Syreneset Fort

A solid, round concrete structure situated in a rocky landscape, surrounded by rocks and mountains, with some vegetation in the background.

Syreneset Fort is one of the most impressive defensive structures in the Haugesund area. The sturdy reinforced concrete bunkers stand just as they did during the war, and the enormous command bunker is an impressive structure as it stands overlooking the North Sea.

The Skudeneshavn Museum organizes tours to Syreneset Fort by appointment.

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Syreneset Fort was a coastal battery located at Syre in Karmøy, equipped with five 12.2 cm Soviet-Russian field guns. The battery became operational in March 1943. Below Syre, there was also a unit with two 12.0 cm turret guns in Skudeneshavn. The Germans had taken these guns from the old Norwegian border fortifications at Trøgstad in Østfold.

The guns at the Syre battery were positioned in open emplacements with no protection other than camouflage, but the artillery was effective, with a high rate of fire and long range. Its primary mission was to protect shipping traffic west of Karmøy when Karmsundet was blocked by mines. The 13 barracks at the battery were not of particularly high quality, but the fire control center/OP and bunkers were solid, made of thick, reinforced concrete. The battery had one 60 cm and one 150 cm searchlight. The facility had its own stable, smithy, car garage, and pigsty.

Two people are walking along a forest path in a green area with trees and even terrain, with stone buildings on the right.
A coastline with large rocks and a concrete structure facing the sea under a clear blue sky.
Two children are walking up a path toward a large, old, dilapidated bunker in a landscape of large rocks and grass, under a cloudy sky.
A large, abandoned concrete bunker on a rocky mountainside against a clear, blue sky.
Two people are walking along a gravel path in an open landscape, surrounded by grass and mountains, with a stone wall on their right.
A landscape of large boulders and earthen huts, surrounded by mountains and forests, in a hilly area.
A person stands in an empty room with wooden paneling, holding a flashlight that casts light on the floor
Two people are standing in a dark room with a narrow strip of light in front of them; one of them is wearing a red jacket with the Skudeneshamn Museum logo on the back.
A dilapidated military base in a precarious location in mountainous terrain, featuring concrete structures and overgrown areas.

Today, HKB Syre stands as one of the most impressive structures in the Haugesund area. The solid reinforced concrete bunkers remain as they were during the war, even though the Norwegian authorities removed the armored doors after 1945. The enormous command bunker is a mighty sight, still scanning the sea for Allied invasion forces. The contrast between this imposing structure and the windswept west coast of Karmøy, with the open sea just beyond, makes a visit to Syre a memorable experience.

The trail up to the fort is just over 1 km long from Syreneset Fort Parking.

Directions
Directions