Victoria Fort

Victoria Fort is a military facility in Vuollerim housing two large-caliber cannons originally mounted on a naval vessel, fitted into a reinforced double turret. The fort was constructed directly into a mountainside, using the natural protection to guard a critical power installation nearby.

The facility was built in 1963 as part of Sweden's Cold War defense strategy to protect a hydroelectric power station on the Lule River. It remained in military use until 1997 before opening to the public.

The facility represents Swedish military engineering from the Cold War period, incorporating naval artillery into a mountain fortress system along the Lule River valley.

Access is through heavy double doors and protective airlocks that lead into the mountain, where the original equipment remains in place. Visitors should expect tight underground spaces and allow time to fully explore the historical installations.

The cannons were salvaged from a warship and repurposed as a deterrent symbol embedded directly into the mountain fortress. This resourceful reuse of naval weaponry reflects how Sweden adapted surplus military assets during the early Cold War period.