The city of Kristiansand in southern Norway is home to many quaint-looking wooden houses as well as majestic age-old buildings. One of the various attractions here is the Christiansholm Fortress which is a stout, circular building jutting out on Strandpromenaden. Built between 1662 and 1672, by the Danish-Norwegian royalty, the fortress was used as a watch point for the Skagerrak Straits in order to protect the city from pirates and invaders.

The rotunda’s 5 metre thick walls was only once involved in a battle, when a British fleet unsuccessfully attempted to raid the fortress during the Napoleonic Wars. In June 1872, after nearly 200 years of service, the fortress was decommissioned and today, it operates as a centre for concerts, exhibitions and cultural events. The fortress still retains much of its structure from the 17th century, so if you are interested in just admiring this marvel that has 100% success rate in its battles, feel free to visit the Christiansholm Fortress.