Katwijk | Old Rhine, Brittenburg Roman Port

Katwijk aan Zee is a seaside resort town located on the mouth of the Oude Rijn in the Province of South Holland.
The towns of Valkenburg and Leiden are nearby.

It was an important Roman Port with a Roman Naval Harbour known as Lugdunum Batavorum or Brittenburg.
It was built by Claudius (41-54 CE) in the Province of Germania Inferior. No Roman Ruins are visible today.
Unfortunately, the sea has reclaimed the Roman ruins of Brittenburg. They appeared briefly in 1520 CE only to disappear again shortly afterwards.

Today, the mouth of the Old Rhine a Katwijk has been blocked to prevent sea flooding.
The King William-Alexander Pumping station serves to discharge rising river water into the sea.

Katwijk, Mouth of the Old Rhine

Katwijk was the North Sea Terminus of the Limes Germanicus, a series of Forts along the Rhine Frontier.
Lugdunum Batavorum guarded the mouth of the Rhine in Germania Inferior.
The Fort covered a large area and Suetonius describes Caligula (37-41 CE) as building a Lighthouse here.
Ships probably sailed due west from Katwijk for Britannia, as the port of Dunwich was also at Latitude 52 ° North.

Fossa Corbulonis (47 CE)
- Nearby was the Fossa Corbulonis built in 47 CE, defended by the Roman Fort Matilo, which connected the Rhine at Leiden to the River Meuse, thus avoiding the North Sea.

Museum Oud Valkenburg in nearby Valkenburg
- Located in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Kruisweg, Valkenburg.
- This a tiny museum with very limited opening hours. It is located under the tower of the church and holds Finds from Roman Valkenburg.
National Museum of Antiquities in nearby Leiden
- Located at Rapenburg 28, Leiden.
- The Roman Collection includes the bronze Roman Equestrian Mask, a Roman Equestrian Silver Helmet, a Roman Inkpot, the Nehalennia Altar and items of Terra Sigillata.

Katwijk aan Zee, Netherlands