Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To head back to civilization, turn right before the embedded bunker (cross-
ingmoreguntracksandpassingmorefortificationsonyourleft).Asyouleave
the militarized zone, take a left at the fork, and the road will take you down to
the embankment—just around the corner from where the boat docks, and our
starting point. From along this stretch of embankment, you can catch a boat
across the water to Vaxholm Fortress.
Vaxholm Fortress and Museum (Vaxholms Kastell/Vaxholms Fästnings
Museum)
—Vaxholm's only real attraction is the fortification just across the
strait. While the town feels sleepy today, for centuries it was a crucial link
in Sweden's nautical defense because it presided over the most convenient
passage between Stockholm and the outer archipelago (and, beyond that, the
Baltic Sea, Finland, and Russia). The name “Vaxholm” means “Island of
the Signal Fire,” emphasizing the burg's strategic importance. In 1548, King
Gustav Vasa decided to pin his chances on this location, ordering the con-
struction of a fortress here and literally filling in other waterways, effectively
making this the only way into or out of Stockholm...which it remained for
450 years. A village sprang up across the waterway to supply the fortress, and
Vaxholmwasborn.Thetown'sdefensessuccessfullyheldoffatleasttwoma-
jor invasions (Christian IV of Denmark in 1612, and Peter the Great of Rus-
sia in 1719). Vaxholm's might gave Sweden's kings the peace of mind they
neededtoexpandtheircapital tooutlyingislands—which meansthatthepint-
size powerhouse of Vaxholm is largely to thank for Stockholm's island-hop-
ping cityscape.
