The Victoria Fort

The 1950s were dominated by the threat of the Cold War, and an arms race between the East and the West took place including nuclear weapons, the exploitation of space, and influence in various spheres of the world. Non-aligned Sweden lay in the interface between East and West. Against the background of these threats, the Victoria Fort was built up on the Bomyr Mountain, controlling the confluence of the Large and Small Lule Rivers. The fort took its name from the warship Drottning Victoria, which was in service from 1921 until the middle of the 1950s. The double-barrelled 15.2 cm guns with which the fort is armed came from the warship. The guns served as a sentry against an attack from the east from 1963 until 1997. Victoria Fortress is a museum where the time-typical environment is intact. It offers food and accommodation for groups 25 meters underground.

Cold War Exhibition
The aim of the exhibition is to place the establishment of Victoria Fort in context, i.e. what were the events in the 1950s that led to the building of the fort. The exhibition focuses on the period 1945-1963. The events, such as the Korean War and the Hungarian Uprising, are illustrated by newspaper placards, front pages and articles from newspapers.