17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

After seven years of archaeological investigation, Arkeologerna has published a 3D reconstruction of Gullberg’s Fäste, a 17th-century fortress that once stood on Gothenburg’s Gullberget Hill. The reconstruction portrays the fortress as it looked in 1612, shortly before it was destroyed during a Danish attack.

Gullberget is now renowned for Skansen Lejonet, a structure that has overlooked Gothenburg for nearly 350 years. But the military importance of the hill extends far back in history. A fortification was built on the hill as early as the 14th century, which in the 16th and 17th centuries evolved into the border fortress Gullberg’s Fäste.

In the field excavations, archaeologists used technologies such as laser scanning and photogrammetry to digitally document the remains. These data, along with historical maps, texts, and earlier depictions, formed the basis for the digital model. “It’s a balance between what we know and what we believe,” said Mikael Lindahl, who led the 3D modeling project at Arkeologerna.

The model features a web-based 360-degree interface through which users are able to explore the fortress. Visitors can move through the fortress, look into the tower basement, walk along the defensive wall to a small guardhouse, and look over the historic landscape surrounding it. The digital experience is accessible on-site at Skansen Lejonet via QR codes and also through Arkeologerna’s website. In 2025, the model will be shown at the “Current Archaeology” mini-exhibition at Stockholm’s Swedish History Museum, which was previously on display at the Gothenburg City Museum.

The 3D reconstruction is part of a larger project to visualize Gothenburg’s early history. The city was established in 1621 as a strategic stronghold on Sweden’s west coast. Its design combined functions that had previously been scattered around the mouth of the Göta River—urban buildings, harbors, and fortifications.

The original city layout featured a strict geometric grid with right-angle streets, surrounded by moats and intersected by canals. The largest of these was the Harbor Canal, which served as a key harbor and drainage channel. Though some of the canals were subsequently filled in and turned into streets, much of the city plan remains intact.