World Heritage Photos

Naval Port of Karlskrona: The town of Karlskrona was founded in 1680. In the 17th century, there was an increasing need for a naval base in the southern part of  Sweden to defend the state. Karlskrona was founded only with a view to its strategic location in the middle of the Swedish Empire, an Europen great power that ruled over the Baltic States and Finland in the 17th century. The Naval Port of Karlskrona was one of the most modern and efficient naval bases of its time. Karlskrona is a unique part of naval history. Nowadays, the Naval Port of Karlskrona is still active, it is an ultra modern naval base and one of the most important naval bases of Sweden. The Kungsholm Fortress is the symbol of both Karlskrona and the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Naval Port of Karlskrona. Kungsholm Fortress is situated on a small island in the Baltic Sea, together with the Drottningskär Citadel, the fortress has protected the main fairway into Karlskrona over more than 300 years. The Great Square of Karlskrona is one of the largest town squares of Europe, the square is surrounded by Baroque buildings. The old town of Karlskrona consists of narrow streets lined with wooden houses dating from the founding of the navy base. The Admiralty Church is the largest wooden church of Sweden, its exterior is painted in the traditional Swedish Falu-red paint. The Naval Port of Karlskrona gained the status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1998. The town of Karlskrona is situated about 100 km from the Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland, also a UNESCO World Heritage.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The round harbour within the defensive walls of Kungsholm Fortress. Kungsholm Fortress is still in use as part of the defence of Sweden and has been manned for an unbroken period of more than three hundred years. Karlskrona is a unique example of a naval port and arsenal. Kungsholm Fortress is probably the most imposing and interesting part of the UNESCO World Heritage: Naval Port of Karlskrona.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The Great Square is one of the largest town squares of Europe, it was created with the express aim of reflecting Sweden's position as a regional Great Power during the 17th century. The statue in the Great Square is of the founder of Karlskrona King Karl XI of Sweden, after whom Karlskrona is named. This statue is known from the book by the Swedish author and Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: One of the moored ships in the harbour is the museum ship Västervik. The construction of the Naval Port of Karlskrona and the surrounding defences started in 1680. The majority of the Swedish shipyards were relocated to the new naval town of Karlskrona. The Karlskrona shipyard became the largest in Sweden. The Naval Port of Karlskrona has continued to developed. Nowadays, shipbuilding is still carried out at Karlskrona.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The town of Karlskrona was founded in 1680. In the 17th century, there was an increasing need for a large naval base in the south of Sweden to defend the state. The town of Karlskrona was founded only with a view to the strategic location in the middle of the Swedish Baltic Empire. The Naval Port of Karlskrona became one of the most modern and efficient naval bases of its time. The original shipyard from 1680 is still intact.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The wooden statue of Gubben Rosenbom, known from the book: The wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson, by the author Selma Lagerlöf: 'The wooden man lifted him to his hat - and stuck him under it'. The statue of Gubben Rosenbom has been standing in front of the Amiralitetskyrkan, the Admiralty Church, since the 1700s. The statue of Rosenbom was replaced by a copy in 1956, the original statue stands inside the church.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The Amiralitetskyrkan, the Admiralty Church, is built entirely of wood, the roof is supported by four massive wooden columns. The Amiralitetskyrkan is the largest wooden church of Sweden. The church is also known as Ulrica Pia. The church was inaugurated in 1685. The Admiralty Church belongs to the Royal Karlskrona Admiralty Parish. The exterior is painted in the traditional Swedish Falu Red paint, the interior has a cream and turquoise colour. 

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: A tiny bronze sculpture of Nils Holgersson. Karlskrona immortalised Nils Holgersson with a small sculpture showing Nils leaping out of his own book: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Holgersson, by the author Selma Lagerlöf. The sculpture of Nils Holgersson is situated near the Amiralitetskyrkan, the Admiralty Church, and the Great Square of Karlskrona. The sculpture is very small, it is easy to overlook it.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: The historic town of Karlskrona consists of narrow streets lined with coloured wooden houses, many of the tiny wooden houses date back to the founding of the navy base in 1680. Karlskrona was built on 33 islands in the Baltic Sea, several of these islands are connected to each other by ferries. The historic centre of the town of Karlskrona is situated on the island of Trösso. Karlskrona is renowned for its Baroque architecture and its naval base.

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   Naval Port of Karlskrona: A historic fortified powder tower on the island of Ljungskär. In times of war, the roof could be removed and armed with heavy artillery. Now, Karlskrona still houses an ultra modern naval base. Until 1969, the town of Karlskrona served as the headquarters of the Swedish Royal Navy. The Port of Karlskrona is a unique part of the naval history of Sweden, the naval port was built on several islands in the Blekinge Archipelago in the Baltic Sea.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: The Lion Gate is the main entrance gate into Kungsholm Fortress. The town of Karlskrona was built as the new headquarters of the Swedish Navy in 1680. Kungsholm Fortress is one of the most important fortresses on the southern fairway into the Naval Port of Karlskrona, the fortress protected the main entrance to Karlskrona from the sea. The Naval Port of Karlskrona was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: One of the buildings on Kungsholm to house soldiers. The Naval Port of Karlskrona is a unique example of the fortifications of a naval port, an arsenal and a naval shipyard from the 17th and 18th centuries. Fort Kungsholm is still owned by the Royal Swedish Navy. Fort Kungsholm can only be visited by guided tour. Some parts of the fortress are closed to the public. During the Cold War, Fort Kungsholm was not accessible to the public at all.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: Kungsholm Fortress is situated on an island in the Baltic Sea, together with the Drottningskär Citadel, the fortress has protected the main fairway into the naval port of Karlskrona over more than 300 years. The round harbour of Kungsholm enabled ships to dock within the fortress. The round harbour of Kungsholm Fortress is now the symbol of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Naval Port of Karlskrona. The buildings of the naval base are well preserved.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: The entrance into the famous round harbour of Kungsholm Fortress. Kungsholm is the Swedish word for 'Island of the King'. The fortress is the oldest continuously manned military fortress in the world, Kungsholm has been manned since 1680. The Naval Port of Karlskrona is an impressive part of the naval history of Sweden. Today, Karlskrona still houses an ultra modern naval base. Some parts of the Naval Port of Karlskrona are forbidden to visit.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: One of the imposing buildings on the Great Square of Karlskrona, the Great Square was to be surrounded by several magnificent churches and public buildings that would represent religious powers, judicial authority and commercial interests in the naval town of Karlskrona. Political and financial problems prevented this plan from ever being completely realized. The Great Square is part of the UNESCO World Heritage: Naval Port of Karlskrona.

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    Naval Port of Karlskrona: The Holy Trinity Church or German Church stands on the Great Square of Karlskrona. When Karlskrona was founded in 1680, many Germans moved to the town. They wanted their own congregation and church. In 1689, they gained permission from the Swedish king to form a congregation in Karlskrona, the church was modelled after the Pantheon in Rome and was inaugurated in 1709. In 1790, a huge fire in Karlskrona also ruined the German Church. The reconstruction took twelve years. The new church was much simpler rebuilt but the dome is still in the style of the Pantheon in Rome.