Fredriksholm Fortress

Fredriksholm festning Fredriksholm Fortress
Kristiansand, Norway
Fredriksholm Fortress (1756)
Type	Fortress
Site information
Controlled by	Denmark-Norway (1662-1814) Swedish-Norwegian Union (1814-1874)
Site history
Built	1662
In use	1662-1804, 1808-1874
Battles/wars	British raid on 18. September 1807

Fredriksholm Fortress (Fredriksholm festning) was situated on an islet off Kristiansand, Norway. Today the former fortress is in ruins and the site is a popular place for sightseeing.

Fredriksholm Fortress was located one kilometer north of the precursor, Christiansø Fortress on Gammeløya. Both fortresses were built to protect Flekkerøy port. The construction of Frederiksholm Fortress was begun in 1655. After the fort Christiansø was abandoned on 1 May 1658, the stones, building materials and other useful material were transferred to Fredriksholm. The new fortress was completed in 1662. It is named after Frederick III of Denmark.

The fortress was divided into a lower and an upper part. The lower part was a wall that followed the shoreline. The upper part had a tower with a cupola and 2 artillery batteryes. The tower was the residence of the commander, and this was also the royal chambers. Otherwise, there were a number of large and small houses in the Fort area. Fortress walls were of stone, covered outside with turf and palisadeverk. The peat was taken from a cemetery wall in such large quantities that the coffins were almost uncovered. Within the wall there was a gallery. When the fortress was completed, consisted the luminaire of 14 cannons on the lower part and 10 guns on the upper.

The fortress was originally armed with 24 guns from 2-to 34 pounds. In 1700 the fortress was at its largest, armed with 50 cannons. Garrison was in 1658 on the 24 man. The strength of the fortress, however, varied depending on the threat of war and the season. It could be up to 110 men at the castle during the summer, while there were around 30 in winter. Fredriksholm was timed to be able to accommodate 300 men.

On the mainland in the north was in 1808-1809 built a defense battery which had the task to cover the land by Fredriksholm. The area known as Batteriodden. Batteriodden was staffed with 96 infantry and 48 artillerymen. The battery was abandoned around 1850.