Oudeschans
| Oudeschans | |
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| Village | |
Houses at the Voorstraat in Oudeschans
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 Oudeschans
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| Coordinates: 53°8′15″N 7°8′25″E / 53.13750°N 7.14028°ECoordinates: 53°8′15″N 7°8′25″E / 53.13750°N 7.14028°E | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | Groningen |
| Municipality | Bellingwedde |
| Area (2012) | |
| • Total | 46 ha (114 acres) |
| • Land | 44 ha (109 acres) |
| • Water | 2 ha (5 acres) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 95 |
| • Density | 210/km2 (530/sq mi) |
| Postal code | 9696 |
| Area code(s) | 0597 |
Oudeschans (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʌudəˌsxɑns]) is a village with a population of 95 in the municipality of Bellingwedde in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. The 16th-century fortification is now a state protected village area with several national heritage sites, among which a 17th-century garrison church, and the Vestingmuseum Oudeschans.
The fortification was initially named Bellingwolderschans, meaning Sconce of Bellingwolde, in 1593. It was renamed Oudeschans, meaning Old Sconce, after the fortification of Nieuweschans, meaning New Sconce, was built in 1628.
In 1593, during the Eighty Years' War, the fortification was built by William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg to strengthen the strategically important Bellingwolderzijl (Sluice of Bellingwolde) connecting the river Westerwoldsche Aa to the Dollart. The fortification was used for military purposes until 1814.
In the 1980s, some of the walls, canals, and bastions were restored. In 1991, the fortification became a state protected village area (Dutch: beschermd dorpsgezicht).
Map of the fortification from the Atlas Van Loon (1649)
Aerial photograph, 1977
Protected village area
Oudeschans is located at 53°8′15″N 7°8′25″E / 53.13750°N 7.14028°E (53.14, 7.14) in the north of the municipality of Bellingwedde, in the east of the province of Groningen, in the northeast of the Netherlands. The village is in the southeast of the region Oldambt, situated between the river Westerwoldse Aa in the west and the canal B.L. Tijdenskanaal in the east.
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