Fredriksten Fortress

Fredriksten was begun in 1661 to defend the border after Norway lost the province of Bohuslan to Sweden, and it grew into an extensive complex of bastions, curtain walls, casemates and outworks spread over a ridge above Halden, with tunnels and magazines cut into the rock. It was besieged repeatedly, and in 1718 Charles XII of Sweden was shot dead in the trenches below it, an event that ended his campaign and is marked by a monument. The fortress was never taken. It now holds several museums covering the war history, the pharmacy and the local brewing tradition, hosts opera and concerts in the courtyard in summer, and offers extensive grounds that function as a public park with a view over the town and the fjord.

History

The fortress was built by Denmark-Norway in the 17th century to replace the border fortress at Bohus, lost when Bohuslän was ceded to Sweden in 1658, and was named after King Frederick III; Halden itself was called Fredrikshald from 1665 to 1928. It was strengthened in the years of peace from 1661 to 1675 (Wikipedia, Fredriksten).

What's there

• The bastioned walls - an extensive seventeenth-century fortification complex.
• The rock tunnels - casemates and magazines cut into the ridge.
• The Charles XII monument - marking where the Swedish king was killed in 1718.
• The town view - Halden, the Iddefjord and the Swedish border below.

When to go

May to September, when the museums and cafes are open and the summer opera runs in the courtyard; the grounds are open year-round and free. The walk up from town is steep but short.

Good to know

The site is large and spread out, so seeing it properly takes hours of walking on uneven ground. Museums keep seasonal hours and charge separately. Events close parts of the fortress in summer.

Nearby

Halden town is below; the Swedish border and the Iddefjord lie a few kilometres east.

Key facts