The medieval stronghold that stood guard for three centuries

Built in 1308 by King Haakon V Magnuson, Båhus Fortress served as a strategic fortress overlooking the river that forms a natural moat around it. Initially a medieval castle, this fortress was a key part of Norway's defensive policy against Sweden, as Bohuslän was Norwegian territory at the time. Standing 40 meters high on a cliff, the fortress commands the surrounding area, making the approaches very difficult. The area to be defended is small, only 250 x 150 meters, so it did not require a large defensive force.

The fortress has a continuous surrounding wall, 3 meters thick at the base and varying from 8.5 to 13.5 meters in height, depending on the terrain. It has four rectangular corner towers, a brick tower at the eastern end, and a gate house with a drawbridge at the central west side. The fortress also includes secure vaulted positions, some of which are cut into the mountain. By 1450, the fortress was approximately rectangular in shape. Båhus was Norway’s strongest fortress, and it was attacked or besieged 14 times, but was never captured.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons