Christiansfjell Fortress


Christiansfjeld Fortress is a former fortification located at Elverum in Hedmark, Norway. Today the site is dominated by ruins in a park with a large water tower that supplies Elverum with water.

History

The fortress was built on a hill on the east side of Glomma as one of several military facilities in the vicinity. The fortress was initially established by Field Marshal Gustav Wilhelm Wedel-Jarlsberg, Count of Wedel-Jarlsberg in 1683. A tower with a cellar powder magazine was among the first buildings at this Norwegian fortress. Originally known as Hammersberg Skanse, during King Christian V's 1685 visit to Norway he toured the fortification. Recognizing its strategically important location on the Swedish border, he renamed the fortress Christiansfjeld and directed continued improvements. An extensive report of the visit includes illustrations of the fortress at that time. After the Great Northern War some of the smaller border forts were determined to be more expensive than their utility justified and they were closed. On July 13, 1742 Christiansfjeld Fortress was closed and the materials were moved to Kongsvinger Fortress. The fortress had never seen combat and had never been besieged. In 1930 the area was cleared as parkland. In 1964, a municipal water tower was built on the site.

Commanding officers at Christiansfjeld Fortress