Round tower
At its centre.
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Carlsten is a stone fortress on the island of Marstrand on Sweden's west coast, about 31 km in a straight line from Gothenburg. It stands on the top of the island above the small town and harbour. It was built on the orders of King Charles X after 1658 to protect the province of Bohuslän, and Marstrand was chosen because its harbour almost never freezes, so part of the Swedish navy was based there. It was retired as a permanent defence in 1882 but stayed in military use until the early 1990s. Massive grey stone walls sit on the granite rock at the top of the island, around a tall round tower. From above, the view spreads over the town's colourful wooden houses and red roofs, a harbour full of sailing boats, and the rocky islands of the archipelago. Visitors arrive by a short ferry from the mainland and walk up through the town. Guided tours run in summer, and the ground is rocky and uneven.
At its centre.
Sailing boats.
Colourful wooden houses.
Marstrand island, west coast, Sweden
Short ferry, then on foot.
Yes, in summer.