Boden Fortress
Five armoured hill forts built into the rock around Boden from 1901, secret for most of the century.
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Boden was fortified from 1901 to hold the northern railway and the routes inland, with five forts cut into the hills around the town, armoured with steel cupolas and connected by tunnels, barracks and magazines underground. It was the largest defence project the country ever undertook and stayed classified for decades; photography in the area was restricted well into the postwar period and the town was effectively closed to foreigners. Declassification came in the 1990s. Rodbergsfortet is now open to visit on guided tours in summer, with the tunnels, the gun positions and the living quarters shown; the other forts remain closed or partly used.
What you actually see
- Forts cut into the hills - armoured with steel cupolas.
- Tunnels, barracks and magazines - underground at Rodbergsfortet.
- A classified site until the 1990s - closed to outsiders for decades.
- One fort open to tours - the others closed.
When to go
June to August, when tours run. Two to three hours.
Honest expectations
Only one fort is open and only by booked tour, mostly in Swedish. Underground sections are cold and damp year round. The season is short. Boden is a long way north.
Nearby
Lulea and the archipelago are south-east; Gammelstad is on the way.
What to pack for Boden Fortress
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
