Denmark to South Coast Norway

There are 16 large fortresses along the coast of Norway but this one has the world's second largest land-based cannon (337 tonnes). [See Pete in bottom left photo to get an idea of sizes.] The gun barrel alone weighs 110 tonnes, and is almost 20 metres long (top left). It has a reach of 55 kilometres. The fort was built between 1941 and 1944 by the German Navy initiated on Hitler’s direct orders. Møvik Fort on the Norwegian coast had a sister battery in Hanstholm in Denmark. They were built to block off the Skagerrak strait and the sea route to eastern Norway and the Baltic.