Kategori: Fortress

Blaker Skanse

Activities

Blaker Skanse offers beautiful surroundings, both because of the park, the fortress and of course the old buildings. If you are interested in history, and you like a special atmosphere,  Blaker Skanse i really worth a visit.

Blaker Skanse is one of Romerike’s best preserved and less known pearls. It is located on the top of the hill, viewing  Glomma, the largest river of Norway, and with buildings from the middle of 1700.

Blaker Skanse was built in 1683 as a defence against attack from Sweden, and to prevent the enemies (Swedes) to cross the river. From 1917 till 2003 Skansen was a place for education of craftsmen, art teachers and designers.
 
Today, the old fortress is used for offices, cultural creativity, happenings, weddings, parties, exhibitions, meeting, courses and conferences.

 

Oscarsborg Fortress Museum

Oscarsborg Fortress is one of the most important historical fortifications in Norway. The Kaholmen Islands has been used for military purposes since 1640’s because of their strategic position in the Drøbak Sound where the Oslofjord is at its narrowest.

The task of the museum is to present the history of the fortress, with emphasis on the incidents of the 9th of April 1940. It also conveys the history of the Coast Artillery and its technical developments. The Coast Artillery was abolished as a self-contained service in 2002.

The exhibitions of the Museum

The various exhibitions show the different stages in the history of the fortress and the Coast Artillery.

The principal exhibitions are located in the eastern part of the main fort.

The old casemates in the outer building contain exhibitions that present the recent history of the coast artillery.

On North Kaholmen the Torpedo battery which gave “Blücher” the deathblows early in the morning on the 9th of April 1940 can be visited.

Guided tours

The Museum offers guided tours throughout the year. The public can choose themed tours last- ing from half an hour to two hours: Standard Tour, “1940”, Torpedo Battery, Older History, Artilleristic,

Mess History, the Defence House/ Commandant House. Tours can be combined but we recommend a total duration of no more than two hours.
The admittance to the museum is free, but charges apply for guided tours.

See www.oscarsborgmuseum.no for more details.

Opening hours and contact

The Museum is open every day (except for festival days) from 10 o’clock till 16 o’clock. The Torpedo Battery and the Fire Control Museum is open only in connection with guided tours.

Booking office of the Museum will serve the accomodations for guided tours.
The office opening hours are every weekday from 09.30 until 14.30.

 

Member of Visit Greater Oslo 

Kongsvinger Fortress

The fortress's outdoor area is open and accessible all year round free of charge.

Kongsvinger Fortress was built in the 1680s to defend Norway against Sweden. It was built on the remains of a former fortress, Vingersundet skanse, on the River Glomma and was designed to protect the interior against attacks from the east. The fortress has played an important role in several wars and has been central to the defense of Norway. Today, the fortress is a landmark and is used for cultural activities and recreation, as well as housing a museum and a hotel.

The fortress was built in the 1680s to protect Norway from Sweden.It was placed by the Glomma river and the traffic routes through Vinger to prevent the advance towards Christiania (Oslo). The fortress has been central to several wars, especially against Sweden, and was headquarters for the invasion of Sweden in 1719 and during the planned invasion in 1788.

The fortress was decommissioned as an active defense in 1823, but has been reopened on several occasions, including during the dissolution of the union in 1905. After the Second World War, the fortress was used for the internment of traitors and as a home for various military units.

Kongsvinger Fortress is a popular tourist destination, with a museum, hotel, and events as part of the town's cultural offering. The fortress has been of great importance to the town of Kongsvinger, both as a defense and as an important part of the town's identity.

You may book accomodation on the castle here

 

At the castle you will also find the Fortress Museum, which shows the history of defence from the Viking Age to the present day. In 2002, H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon opened the exhibition "The Good Helpers". During the last war, there was extensive cross-border cargo and courier traffic across the border with Sweden. The exhibition shows how the war affected the local community along the border. There is also a short video about the history of the fortress.

