Meløyvær fort
Protected coastal fort from the Cold War on Krøttøya in Harstad, with a command post and guns in deep, well-preserved installations.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Meløyvær fort lies on Krøttøya, in the northernmost archipelago of Harstad, and is one of the country’s best-preserved coastal forts from the Cold War. The installation was built towards the end of the 1980s to replace three older coastal forts between Andøya and Senja, and was meant to stop an attacker from reaching the entrance to Andfjorden. It was the last fort in Norway to receive 120 mm Bofors guns. The armed forces left the fort in 2002.
The guns are housed in installations that go more than 30 metres down into the rock, built on rubber blocks to withstand bomb hits and designed to be self-sufficient in water and power in a crisis. Since the installation is so new, the generators, control rooms, sleeping quarters, kitchen and offices are preserved and fully equipped. The command post and Gun 1 are preserved in their entirety, with seven floors underground.
The museum consists of the command post on Krøttøya and Gun 1 on the neighbouring island. Across the bridge to Russøya, Gun 2 can be seen, and from there there is a view of Gun 3 on Svinøya. Meløyvær fort is managed by Sør-Troms Museum and is protected. The site is currently closed for maintenance work.
Highlights
- Command post and Gun 1 preserved in their entirety
- Installations more than 30 metres down in the rock
- The last coastal fort to be armed with 120 mm Bofors guns
- Gun 2 on Russøya and a view of Gun 3 on Svinøya
- Operated by
- Sør-Troms Museum
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The installation is built several floors down into the rock. There are no toilets or refreshments on site.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
No toilets or refreshments.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | When the site is open, visits are booked via Sør-Troms Museum (booking@stmu.no). |
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