Sverresborg (Bergen)

Infobox Military Structure
name=Sverresborg
location=Bergen, Norway


caption=
built=Ca. 1184
materials=Stone
used=Ca.1184-today
type=Medieval fortress
controlledby=Norway
garrison=
commanders=
battles=Civil war
Battle of Vågen
World War II

Sverresborg is a fortress and former castle situated in the Norwegian city of Bergen. It was built by king Sverre Sigurdsson (ca. 1150–1202) in the mid 1180's, 250 meters northeast of Bergenhus fortress. It is thought that the fortress had an outer wall of stone and inner buildings of wood. A saga mentions that 600 men and 40 noble women lived in the fortress ca. 1207. The castle fell to the baglers and was destroyed, but was rebuilt by Håkon Jarl. The baglers destroyed it a second time and it has been rebuilt several times. Much of the present day fortifications are from the 17th century and the fortress participated in the Battle of Vågen. The last known expansions took place during the Napoleonic wars.

In the 1830's a park was laid out in the area and in 1911 a petty officers school was established for Bergen Brigade. During World War II the German occupants established two anti aircraft batteries in the fortress.

Seven German and one Norwegian war criminals were executed in Sverresborg in 1946.

The fortress has not fulfilled an operative capacity since World War II, but is still used by the military of Norway for office facilities. The area is today under the command of the commandant of Bergenhus and is a military area, but open to the public.

King Sverre Sigurdsson also had a Sverresborg built in Trondheim.

External links

* [http://www.histos.no/bergen/vis.php?kat=1&id=64 Bergen history site (Norwegian)]