Castle Mountain, located in the heart of the Norwegian town of Tønsberg, is a large hill on which King Håkon Håkonson built a fortress with a royal castle, monastery and hospital. The fortress walls made of stone appear to grow out of the rock after many centuries.
In 1503, despite its impregnability, the bastion was attacked by the Swedes and destroyed. Now only ruins remain. The only reminder of its former grandeur is the seventeen-metre high tower, restored in 1888, which stands on a cliff and offers a magnificent view of the city's surroundings. The initials of three Norwegian kings are engraved on the wall at the entrance to the tower.
The tower's entrance has been restored in 1888.
To help visitors visualise the exterior of the medieval castle, there is a bronze model of it between the ruins and the tower, and there are plaques with historical accounts in English on the ruins.
