Fort Karl
{{Infobox military installation
| name = Fort Karl
| map_type = Saint Barthélemy#Caribbean
| partof =
| location = Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy
| coordinates = {{coord|17.8952725|-62.84781309|type:landmark|display=inline}}
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| type = Fortification
| code =
| built = 1789
| builder =
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| demolished =
| condition = Ruins
| ownership = Conservatoire du littoral
| open_to_public = Yes
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Fort Karl is a historic military fort located in Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barthélemy. It was built by the Swedish in 1789 and was named for Karl XIII. Today, the location of the fort's remains is a protected site.
Location
The site of Fort Karl is located in southwest Gustavia, on small hill approximately 34 meters (111 ft) high.{{Cite book |last=Allen |first=Casey D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eb0tDwAAQBAJ&dq=fort+karl+gustavia&pg=PA52 |title=Landscapes and Landforms of the Lesser Antilles |date=2017-07-19 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-55787-8 |language=en}} The site overlooks Gustavia and its port (to the northeast) and Shell Beach (to the southeast).{{Cite web |title=Fort Karl |url=https://www.conservatoire-du-littoral.fr/siteLittoral/604/28-fort-karl-977_saint-barthelemy.htm |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=www.conservatoire-du-littoral.fr |publisher=Conservatoire du littoral}}{{Cite web |last=Findlay |first=Nicole |date=2023-04-12 |title=10 Things To Do In St. Barts: Complete Guide To This Luxury Caribbean Island |url=https://www.thetravel.com/things-to-do-in-st-barts-complete-guide/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=TheTravel |language=en}} The surrounding islands of Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Saint Martin are visible from the fort's location.
History
Fort Karl was built in 1789 during the era of Swedish rule of Saint Barthélemy. It was built to protect Gustavia against attacks from the south.{{Cite web |title=Fort Karl: History |url=https://www.conservatoire-du-littoral.fr/siteLittoral/604/28-fort-karl-977_saint-barthelemy.htm |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=www.conservatoire-du-littoral.fr |publisher=Conservatoire du littoral}} It was one of the three forts surrounding Gustavia during the Swedish era, along with Fort Gustav and Fort Oscar.{{Cite web |date=February 2, 2017 |title=THE SWEDISH BATTLEMENTS OF FORT GUSTAV |url=http://www.stbarthweekly.com/pdf/Weekly379.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102143315/http://www.stbarthweekly.com/pdf/Weekly379.pdf |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |access-date=December 21, 2023 |website=St. Barth Weekly |page=6 |edition=No. 379}}{{Cite journal |last=Körber |first=Lill-Ann |date=2019 |title=Sweden and St. Barthélemy: Exceptionalisms, Whiteness, and the Disappearance of Slavery from Colonial History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/scanstud.91.1-2.0074 |journal=Scandinavian Studies |volume=91 |issue=1–2 |pages=74–97 |doi=10.5406/scanstud.91.1-2.0074 |jstor=10.5406/scanstud.91.1-2.0074 |s2cid=199267883 |issn=0036-5637|url-access=subscription }} Fort Karl was named for Karl XIII, the brother of Swedish King Gustav III. By the late 19th century, the remains of the fort had fallen into ruins.
The Fort today
Only ruins remain at the site of Fort Karl. In 2007, the Conservatoire du Littoral took possession of the Fort Karl site.{{Cite news |date=July 13, 2017 |title=April: The Conservatoire du Littoral Takes Possession of Fort Karl |edition=N°391 |pages=4 |work=St. Barth Weekly |url=http://www.stbarthweekly.com/pdf/Weekly391.pdf}} Preservation is managed locally by the Saint-Barthélemy Nature Reserve. The Fort Karl site is a popular location for hiking and whale watching.{{Cite web |title=Gustavia: #3 in Best Things To Do in St. Barts |url=https://travel.usnews.com/St_Barts/Things_To_Do/Gustavia_61712/ |url-status= |website=U.S. News & World Report}}{{Cite news |date=Feb 9, 2017 |title=Whale Watching at Fort Karl |edition=N°380 |pages=4 |work=St. Barths Weekly |url=http://weekly97.o2switch.net/pdf/Weekly380.pdf}}