The picture gallery on the museum's third floor is "Fra Grændsevagten" – a photographic exhibition about the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden in 1905. The photographs depict the life, excitement and drama in and around Kongsvinger Fortress.

The museum is open 11.00-16.00 Saturday/Sunday in April and September. Exceptions are Palm Saturday/Sunday, Easter Eve, Easter Monday, 17 May and the first Saturday in June.

The ordinary opening period is from 1 May to 31 August every day between 11:00 and 16:00.
Out of season we are open by appointment. 

You may book a guided tour of the castle here.

 

 

Oscarsborg Fortress

Oscarsborg Fortress is a jewel in the Drøbak narrow. In summer, Oscarsborg is perfect for families and for those interested in nature, culture and history. Oscarsborg Fortress Museum presents the history of the place and organises guided tours. There are plenty of activities for children. A safari through the subterranean tunnels below the fortress, obstacle courses, bathing beaches and crab fishing.

The unique surroundings of the fortress provide a fantastic arena for the theatre, opera and concerts which are organised during the summer season. At Oscarsborg you will find an art gallery, exhibitions, hotel and a good selection of places to eat. In summer you can travel by ferry from Drøbak and Oslo, or arrive with your own boat to Oscarsborg Marina.

History

Akershus Fortress had been the defender of the capital Oslo/Christiania for hundred of years. In the sixteenth century there was a great deal of unrest in Europe and it became important to have a fortification further out from the capital. The Drøbak Sound was identified as a strategic position for defence. In 1640 King Christian IV in Copenhagen ordered a blockhouse to be built on the Southern Kaholmen, which was finished in 1643.

The state bought the two Kaholmen Islands in 1845. The planning began immediately and the construction works started in 1846. After the visit of King Oscar in 1855 the fortress was given the name Oscarsborg. However, already in the 1860’s the fortress was out of date, developments in artillery had been rapid and the technical revolution had created a transformation in the way warfare was conducted.

Originally the fortress Oscarsborg was created to resist attack from sea and not over land. To withstand attacks over land the fortress was extended from 1890. New gun batteries were placed on Kaholmen, Håøya and on both sides of the fjord. An underwater stone wall (jeté), minefield, torpedo battery and entrenchments was also built.

When the negotiations with Sweden took place in 1905, the Oscarsborg fortress was regarded as the strongest fortress in northern Europe, with a defensive line that stretched 10 km from the Heer Entrenchment in the east to the top of Håøya in the west.

On the 9th of April 1940 Oscarsborg Fortress endured its first real trial. The fortress delayed the German attack by sinking the heavy cruiser “Blücher”; the newest cruiser of Germany. This slowed the attack, which gave the King, Government and Parliament sufficient time to evacuate Oslo and later on take up the fight against the occupation of Norway.

After the Second World War the strategic importance of Oscarsborg reduced and the last fortification was ended on the 1st of January 1993 and in 2002 the fortress became finally abolished.

In 2004 the Parliament decided to create The National Fortifications Heritage(“Nasjonale festningsverk”) which has the responsibility for the maintenance of 14 historical fortresses, among them Oscarsborg Fortress.

Cultural arena

Oscarsborg is a unique cultural arena for opera and concerts throughout the summer season. This year has an exciting programme with an acoustic pop/rock festival, wandering theatre troupes and fantastic opera experiences in the courtyard throughout August – just to mention a few. Oscarsborg has an art gallery run by Avistegnerne in Drøbak. “Forsvarets Hus” (“Military House”) in Kommandantboligen shows how the Norwegian military is today.

Getting here

The island can be reached by boat from Drøbak all year and there are buses from Oslo to Drøbak with regular departures. During spring and summer months you may take the ferry B21/B22 from Oslo, Aker Brygge to Oscarsborg and Drøbak. Ferry scedules

 

Member of Visit Greater Oslo