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Christiansfjell Fortress

{{Short description|Fort in Elverum, Innlandet, Norway}}

{{Infobox military structure

| name = Christiansfjeld festning

| location = Elverum, Norway

| coordinates = {{coord|60|53|02|N|11|34|12|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| image =

| pushpin_map = Innlandet#Norway

| pushpin_label_position = top

| caption =

| type = Fortress

| controlledby = Norway

| built = 1683

| used = 1683-1742 and 1811-1814

| materials = Stone

| battles =

| past_commanders = Jonas Budde
Anders Nilsen Wiborg

| garrison =

}}

Christiansfjeld Fortress is a historic fort located in the town of Elverum which is located in Elverum Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway.{{Cite web |title=Christiansfjell Fortress Ruins |url=https://www.spottinghistory.com/view/3189/christiansfjell-fortress-ruins/ |access-date=2020-09-01 |website=spottinghistory.com}}

History

The fortress was built on a hill on the east side of the river Glomma as one of several military facilities in the vicinity. The fortress was initially established by Danish officer Gustav Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg (1641-1717), Count of Wedel-Jarlsberg in 1683. A tower with a cellar powder magazine was among the first buildings at this Norwegian fortress.{{Cite web |date=25 February 2020 |title=Gustav Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg |url=https://nbl.snl.no/Gustav_Wilhelm_Wedel_Jarlsberg |access-date=2020-09-01 |website=Norsk Biografisk Leksikon}}

Originally known as Hammersberg Skanse, during King Christian V's 1685 visit to Norway he toured the fortification. Recognizing its strategically important location on the Swedish border, he renamed the fortress Christiansfjeld and directed continued improvements. An extensive report of the visit includes illustrations of the fortress at that time. After the Great Northern War some of the smaller border forts were determined to be more expensive than their utility justified and they were closed. On July 13, 1742 Christiansfjeld Fortress was closed and the materials were moved to Kongsvinger Fortress. {{Cite web |title=Christianfjeld festning |url=http://www.elverumby.com/13-uncategorised/150-elverums-historie |publisher=Elverums Historie |accessdate=2016-09-01}}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The fortress never saw combat and had never been besieged. In 1930 the area was cleared as parkland. In 1964, a municipal water tower was built on the site. Today the site is dominated by ruins in a park with a large water tower that supplies Elverum with water. {{Cite web |title=Christiansfjell Festning Historie |url=http://home.online.no/~baekkev/Christiansfjell/Christiansfjell.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405174632/http://home.online.no/~baekkev/Christiansfjell/Christiansfjell.htm |archive-date=2005-04-05 |access-date=2020-09-01 |website=Trond Bækkevold}}

Commanding officers

References

{{reflist}}

Other sources

  • {{Cite book |last=Kavli |first=Guthorm |title=Norges festninger |publisher=Universitetsforlaget |year=1987 |isbn=82-00-18430-7 |location=Oslo |authorlink=Guthorm Kavli}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20050405174632/http://home.online.no/~baekkev/Christiansfjell/Christiansfjell.htm Christiansfjeld Fortress]

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Category:Ruins in Norway

Category:Forts in Norway

Category:Military installations in Innlandet

Category:Elverum

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