Varberg Fortress, Medieval fortress in Varberg, Sweden

Varberg Fortress stands on a cliff above the Kattegat, its dark grey stone ramparts thick at the base and sloping inward, with flat tops. Inside the walls, low buildings with red-brown and pale facades and pitched roofs are arranged in rows, and a wedge-shaped rampart juts toward a moat of dark water. King Christian IV had the medieval castle rebuilt as a modern fortification with ramparts and casemates between 1588 and 1618, work led by the Dutchman Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder.

Count Jacob Nielsen built the original fortress between 1287 and 1300 as protection against Danish King Eric VI, who had declared him an outlaw. The structure was created during a time of political conflict as a refuge and defensive installation.

The Halland Museum of Cultural History inside the fortress displays the Bocksten Man, showing complete medieval clothing and items from the 1300s. These objects tell the story of how people dressed and lived in earlier times.

Visitors can explore the fortress through guided tours or self-guided audio experiences, with the option to rest at Café Längen on the grounds. The site is well-accessible and offers refreshments and seating for guests.

A modern cell prison, the kronohäkte, was built inside the walls in 1856, and the last prisoner left the fortress in 1931. The moat below the ramparts is said to hold a small lake monster: in August 2006 witnesses claimed it surfaced and ate a duck, describing a brown, furless creature with a 40 cm tail.