Skip to main content

The Maunsell Sea Forts

Location

Thames estuary

United Kingdom

51° 27' 51.66" N, 0° 58' 16.7412" E

See map: Google Maps

GB

General info:

During the WWII, British army built small fortified towers along the Thames and Mersey estuaries in order to protect the United Kingdom from German invasion. These forts were the first line of defence, but after the war they stopped being important for the military. In the mid-fifties the British army decided that they no longer needed the forts and left them behind.

The winds and waves did nothing to the forts as they were built to endure much harder conditions. Today, these over 70-years- old structures are a symbol of defiance to invaders. Many famous artists get their inspiration from the Maunsell forts. For example, the band ‘Prodigy’ featured them in the video for their hit ‘Invadors Must Die’.

Getting there:

The Maunsell Sea Fortrs are located in the estuaries of the rivers Thames and Mersey. There are companies organizing boat tours to see the fortrs, for example http://x-pilot.co.uk/services.htm.

On a clear day you can also see the forts from Shoeburyness East Beach.

Costs:

Price info for the tours not available.

You might be interested in

Helsinki Cathedral

Helsinki Cathedral is probably the most recognized landmark of Helsinki.

Red Light District

The largest Red Light district in Amsterdam is De Wallen, located in the very center of the city. The area has plenty of brothels, sex shops, cabarets, and cabins rented by prostitutes.

The Nine Streets

The Nine Streets is the main shopping area and the fashion heart of Amsterdam. The area has something for every seeker of retail therapy, whether you're a second-hand bargain-hound or a high-end label-lover.

Concertgebouw

When a venue is considered one of the best of its kind, then it’s most likely worth visiting. That is the case with Concertgebouw, the biggest and the most important concert hall in Amsterdam.

Leidseplein

The Leidseplein is one of the crowdiest squares in Amsterdam. It is the city’s center of entertainment. There dozens of cafés, bars, restaurants, theaters, casinos, and coffee shops nearby.

Torni - Restaurant & Bar

This is clearly the coolest bar in Helsinki. Helsinki does not have many tall buildings so once you come here, you will have a great view over Helsinki in almost any direction.

Interesting places nearby

The Resistance Museum

The Dutch people are proud of their anti-fascist history and, therefore Dutch Resistance Museum is one of the most popular WWII-themed museums.

Red Light District

The largest Red Light district in Amsterdam is De Wallen, located in the very center of the city. The area has plenty of brothels, sex shops, cabarets, and cabins rented by prostitutes.

Amsterdam Brown Café

In the last decade, Amsterdam became famous all over the world for its coffee shops that offered marijuana products. It brought thousands of visitors to the city and changed the look and the spirit of the traditional Amsterdam bars.

Van Gogh Museum

The 30th most visited art museum in the world and definitely the most visited in the Netherlands, is the Van Gogh Museum.

Anne Frank Huis

German-born Jewish girl wrote about her suffering during the WWII. Anne Frank and her family were hiding from the Nazis for over two years in an old house in the middle of Amsterdam.

Hamburger Kunsthalle

Hamburger Kunsthalle museum of art is the cultural center of Hamburg. The museum complex consists of three buildings of different age.