TSC Triton no. 1 2012 - The Swedish Club

THE SWEDISH CLUB TRITON 1-2012Club Information | Out and AboutVarbergs FortressPhoto: Anna JolforsIt is time to visit our last fortress inthe annual report. We have alreadylooked into Carlstens Fortress inspring of 2008, Älvsborgs Fortressdressed in heavy snow 2009, andBohus Fortress in sparkling autumncolours 2010; for 2011 we look closerinto Varbergs Fortress when thesummer was at its fairest. Standingon a cliff, this fortification has agreat view out over the North Seaand was the perfect place to controlthe coast lines from less longed-forvisitors from other countries armedforces.– a history about kings, wars,prisoners and a monsterIt all started in 1287, when the Danishcount Jacob Nielsen began to build thefortress as protection after he had been accusedof killing their king Erik Klipping ayear earlier. In 1305 he decided to pass iton to Norway, who augmented it duringthe coming centuries until the area, afterthe Treaty of Brömsebro, in 1645 becameSwedish. Around 1,000 farm labourersworked every day during 30 years to constructwhat, at the time, were classed as themost modern defenses. During the 18 thcentury the fortress was maintained by theSwedish army, and when they no longerneeded the building at the start of the 19 thcentury, there were plans to blow the wholething up.Prison and warFrom the mountain where Jacob built hiscastle, there is not much handed down toposterity but a lot has been done since histime. The whole rock was covered with soiland four bastions were built – one in eachcorner and one more in the middle of thewall, facing the sea. The bastions have differentnames. Clockwise you are first metby “The white monk” in northeast, then“The grey monk” in southeast, “The redmonk” in southwest, “The dyke bastion” inwest and “The forge bastion” in northwest.The fortification was reinforced in southand southwest as the enemy pretty easilycould place canons at the facing Rantzaurock, which occurred in 1565 during theNordic seven-year war.From the Middle Ages right up to 1931the fortress also served as a prison, andboth the medieval dungeon as well as theindividual cells have been preserved. Todaythe visitors have a more pleasant stay (andcan leave whenever they please!).The views from the fortress out over theCattegat is beautiful and in summertimeyou can see the sailing boats come and gofrom the marina near by. The walk alongthe ramparts also offers a magnificentpanorama of the Varberg town and thecoast, and inside the walls you will find abed & breakfast, the county museum, ablacksmith’s workshop, a café and restaurants.The ceremonial areas and premisesare popular for a variety of festivities, forexample balls and weddings. During thesummer months both residents of Varbergand tourists gather in and around the fortressfor just a stroll or a picnic at sunset.A poled man and a monsterThe County Museum of Varberg is locatedin the oldest parts of the castle, and hasexhibitions about the fortress’ history, artfrom the ”Varberg School”, cultural historyfrom the Halland county and, lastbut not least, the Bocksten’s Man. He is anextremely well preserved corpse of a manfrom The Middle Ages – even his real hairand clothes from the time remains! Thediscovery is the first one found with polespegged through the body. He had beenmurdered and the poles should preventhim from haunting the village.The history tells that the moat of the fortressis to be inhabited by a small lake monster.In August 2006, a couple of personsclaimed to have seen the monster – describedas brown, furless and with a 40 cmlong tail – emerge from the dark water anddevour a duck. Unfortunately, we didn’thave that luck when we visited the fortresswith our camera!The Annual Report will be printed andready in the beginning of May but will bepublished at our website around mid-April.Carola WeidenholmCorporateCommunications40