Fort van Steendorp, built between 1882 and 1892 in Temse, Belgium, stands as the last brick-built fortress in the country and the only regional fort constructed with a dry moat rather than a water-filled one. Originally named Fort Rupelmonde, the fortress experienced diverse uses beyond its military origin: serving as a chemical weapons factory after World War I, German ammunition storage during World War II, and later as an army training ground. Officially protected since the 1990s as a landscape, historical monument, and nature reserve, the fort interior remains largely closed but welcomes guided tours showcasing military heritage and the approximately 1,200 bats of multiple protected species that inhabit its chambers. Visitors can walk the outer walls and access cycling routes through the Forten en kastelen in het Waasland trail network.
