| After numerous sieges, fires and the seven
year War of the North 1563-70, the Medieval Castle of Akershus
was renovated to withstand new technologies of warfare. The
castle was also considered too vulnerable on its land-ward side.
The work on turning Akershus Castle into a bastion-fortress
complete with ramparts and mouts began during the 1580s, and
continued at full speed into the beginning of the 17th Century.
Largely for defensive reasons, the town of Oslo was moved closer
to the fortress in 1624, thereby changing the functions of the
fortress to that of a citadel on the Italian model, with city
and fortress as one unit, with the same outer wall. Akershus
Castle itself was rebuilt into a renaissance castle.
Towards the end of the 18th Century the fortress had
lost much of its significance. The city needes room, and in 1815
it was decided that nearly the whole of the remaining fortress
ramparts should be demolished. The prison and slave quarters
were extended, and from 1900 to 1950 they were used as a
national prison.
Today Akershus Fortress is still military area, with
the Norwegian National Defence College, the Norwegian Armed
Forces Staff College, the Military Police Station Oslo, Armed
Forces Museum and many others situated inside. And the Fortress
still has a commandantship that is Norway's oldest military unit.
The Royal Mausoleum is also inside the Fortress, which is one
reason why H M the King's Guards (HMKG) has a force there. The
Fortress is open to the public during daytime.
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| The Fortress Police at Akershus(a.k.a.
Military Constables) was first established in 1888, but was
replaced by ordinary military guards (conscripts) in 1894. This
solution wasn't satisfactory however, and the Fortress Police
was re-established in 1906.
The Fortress Police is a small unit with military
police authority, whose task is to maintain law and order at the
fortress area (together with HMKG).
The current emblem was approved by HM the King on Oct
26th, 1994.
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