Skansin Fortress

16th-century stone fortress with cannons guarding the harbour entrance

The stone walls of Skansin sit on a low hill above the eastern side of the harbour, a ten-minute walk from Tinganes. The fortress has been rebuilt several times — most recently in the 18th century — and now functions as an open-air park rather than a serious defensive position.

Two old cannons and a lighthouse still stand within the walls, and the views over the harbour and the strait towards Nólsoy are among the best in town. Free entry, always open.

things to do sight historic site
A story
Skansin was built in 1580 by the Faroese merchant and folk hero Magnus Heinason to defend Tórshavn from pirates — repeated raids by North African corsairs had been carrying off Faroese to slave markets in the Mediterranean. During the Second World War the British occupied it and used it as their headquarters for the defence of the islands.