Oskar-Fredriksborg Fortress
Coordinates: 59 ° 23 ′ 55 ″ N , 18 ° 26 ′ 7 ″ E
The Oscar Fredrik Borg fortress is a historical fortress on East Rindö in the archipelago of Stockholm in the kommun Vaxholms . The fortress was built between 1870 and 1877 and takes its name from the place Oskar-Fredriksborg, which is very close. Since 2002 the fortress has been designated as a state Byggnadsminne by the Statens fastighetsverk . To the east of the fortress over the Oxdjupet is the Fredriksborg fortress . This dates from 1735.
background
The military importance of the location on Rindö's western side near Vaxholm was recognized very early on. Likewise on the eastern side of the Oxdjupet. Both points have long served as military fortifications. Fredriksborg Fortress, on the Värmdös side of Oxdjupet, was replaced by the rebuilt Vaxholm Fortress during the 19th century . At the same time, Oxdjupet was made impassable with underwater obstacles. The great advances in weapons technology from this period ensured that Vaxholm fortress was quickly outdated. In addition, it was no longer possible for the new, larger ships with an even greater draft to pass the Kodjupet at Vaxholm.
In 1867 it was decided to make the Oxdjupet passable again for ships and at the same time to strengthen and permanently occupy the fortifications, which were very small until then. In December 1869, King Charles XV approved . a plan to undertake all the necessary work in the Vaxholm area. This plan was put into practice from May 1870. After a seven-year construction phase, the Oskar-Fredriksborg fortress was completed.
At the end of the 1890s, the defense at the sea entrance to Stockholm was reinforced and expanded in both Oxdjupet and Kodjupet, in some cases with bunkers and mine barriers. On the north side of Rindö, the Byvik fortification was blown into the mountain. This was equipped with three 57 millimeter and four 12 centimeter cannons in armored turrets. To protect against an attack from the direction of Värmdö was 1899-1903 Värmdölinie created. This consisted of a large number of fastenings and batteries . At that time the Vaxholmslinie consisted of an area that stretched from Resarö in the west to Värmdö in the north. This line consisted in detail of a total of 37 batteries, mobile artillery , mine barriers and infantry together with a reserve of mobile units.
Building
The fortress consisted of an upper level, which was blasted into the rock, and a lower level close to the fairway. Both levels were connected with a 300 meter long, blast-proof tunnel. The side trenches were also blasted out of the rock and protected the fortress from an attack by infantry. The trenches were equipped with protruding capons from which attacking troops could be fired from from the side. These capons were also connected to each other by underground passages. The facility was covered with a layer of earth and peat to protect it from bombardment. The fortress was inaugurated by King Oskar II in May 1877.
As main armament, three 24 centimeter cannons (M / 96) were placed on mounts on the upper level. However, like the cannons in the open defensive trenches, they were unprotected against enemy fire. On the lower level, the two batteries and their cannons were protected by casemates . These had the firing direction in the direction of the northern entrance, or across the fairway.
In 1914, the Swedish parliament decided to open the outer defensive line of Vaxholm (not to be confused with the Vaxholm line ) in the central archipelago. The modern and more effective weapon systems made it necessary to repel possible attacks earlier than before. The new line of defense consisted of five mine barriers, two fortifications and three batteries. These were completed between 1924 and 1926.
By a resolution in 1925, which included disarmament, the inner Vaxholm Line was removed from the defense plans. With this the fortress Oskar-Fredriksborg, the fortress Vaxholm and the fortress in Värmdö lost their function.
gallery
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Oskar-Fredriksborg on Rindö. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on January 2, 2013 ; Retrieved July 16, 2013 (Swedish). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d Det senare 1900-talets svenska befästningskonst
- ↑ a b c d Oskar-Fredriksborg. (PDF; 76 kB) (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on August 12, 2010 ; Retrieved July 16, 2013 (Swedish). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Kulturmiljöinventering av fd Kustartelleriregemente KA1
Web links
- Thomas Roth: Det senare 1900-talets svenska befästningskonst (PDF; 76 kB, Swedish)
- Oskar-Fredriksborg photogallery (Swedish)
- Entry in the bebyggelseregistret des Riksantikvarieämbetet (Swedish)