Skansin
Skansin (literally: the jump ) is a historical fortress in Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands .
Locals call Skansin the most peaceful fortress in the world . In fact, salutes were essentially only shot from here .
Skansin is located directly at the port of Tórshavn on a hill. The facility was built in 1580 by Magnus Heinason to protect against pirate attacks after he had almost become a victim of such an attack in Tórshavn. Expanded in 1780, it was subsequently damaged more frequently, worst of all by the British during the Napoleonic Wars in 1808 , when native boats met British ships anchored just outside the port. From 1940 it served the United Kingdom as a military base during World War II. There are two guns from that time as well as four much older Danish cannons from 1776 to 1813.
One of the Faroese lighthouses , the Skansin lighthouse (international Skansin lighthouse ), towers over the fortress and shows sailors the way to the capital. The prominent strategic location results in a good vantage point over the city and the sea with the offshore island of Nólsoy .
Not least because of the view and location at the harbor, Skansin is a popular destination and meeting place for newly in love couples.
See also: Faroe Islands in World War II
Web links
Coordinates: 62 ° 0 ′ 28.5 " N , 6 ° 45 ′ 47" W.