Vardøhus Fortress, Fortress in Vardø Municipality, Norway
Vardøhus Fortress is a star-shaped fortress with an octagonal layout on the island of Vardøya, facing the Barents Sea in northern Norway. It consists of low earthen ramparts faced with stone, along with a number of preserved historic buildings and old artillery positions.
A first defensive tower was built on this site in 1306 on the orders of Norwegian King Haakon V to protect the northernmost edge of the kingdom. The current star-shaped structure was raised between 1734 and 1738, when soldiers from Bergen built it following the fortification principles common in that period.
The fortress is open to visitors and still serves as an active military post under Norwegian command. On national holidays, cannon salutes ring out across the water, making the connection between this remote place and Norwegian national life easy to feel.
The grounds are easy to explore on foot, and visitors can walk around the ramparts and historic buildings without a guide. Because the site sits on an exposed island by the Barents Sea, warm clothing is a good idea even in summer.
Every January the fortress fires two cannon shots to mark the return of the sun above Varangerfjord after the polar night. The day is treated as a local celebration, and schoolchildren in the area are given the day off.
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