Tønsberg Fortress
| Tønsberg festning | |
|---|---|
| Tønsberg, Norway | |
Slottsfjellet
|
|
| Coordinates | 59°16′16.5″N 10°24′14″E / 59.271250°N 10.40389°ECoordinates: 59°16′16.5″N 10°24′14″E / 59.271250°N 10.40389°E |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
Ynglings Kings of Norway |
| Site history | |
| In use | 871-1503 |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders |
Haakon Haakonson Magnus Lagabøter Haakon V Magnusson Magnus Eriksson |
Tønsberg Fortress (Tunsberg festning) was a medieval fortress, located in Tønsberg, Norway which was defended by the fortress for over 300 years.
Dating in 871, Tønsberg is commonly believed to have been the oldest Norwegian town and one of the oldest recorded fortified locations in Norway. According to Snorri Sturluson, Tønsberg was founded before the Battle of Hafrsfjord under which King Harald I of Norway united Norway under his rule. Tønsberg was an important trading center and site of the Haugating, the Thing (assembly) for Vestfold and one of Norway's most important place for the proclamation of kings.
In the 13th century, King Haakon Haakonson set up a castle, Tunsberghus, at the location of the modern Tønsberg municipality. It was located at what was formerly one of the most important harbors in Norway.
Only a few ruins of the fortress are now left. The modern-day tower (Slottsfjellet i Tønsberg) was raised in 1888 as a memorial of the historic fortress.
The present tower was built during 1888 as a memorial of the historic fortress. In 1971, local authorities improved the insulation. At that time new plaques were mounted inside the tower. On the sides are the gilded signatures of two modern Kings of Norway: Haakon VII (1 August 1906) and Olav V (1 July 1958). The plaque over the entrance reads:
871 - 1871
May the Town Which Stands on This Site Prosper for Another Thousand Years
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Wikipedia