Map of Elburg by Jacob van Deventer source: Jacob van Deventer_kaartenzaal UvA
Elburg used to be an important and wealthy trade city on the coast of the South Sea (now Flevopolder), part of the extensive, international Hanze-network in northern Europe.
In the 14th century this city was aligned along a coastal street, like many settlements of fishers and traders in the Netherlands at that time. Part of this elongated settlement was included in the new city that was designed and built from 1392-196 by rentmeester (local governor) Arent Thoe Boecop. He not only designed the rectangular city in a rational, mathematic way, but also made it into a fortress, with towers, walls, gates and surrounded by a canal. At the end of the 16th century the fortress was extended with a second line of defence.
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