Kyrkogärdson- Siaröfortet

This was a completely spontaneous stop. We were enjoying meandering through the skerries, and in passing close by, Ron spotted military guns, so we decided to go and investigate. What seemingly felt like just another high rocky island as we tied up on the pontoon, revealed, just a short walk hidden behind the trees, the Siaröfortet. Blasted out of the massive rocks and then cemented over and camouflaged by appearing to look like the smooth archipelago rock. What a discovery! We were able to go under /into the fort and explore more with our hard hats - mine on my head , Ronneys in his hand ! It was extremely damp and leaky, making it cold and eerie. The fort was vast and spanned the majority of the island. A warren of officers rooms, bunks, search lights , boilers, mess , washing and communal toilets! Outside the domed smooth structure with look outs, and trenches along the length of the fort and guns also camouflaged on top of the concrete structure.

So here's the history bit !

The idea to face the enemy farther out in the archipelago to crucially serve as defence for Stockholm and the facilities in a concealed manner - to see without being seen was key. In 1914, in a turbulent time with the prospect of a world war, the Riksdag decided to construct an outer fortification line. It comprised a number of batteries and minefields in an arc off Vaxholm so that the enemy could be stopped at a distance. The fortifications also served as support for the navy, which had one of its bases on Skeppsholmen island in the centre of Stockholm.

On this island of Kyrkogårdsön, formerly
used as a cholera cemetery, the construction of Siarö Fortress began in 1916. Construction was problematic, but by 1926, it was complete. However, it was not until 1928/29 that all the installations were in place. The armaments then consisted of two 15.2 cm cannons. There were also outer fortifications with a mine
station and two mobile 57 mm cannons
Battlefield lighting was a 150 cm searchlight ( see photos)
that was hoisted up through a shaft, and two 90 cm searchlights. In addition, the fortress was surrounded by five rows of assault obstacles and several trenches.

One major problem was that water leaked
into the fortress. The heating plant could not keep moisture away, and the problem became so serious that quartering inside the fortress was banned. The ten-year construction period in addition had meant that the fortress was obsolete by the time of its completion. As
early as the beginning of the 1930s, the
decision-was made to move the defensive line even further out in the archipelago.
Siarö Fortress was decommissioned in 1939,Read more