Building work in the northern town of Delfzijl has uncovered the foundations of an 18^th century barracks used in Napoleonic times along with water cisterns which were used as bomb shelters during World War II.

The Netherlands were occupied by the French from 1795 to 1810 and was part of the French empire from 1810 to 1813.

According to local historian Berry Mulder, the barracks, built by the French to fend off a possible invasion by English troops, could hold some 250 soldiers. ‘This was a very big barracks for its time,’ Mulder told local broadcaster RTV Noord.

When the French left, the building was used by the Dutch army. Later it became a synagogue and a maritime school. In 1945 the building was bombed and fell into ruin before it was knocked down in 1965 and the space was used a car park.

One of the three water cisterns, used by the French to collect rain water, was found intact. ‘It is a beautiful arched space built with traditional bricks called ‘Friese geeltjes’, said archaeologist Marlies van Kruining.

After an extensive documentation of the cisterns, they will be filled up again as building work on the site continues.