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In the aftermath of the Kalmar War (1611-1613) it was obvious that the vulnerable north-eastern border of the Danish realm had to be strengthened. Swedish troops had laid waste to twenty-six parishes and the town of Vä in the province of Scania. The solution was to give up two medieval cities in favour of a new fortified town built in the Dutch fashion, surrounded by vast wetlands. So, Kristianstad received its privileges in 1614 while Åhus and Vä lost theirs.
The whole region was mobilized to provide the labour force and logistics needed. The new site was perfect from a strategic point of view, but highly unsuitable otherwise. Large volumes of soil, branches and timber was brought in to create ground fit to build upon. And then fortifications, a church, a royal residence, an armoury, and hundreds of ordinary town houses were built. After the Roskilde Peace Treaty in 1658 Kristianstad became a Swedish garrison town. The fortifications were modernized and enlarged in the following century but declared redundant in 1847 and demolished shortly thereafter. Today very little remains to be seen above ground of the once mighty walls and bastions.
During the last decade the remains of the fortifications has been subject to archaeological investigations. Using a combination of rectified, highly detailed 17th and 18th century military maps and drawings, GPR surveys and extensive drilling has given us new knowledge on exact location and state of preservation together with samples for paleo-botanical analysis. Thus, it has been possible to achieve invaluable information with non-invasive methods before the traditional excavations begin.
Here we would like to present the sources and methods used so far together with the gains and pitfalls encountered in the process. It may prove useful for others when dealing with town fortifications from the Early Modern period.

EAA 2023: Abstract

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