Visitors choosing Grave for a cultural stay encounter a town where its fortified past remains visible in the historic centre. Grave is considered the most frequently besieged fortified town in the Netherlands. Surviving evidence includes remarkable, carefully restored buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries, monuments, monasteries and churches. Winding little streets and lanes invite you to explore these varied aspects on foot.
Fortress history at its historic sites
The Hampoort is one of the town’s striking historic buildings: it is the only one of the former town gates to have survived, although it no longer serves its original function as a gatehouse. The present-day Hampoort was built between 1686 and 1688. The Stadsmuseum Grave is housed in this 17th-century building. In the historic gate hall, the permanent exhibition focuses on Grave as a fortified town and its many sieges.
Another testament to military history is the Arsenaal complex in the southwest of the ramparts of the old fortified town. It comprises three structures originally built for military purposes: a former arsenal dating back to 1534, a former powder house from 1689, and a cavalier, also called a cat, from 1694 with five casemates. In 1898, J. van Lokhorst converted the powder house into a chapel. The individual buildings show the variety of historic structures in Grave.
The churches, too, tell of different periods of construction. The Bagijnenkerk is a Gothic building from the 15th century, distinguished by its brick-built stair tower. The Sint Elisabethkerk was probably founded around 1240, during the reign of Hendrik III van Cuyk, which lasted from 1233 to 1268, as a small Romanesque church. Walking through the centre, you can take in these buildings alongside other monuments and historic structures, rather than focusing only on the former fortifications.
Museums and water management
The Kazemattenmuseum Grave adds the significance of the Second World War for Grave and its surroundings to the story of the town. The Gemaal van Sasse offers a different perspective: it was the first electric pumping station built by the former water board De Maaskant. Today, it serves as an experience centre with a 3D exhibition about the pumping station’s past and present.
The Zuiderwaterlinie visitor centre is located in the historic town hall, next to the Grave Tourist Information Office. This mini-museum uses interactive and informative features to share interesting facts about the Zuiderwaterlinie and the Grave-Ravenstein position. It also sells walking, cycling and driving routes that lead to highlights of the Zuiderwaterlinie. If you would like to follow one of these routes, check before your trip whether it is available for your dates.
On foot or along a route
The Waterweetjeswandeling Grave starts at the Gemaal van Sasse, Mars en Wijthdijk 1. Along the way, it passes the marina, the Graafs Museum, the ramparts, the Maasdijk and historic cannons. It also explores the significance of the Maas for Grave over the centuries. The Historical Route presents Grave as an old fortified town and tells its story, with monuments and buildings recalling the past. Another route about wartime history covers the wartime stories of Grave and Mill.
For a city walk with a set duration, the seasonal visitor programme lists a start time of 11 a.m. at the Toeristisch Informatiepunt, or TIP Grave for short, in the historic town hall. The walk lasts about an hour and a half. Check in advance whether a tour date falls during your stay. The Historisch Spektakel also takes place every two years. The programme includes a parade, crafts such as basket weaving, and market stalls; details may vary from one edition to the next. So check the current event dates if you would like to plan your trip around it.
The cycling routes mentioned differ in both focus and length. The history-focused Vesting Route is available in 21- or 43-kilometre versions. The nature-focused Raamvalleiroute has 32- or 42-kilometre options. The Waterroute combines history and nature and is listed as 28 or 39 kilometres long. This lets you match the theme to a distance that suits you; route details can change, so it is worth checking the route information before setting off.
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