A defensive fortress with a famous prisoner
The Carlsten Fortress is located in the town Marstrand north of Gothenburg. The first version of the fortress was built after the area became Swedish in the peace with Denmark and Norway 1658. The town had long been an important trading centre, but following the peace treaty it also became a strategic defensive location, with the Swedish navy stationed here.
The fortress was constructed to defend Marstrand, initially as a tower with a courtyard, before gradually expanding with outer walls, ramparts, and additional buildings. It was considered fully completed in 1860 and was decommissioned as a military fortification in 1882.
Many of those who carried out the hard labour of building the fortress were prisoners. The most famous was Lars Larsson Molin, better known as Lasse-Maja – a thief known for disguising himself in women’s clothing. He served part of his sentence at Carlsten fortress, working as a cook.
Guided tours, waffle café and hotel
Today, the fortress is open to visitors from April to September (see the website for opening hours) and requires an entrance fee. During the season, guided tours are available for those who want to learn more about the fortress’s history.
The fortress also has a restaurant and a cosy waffle café, and during the summer months it hosts music performances, theatre productions, murder mystery events, and much more.
You can also book a night at the hotel and stay within the fortress walls. Here, you’ll experience how 18th-century soldiers were once housed, in comfortable rooms ranging from single to eight beds. Each room is uniquely decorated and includes a private shower and toilet.
