waterline. Part of the exhibition is the award-winning film about the Dutch Waterline.
Visiting address:
The Yellow Warehouse, Ruijsdaelplein, Naarden, Netherlands
The Yellow Warehouse is part of the Naarden Fortress . Naarden was founded in 1350 by the Count of Holland. Due to its strategic location, the city became a fortress; with city walls, towers and gates. It formed the northernmost part of the Dutch Waterline. This was a continuous series of military fortifications and polders that could be flooded - from the major rivers to Muiden and Naarden located on the (then) Zuiderzee. With the rise of Amsterdam as an economic centre, the strategic value of Naarden increased more and more. The defences were therefore continuously adapted to the requirements of the time.
Centuries later, in 1672, troops of the French king Louis XIV invaded the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. Naarden was taken, but the area west of the city had been flooded shortly before. That turned out to be a smart move. The French advance was stopped and they retreated. This is how the Old Dutch Waterline came into being, of which Naarden formed an important part. The extensive fortifications that gave the city its characteristic star shape were built between 1673 and 1685.
In the early 19th century, under Napoleon, plans were made to modernise the Old Dutch Waterline. The line was moved to the east, so that Utrecht could be included. King William I carried out these plans from 1815 onwards. This is how the New Dutch Waterline came into being. Naarden was also part of this.
The medieval city walls have disappeared, but Naarden still has fortifications from the 17th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The buildings from these different periods have almost all been preserved. This makes the fortifications of Naarden a special and very well-preserved ensemble. That is why the fortress, with the surrounding area, became a protected cityscape in 1985.
By realizing a new visitors center in the Gele Loods, Monumentenbezit prepared for the awarding of World Heritage status to the New Dutch Waterline. In July 2021, when the visitors center was almost ready, the New Dutch Waterline, and with it the fortifications of Naarden, became Unesco World Heritage.
In 1878, sketches were made for two new sheds in the Fortress, originally intended as sleeping places for men. In 1882, the Yellow Shed was built for ƒ 6,180. At that time, there were seven sheds in the Fortress . Because of its prominent location, next to the Utrecht Gate, this shed received a bit more architectural attention. This probably also explains why this shed had a colour and the other sheds were black.
Bombproof military buildings that were located in and on the fortifications of Naarden were indicated with a letter. That system was introduced around 1880, when the modernization of the fortress was completed. In this way, all soldiers knew exactly where they had to go within the fortress. It is an efficient orientation system. The non-bombproof buildings were also given a letter. The hangars were indicated with the letters H, N, O, P, P'' and W. These letters no longer apply today. Many of the buildings have disappeared and the buildings that still exist were later simply given a name. For example, everyone knows the Yellow Hangar and few will know that according to the letter system this should be building H.
Most of the hangars have been demolished and replaced by new buildings. The Yellow Hangar is the only remaining military hangar in Naarden.
We started the repurposing of the Gele Loods in 2020. Located next to the Utrechtse Poort, on the Ruijsdaelplein, the Gele Loods is the main access point to the city.
The adjustments focused on preserving the original warehouse and sustainability. The interventions are fully reversible. The original construction has remained intact. We have chosen materials that match the original building materials. The spaces have been kept as open as possible. In this way, we try to preserve the feeling that the original warehouse evoked.
In terms of sustainability, we have installed insulation in the facades and floors. Sustainable installations have also been chosen. For example, the gas-free monument uses an air heat pump and underfloor heating.
A very important change that took place during an earlier restoration in 2013 is that of the colour. The shed was painted completely white. As part of the restoration, a colour study was carried out at the time. This revealed the yellow colour of the shed. This colour was also found on the window frames, roof edges and bargeboards. The doors and shutters were originally green according to the study. During the earlier restoration process, the current, brighter yellow colour was chosen and it was decided to paint the window frames and roof moldings white. The windows, doors and shutters were green.
Since 2021, the Gele Loods has been the visitor center for the Naarden Fortress. It consists of a tourist information point with a shop and a permanent exhibition about the Naarden Fortress and the New Dutch Waterline. Part of the exhibition is the award-winning film about the Dutch Waterline.