Bohus Fortress
A Norwegian border fortress of 1308 above Kungalv, besieged fourteen times and never taken by force.
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Hakon V of Norway began the fortress in 1308 on a rock where the river divides, and for three centuries it marked the meeting point of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, which is why it was attacked so often - the count is usually given as fourteen sieges, none of which took it by assault. It became Swedish by treaty in 1658. Demolition was ordered in 1789 and got as far as it did before stopping, leaving high broken walls, the tower called Fars Hatt with a stair to the top, and vaults and dungeons below. The view from the tower covers the river split and Kungalv. Summer brings concerts and events in the courtyard.
What you actually see
- Walls broken by the 1789 demolition - stopped part way.
- Fars Hatt tower - climbable, with the river split below.
- Vaults and dungeons - under the courtyard.
- A three-kingdom border site - fourteen sieges, never stormed.
When to go
May to September; largely closed in winter. Two hours.
Honest expectations
It is a ruin with no furnished interiors. Stairs are steep and uneven. Opening is seasonal. Event days close parts of the site.
Nearby
Kungalv is below; Gothenburg is south.
What to pack for Bohus 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.
