The Kamperbinnenpoort, or the Kamper inner gate is one of the few still existing city gates of Amersfoort. The land gate is located on the north side of the city center between the Langestraat and the Kamp and is part of Amersfoort's first city wall. Of which it is one of the last remnants.
On the side facing de Kamp, above the gate, you can see a machicolation with six throwing holes.
Through these holes, the city guards could throw red-hot pitch to defend the city against intruders. Take a moment to walk over to the gate and stand right under these holes. Can you see the inside of the gate?
Today the gate is a monument. Other still existing gates in Amersfoort are the water and land gate Koppelpoort and the Monnikendam water gate.
The original name of this gate was Viepoort or Martenspoort. The name Kamperbinnenpoort derives from the Kamp (meadow), the name of the area between the first and second city wall on the north side of the city center. After the construction of the Kamperbuitenpoort, the Kamper outer gate, which was built in the second city wall, the gate received its present name.
This monumental gate made it to the national news less than a month ago when 3 young men almost set the gate on fire. One of the three men set fire to the fabric marquis of the jewelry store, which is located in the Kamper inner gate, after which they ran away. Shortly after that, one of the two other men returns to dim the fire as it was growing rapidly. Large part of the construction of the gate is made from wood, so if the fire would have spread, it could have burned down the whole gate.