Fort d ' Emines The Fort d ' Emines is one of nine forts built as part of the Fortifications of Namur in the late 19th century in Belgium . It was built between 1888 and 1892 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont . Contrasting with the French forts built in the same era by Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières , the fort was built exclusively of unreinforced concrete , a new material , rather than masonry . In 1914 the fort was heavily bombarded by German artillery in the Battle of Namur . Unlike seven of the nine Namur forts , Émines was never upgraded to become part of the fortified position of Namur . Instead , it became a supply and munitions depot . The fort is presently abandoned on private property . Description . The Fort d ' Emines is located about north of the center of Namur . The fort , one of the smaller Brialmont forts , is a triangle . A deep by ditch encircles the fort . The ditches were defended in enfilade by 57mm guns in casemates resembling counterscarp batteries , firing at shot traps at the other end of the ditch . The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif , closely grouped in a solid mass of concrete . Emines was designed to cover the gap between the Fort de Suarlée and the Fort de Cognolée , as well as the road and train line from Namur to Wavre . Belgian forts made little provision for the daily needs of their wartime garrisons , locating latrines , showers , kitchens and the morgue in the fort ' s counterscarp , a location that would be untenable in combat . This would have profound effects on the forts ' ability to endure a long assault . The service areas were placed directly opposite the barracks , which opened into the ditch in the rear of the fort ( i . e . , in the face towards Namur ) , with lesser protection than the front and " salient " sides . The Brialmont forts placed a weaker side to the rear to allow for recapture by Belgian forces from the rear , and located the barracks and support facilities on this side , using the rear ditch for light and ventilation of living spaces . In combat heavy shellfire made the rear ditch untenable , and German forces were able to get between the forts and attack them from the rear . The Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns : 21 cm . The top of the central massif used of unreinforced concrete , while the caserne walls , judged to be less exposed , used . Under fire , the forts were damaged by 21 cm fire and could not withstand heavier artillery . Armament . Emines ' s guns included one twin 15 cm turret , one single 21 cm turret and two singe 12 cm turrets , all for distant targets . Three 57mm turrets with another six 57mm guns in embrasures providing defense of the fort ' s ditches and postern . The fort also mounted an observation turret with a searchlight . The fort ' s heavy guns were German , typically Krupp , while the turret mechanisms were from a variety of sources . The fort was provided with signal lights to permit communication with neighboring forts . The guns were fired using black powder rather than smokeless powder , producing choking gas in the confined firing spaces that spread throughout the fort . World War I . In the summer of 1914 the Fort d ' Emines was under the command of Captain - Commandant Lallemand , with about 400 men . Emines first fired its weapons on 23 August . It received 15 cm and 21 cm fire in return from German batteries . The bombardment continued through the next day , with conditions growing intolerable within the fort as a result of the approximately 2000 shells that hit the fort . Emines surrendered at 1600 hours , with one dead . The Germans re - armed Emines and upgraded its protection and habitability with additional concrete and ventilation . A ventilation tunnel was built under the ditch to the opposite side of the counterscarp . Fortified Position of Namur . Emines ' s was not chosen to be upgraded in the 1930s . It was instead used as a munitions depot . Two bunkers were built in 1939 and 1940 to provide for local defense with automatic arms . Present . The Fort d ' Emines is on private property and is not open to the public . It was never repaired or rehabilitated after World War II . In an initiative by the Namur tourism it was open for tours on 11 November 2008 .