Regelbau 658,
water supply bunker with well.

Bangsbo Fort

Bangsbo Fort is located on a hilltop plateau on the southern outskirts of Frederikshavn, and the vantage point 82 metres above sea level provides a remarkable view out over Frederikshavn and the waters of the Kattegat. On clear days, the it is possible to see all the way to both Skagen and Læsø.

The unimpeded view from this height was the reason why the occupying German forces chose to establish the first fortified position here as early as in April 1940, and why they maintained a presence at the location until the liberation of Denmark. Initially, it was the German Air Force that installed a mobile battery of 8.8 cm anti-aircraft guns here, but soon after – in May 1940 – this was replaced by a stationary battery of anti-aircraft guns of the same calibre operated by the German Navy. These guns were subsequently replaced on three occasions, and at the end of the occupation the battery was armed with powerful 10.5 cm guns.

May 1940 also saw the start of work on a coastal battery that was reported ready for action towards the middle of June. This battery was originally equipped with German 15 cm naval guns, but these were later replaced twice, firstly with Danish 12 cm coastal guns, and then again in spring 1944 with 15 cm naval guns from the Danish warship Niels Juel.

Together with the headquarters for the marine division commander and the North Jutland artillery division, the two batteries at Bangsbo constituted the “Stronghold Frederikshavn South” installation. Up until the autumn of 1942, the position consisted of wooden barracks and earthworks, as well as some simple bunkers in thin concrete. The first robust bunkers with walls and ceilings made of 2 metre-thick concrete were completed in October 1942, and the last of a total of 34 large bunkers was finished in July 1944. The fortified position also featured 17 light concrete bunkers and 30 other concrete installations of various types. The entire area was surrounded by a triple barbed-wire fence and several minefields.

The Royal Danish Navy took over the area in September 1945, initially making extensive use of the installations abandoned by the German forces. The position was later expanded to include a naval radio station and a coastal radar station. On completion of a project to extend and modernise the facility – which included building ten new bunkers – the fortified position entered service in 1952 under the new name of “Bangsbo Fort”. The fort itself was closed down in 1962, but the naval radio station and the coastal radar station remained in operation in the area, along with Kattegat Marine District. The Royal Danish Navy still uses a small part of the installation today.

In 2005, the North Jutland Coastal Museum converted part of the area that the Royal Danish Navy is not using into an open-air museum and bunker museum. A unique aspect of the fort is that the guns still stand in their original positions in the bunkers.

Adress
Understedvej 21, 9900 Frederikshavn

Regelbau Fl 245
electricity plant. 

Regelbau V 174,
radar bunker with generator.

Regelbau M 152
command bunker for the naval district commander of Northern Jutland (museum, exhibtion) 

Regelbau 638
hospital bunker
(museum, exhibition) 

Regelbau 134
ammunition bunker
(always open) 

Regelbau M 145
ammunition bunker.

Regelbau 622
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(museum, exhibtion) 

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(museum, exhibition) 

Regelbau 635,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(always open) 

Regelbau 628
crew bunker for 10 men.
(always open) 

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.

Regelbau 628,
crew bunker for 10 men.
(always open) 

Regelbau 635
crew bunker for 20 men.
(museum, exhibition)

Regelbau 628
crew bunker for 10 men.

Regelbau 628
crew bunker for 10 men.
(always open) 

Regelbau L/409A,
bunker with emplacement for 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 15 cm ship gun.
(gun still in place)
(always open) 

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 15 cm ship gun.
(gun still in place)
(always open) 

Regelbau M 270,
bunker with embrasure for 15 cm ship gun.
(gun still in place)
(always open) 

Regelbau M 162a
fire control bunker for coastal artillery.
Upper part (under the armour plate) build 1952 for fire control radar.

Regelbau Fl 243,
bunker and emplacement for heavy anti-aircraft gun (10.5 cm)
(always open) 

Regelbau Fl 241,
command bunker for coastal artillery and anti-aircraft artillery (UgruKo). 

Regelbau 622,
crew bunker for 20 men.
(always open) 

Regelbau 622,
Crew bunker for 20 men.

Open emplacement for 15 cm ship gun.
The foundation itself is German, but sides and ammunitions rooms were built but the Danes 1952. 

Bunker for charging of hand lamps.
(museum, exhibition) 

Emplacement for twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun.
(Danish, build 1952) 

Emplacement for twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun.
(Danish, build 1952) 

Emplacement for twin 40 mm anti-aircraft gun.
(Danish, build 1952) 

Generator bunker for supply of 40 mm anti-aircraft battery.
(Danish, build 1952) 

Bunker for transformator station, Danish.
(build 1952) 

Fire pond.

Fire pond.

”Siegfried” bunker,
shelter for 6 men.
(always open) 

”Siegfried” bunker,
shelter for 6 men.
(always open) 

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 69,
ring position for 8 cm mortar.

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.
(always open)

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.
(always open)

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.

Bauform 58c
ring position for machine gun.

Open emplacement for 12 cm/15 cm gun.
(build 1940). 

Open emplacement for 12 cm/15 cm gun.
(build 1940). 

Place of wooden baracks. 
(build 1940, demolished c. 1968)