Sweden is home to over 267,000 islands, a little known fact about this amazing Nordic country. It means that pretty much whichever city you visit along the coast, it will be home to an archipelago of islands not far off the coastline, accessible by boat. Whether you’re in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo or even way up north in the country – there are beautiful islands just waiting to be discovered.
On a recent trip to Gothenburg, my husband picked an island he wanted to visit and settled on the island housing Nya Älvsborg Fortress, an ex-military fortress (unlike the wife, who chose pretty houses and views on Brännö island). It was a really interesting half day trip from the city, which is well worth doing if you have the time while in town.
How to get to Nya Älvsborg Fortress from Gothenburg
Getting to the Fortress is easy from the centre of Gothenburg. Unlike some of the islands, accessible only from ferry ports, the boat to Nya Älvsborg leaves from Lilla Bommen, the main port area in central Gothenburg.
The line is served by Stromma, on selected days (always weekends), between mid May and mid September. The boat trip over takes around 30 minutes.
About Nya Älvsborg Fortress
The fortress has its origins in the 1600s, when in 1645, the Danes launched an attack on Gothenburg with 20 ships. Whilst Gothenburg was successfully defended, the fact that a Danish squadron had managed to sail without difficulty all the way up to Gothenburg led to the proposal for a fortress on Kyrkogårdsholmen to be revived in 1652. In 1653, plans were approved for this ‘New Älvsborg’, and construction work began the same year.
Nya Älvsborg first saw action during the Scanian War (1675 – 1679). In 1676 the Danes again attempted to attack Gothenburg with six warships, but were driven off by cannon fire from Nya Älvsborg.
The main success story of Nya Älvsborg’s military history came in 1719, during the Great Northern War, when yet again the Danes & Norweigans were back. This time, the Danish-Norwegian artillery subjected New Älvsborg directly to a heavy bombardment, with the fortress suffering continuous fire for three days without pause and causing significant damage. However, Governor Lillie refused to surrender, responding to the Danish-Norwegian calls for surrender that he “would rather be brought back to Gothenburg as a dead Lillie than as a living Danckwardt”, referring to the late Henrich Danckwardt, who had been convicted of cowardice at a Swedish court for surrendering in a previous battle.
The fortress held out, and whilst Swedish casualties during the siege amounted to 30 dead and 70 wounded, Captain Lillie himself being among the latter.
After such a flourish, the Fortress fell in to decline, and in 1868 the Army Administration took the decision to decommission Nya Älvsborg altogether. It then operated as a prison and ultimately was turned in to a tourist attraction.
Today, visiting the island is a wonderful day out, and whilst a day time visit on the Stromma ferry is amazing, there are also some other twists you can take on a visit if they take your fancy:
- Crime Walks – you can book on to an evening crime walk on the island, to hear about the life and activities of the executioners Beckius in Gothenburg. The experience includes the boat ride over, dinner and the crime walk and can be booked directly via the Nya Älvsborg website
- Medieval Banquet – again, you can book in for an evening of fun at the Medieval Banquet on the island, serving 3 courses in the historic setting of the Nya Älvsborg fortress. As above, tickets include the ferry across and can be booked direct via the website.
Other important visitor information
- The island is only accessible during the main season (mid May to mid September)
- There is a café on site, though it only serves pre prepared cold food for lunch such as sandwiches and cakes
- There are toilets on the island
- You can explore the island independently, or by booking on to a guided tour
- You need around 2 hours on the island, and longer if you want to sit in the sunshine and enjoy the views with a picnic or snack from the shop
Thanks so much for reading! What did you think of Nya Älvsborg Fortress? I hope you enjoyed the trip, and seeing more of a lesser known city like Gothenburg too! Stay safe and happy travelling.
Saasdia Travel Gid
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