The building of the Friese Waterlinie started around 1580. The traject of the defenceline starts at the Zuidersea, along the river Linde until the De Blesse

De Blesse

De Blesse is a small village in Weststellingwerf in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around 800 citizens . The windmill De Mars was rebuilt in 1997....

bridge. Then the defence line goes to the north to Kuinre

Kuinre

Kuinre is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of IJsselham, which in turn merged into the municipality of Steenwijkerland in 2001....

 along Heerenveen

Heerenveen

Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...

, Terband

Terband

Terband is a small village in Heerenveen in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around 298 citizens .The villages are Gersloot, Luinjeberdand Tjalleberd the town Aengwirden....

, Gorredijk

Gorredijk

Gorredijk is the biggest town in the municipality of Opsterland, which lies in Friesland, which in turn is a province of the Netherlands...

, Donkerbroek

Donkerbroek

Donkerbroek is a village consisting of about 1870 inhabitants in the municipality of Ooststellingwerf in the east of Friesland in the Netherlands.-External links:*...

, Bakkeveen

Bakkeveen

Bakkefean , or Bakkeveen , is a village of about 2000 inhabitants in the municipality of Opsterland in the east of Friesland in the Netherlands....

 until Frieschepalen

Frieschepalen

Frieschepalen is a village consisting of about 990 inhabitants in the municipality of Opsterland in the east of Friesland in the Netherlands....

.

The area along the forts, dams were flooded during the Eighty Years' War against the Spanish and in 1672 Rampjaar

Rampjaar

The rampjaar was the year 1672 in Dutch history. In that year,the Republic of the Seven United Provinces was after the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and the Third Anglo-Dutch War attacked by England, France, and the prince-electors Bernhard von Galen, bishop of Münster and Maximilian Henry of...

 (Disaster year) against Bernard von Galen and the France troops helping the bishop of Munster.

In the east the defence line is connected with the Groninger waterlinie which carries on to Delfzijl

Delfzijl

Delfzijl is a municipality and city in the northeast of the Netherlands. It is situated on the left bank of the river Ems estuary, which forms the border with Germany.-Population centres:...

.

Part of the Frisian Water Line is also called the Tjonger-Lindelinie.

The ten schansen were situated in Schoterland nearby Oudehorne

Oudehorne

Oudehorne is a small village in Heerenveen in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 865 citizens ....

, just north of the river the Tjonger nearby Oudeschoot

Oudeschoot

Oudeschoot is a small village in Heerenveen in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 1484 citizens ....

 along the road to Wolvega and nearby Terbant. Currently the defence line is under restoration.

Forts along the Defence line

• Sterrenschans (nearby Bakkeveen
  Bakkeveen
  Bakkefean , or Bakkeveen , is a village of about 2000 inhabitants in the municipality of Opsterland in the east of Friesland in the Netherlands....
  
  )
• Zwartendijksterschans
• Breebergschans
• Schans Frieschepalen
• Makkingaasterschans
• Bekhofschans
• Kuinderschans
• Sliekenborgschans
• Blessebergeschans
• Tolbergeschans

See also

Dutch waterlines

• Old / New Dutch Waterline
  Dutch Water Line
  The Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defences conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century, and realised by his half brother Frederick Henry...
  
  
• Grebbe line
  Grebbe line
  thumb|right|230px|GrebbelinieThe Grebbe Line was a forward defence line of the Dutch Water Line, based on inundation. The Grebbe Line ran from the Grebbeberg in Rhenen northwards until the IJsselmeer....
  
  
• IJssel Line
• Maas Line
• Peel-Raam Line
  Peel-Raam Line
  thumb|right|230px|Peel-Raam LineThe Peel-Raam Line was a Dutch defence line built in 1939 and attacked and conquered on 10 May 1940 by the German forces....
  
  

Other

• Defence lines of the Netherlands
  Defence lines of the Netherlands
  -Old Defence Lines: Circumvallatielinie van Groenlo *Frisian Water Line Groningse Waterlinie Helperlinie Linie Bergen op Zoom - Steenbergen Linie van Beverwijk Linie van de Eems Linie van de Eendracht Linie van Noord-Holland Oostfrontier...