Fårösund Fortress () is a decommissioned
fortification
A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...
in
Fårösund
Fårösund is a locality situated on the Swedish island of Gotland with 800 inhabitants in 2014. The village can be reached by car from Visby. The island of Fårö can be reached by ferry from Fårösund.
Fårösund is the northernmost town in t ...
on
Gotland
Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
,
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, which was built from 1885 to 1886.
History
Sweden's capacity to protect its neutrality was questioned after the
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
1854–56.
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
and
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
persuaded Sweden to fortify the inlet at
Fårö
Fårö () or in Gutnish is a Baltic Sea island just north of the island of Gotland, itself off mainland Sweden's southeastern coast. It is the second-largest island in the county and it is a popular summer resort. It has its own language, Fårö ...
with
artillery batteries
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...
and
naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive weapon placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Similar to anti-personnel mine, anti-personnel and other land mines, and unlike purpose launched naval depth charges, they are ...
s. The fortress was built from 1885 to 1886 and consisted of three fixed batteries; Central Battery (batt. I), Northern Battery (batt. II) and Southern Battery (batt. III). At the turn of the century, the batteries were reconstructed. The batteries I and II were given modern quick-firing 57 mm guns, four per battery.
Fårösund Fortress, which was name of the coastal position from 1915, was disbanded as such on 30 September 1919, and the coastal artillery detachment was relocated to
Vaxholm Fortress and all equipment was removed.
After the fortress was closed down and was taken over by the
Swedish Prison and Probation Service in 1919, a penitential center was establishment. The fortress had been proposed as a detention center for social dangerous offenders, if and when legislation for such came about. No such laws did arise and the entire fortress was declared a
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
in 1935.
In 1993, the
National Property Board of Sweden took over the administration of the batteries which until that date had belonged to the
Swedish Fortifications Agency
The Swedish Fortifications Agency () is a Swedish government agency under the Ministry of Finance, tasked with managing government-owned defence-related buildings and land. The agency functions as the landlord for the Swedish Armed Forces (), m ...
. Under the company name ''Fårösund Fästning AB'', with business owner Peter Alvérus, it began in 2004 to build a hotel in and around battery I. The company went bankrupt on 15 September 2004 before construction was completed and the National Property Board completed the construction work. During 2005–2006 the facility was leased to Björn Gustafsson. In 2008, Pontus Fritiof through the Pontus Group took over the hotel and conference facility ''Fårösund Fästning AB'' together with the tenant Björn Gustafsson. On 17 October 2012, ''Fårösunds fästning hotell och restaurang AB'' filed for bankruptcy at
Stockholm District Court
Stockholm District Court () is a Swedish district court in Stockholm. Stockholm District Court is Sweden's largest public court and is located in Stockholm Court House on Kungsholmen in Stockholm.
History
The Stockholm District Court was estab ...
. The bankruptcy auction expired after bankruptcy trustee brought about a complete transfer of operations of the business and inventory to the new-old owner Peter Alvérus.
Since autumn 2012, ''Fårösunds Fästning AB'' is run by Alvérus and Cian Bornebusch.
Commandants
*1915-1919: Erik Ekström
Gallery
Fårösunds fästning Mellersta batteriet 2.jpeg, Central Battery.
Fårösunds fästning Mellersta batteriet 1.jpeg, Central Battery.
See also
*
Karlsvärd Fortress
References
External links
Notes about Fårösund Fortress on Tjelvar.se
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farosund Fortress
Forts in Sweden
Buildings and structures in Gotland County
Coastal fortifications