Fort Karl

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Fort Karl is a historic military fort located in Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barthélemy. It was built by the Swedish in 1789 and was named for Karl XIII. Today, the location of the fort's remains is a protected site.

Location
The site of Fort Karl is located in southwest Gustavia, on small hill approximately 34 meters (111 ft) high. The site overlooks Gustavia and its port (to the northeast) and Shell Beach (to the southeast). The surrounding islands of Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Saint Martin are visible from the fort's location.

History
Fort Karl was built in 1789 during the era of Swedish rule of Saint Barthélemy. It was built to protect Gustavia against attacks from the south. It was one of the three forts surrounding Gustavia during the Swedish era, along with Fort Gustav and Fort Oscar. Fort Karl was named for Karl XIII, the brother of Swedish King Gustav III. By the late 19th century, the remains of the fort had fallen into ruins.

The Fort today
Only ruins remain at the site of Fort Karl. In 2007, the Conservatoire du Littoral took possession of the Fort Karl site. Preservation is managed locally by the Saint-Barthélemy Nature Reserve. The Fort Karl site is a popular location for hiking and whale watching.