Fort van Lier is a brick-built military fortress constructed between 1873 and 1883 in Lier, Belgium, as part of the Fortengordels defensive system protecting key transportation routes including the Antwerp-Aachen railway and regional stone roads. The 19th-century structure survived heavy World War I bombardment and German occupation, with its dynamite-rigged access bridge remaining intact. Today, the fort operates as a recreational and community hub hosting shooting clubs and archery guilds, while its interior serves as a European Special Protection Zone for wildlife, harboring six bat species. Visitors can explore cycling routes through the surrounding countryside via Knooppunt 40 or hiking paths through the Kempense Netevallei network, with evidence of preserved WWI trenches visible around the fortifications.
