The Bastogne War Museum is a World War II museum focusing on the Battle of the Bulge. It is located a few kilometers northeast of the Bastogne city center in the Belgian province of Luxembourg.
The museum is located on the former Bastogne Historical Centre site and was opened in 2014. It features a highly interactive audio tour walkthrough which lasts at least two hours. It also showcases many artifacts from the events leading up to and the battle of Bastogne itself, three immersive shows and the story of four fictional characters involved in the battle. The main exhibition progresses chronologically and presents a timeline before, during and after the offensive. There are also a museum shop and a café.
Next to the museum lies the Mardasson Memorial sited on the same grounds. The large monument is a tribute to the 76,890 American casualties or missing soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge. Numerous texts are engraved on it as well as all US states and the involved US divisions. Visitors can walk atop the 12-meter high monument via spiral stairs.
References:Varberg Fortress was built in 1287-1300 by count Jacob Nielsen as protection against his Danish king, who had declared him an outlaw after the murder of King Eric V of Denmark. Jacob had close connections with king Eric II of Norway and as a result got substantial Norwegian assistance with the construction. The fortress, as well as half the county, became Norwegian in 1305.
King Eric's grand daughter, Ingeborg Håkansdotter, inherited the area from her father, King Haakon V of Norway. She and her husband, Eric, Duke of Södermanland, established a semi-independent state out of their Norwegian, Swedish and Danish counties until the death of Erik. They spent considerable time at the fortress. Their son, King Magnus IV of Sweden (Magnus VII of Norway), spent much time at the fortress as well.
The fortress was augmented during the late 16th and early 17th century on order by King Christian IV of Denmark. However, after the Treaty of Brömsebro in 1645 the fortress became Swedish. It was used as a military installation until 1830 and as a prison from the end of the 17th Century until 1931.
It is currently used as a museum and bed and breakfast as well as private accommodation. The moat of the fortress is said to be inhabited by a small lake monster. In August 2006, a couple of witnesses claimed to have seen the monster emerge from the dark water and devour a duck. The creature is described as brown, hairless and with a 40 cm long tail.