Today, the Götiska Förbundet has a contract for 50 years from 1975 to manage the fort with its operation and care. Their contract expires in 2025. Today, Skansen's upper floor is a place of worship. The mezzanine is used for meals at religious gatherings and can also be rented for closed parties for gatherings of various kinds.
History
Skansen Lejonet or Skansen Westgötha Leijon or the really old name, Gullberg Skantz. Before today's stronghold, there were some defense facilities on the site.
For a certain time the mountain was also completely without defense, it was not until Erik XIV 1568 gave orders that the rock should be fortified, that something happened again here.
Skansen Westgötha Leijon was built starting 22 June 1687. The inauguration was performed by Charles XI, in 1689, but the skansen was not really finished until 1694. The architect Erik Dahlbergh designed Skansen and also Skansken Kronan. The walls are seven meters thick and the building has two floors.
What happened over the years?
The lion was an important part of Gothenburg's defense until 1822. For a few years, the building was a storehouse for the gunpowder production that was then conducted on Lejongatan, now Kruthusgatan. Later it came to serve as a storehouse for the land storm. Skansen has never been involved in any battle. Over time, the fort lost its value in the military. Skansen was later actually used as a residence and then it became a storeroom and was left to its fate in 1942. In the 1970s, thoughts were raised about renovating Skansen Lejonet. After a long work, customer Carl XVI Gustaf reopened the fort on September 4, 1974.
The lion on top
In 1692, the fort was given a tower ornament, a lion with a gilded crown that held a sword in its right paw. Later, the Lion was replaced with a wooden ball. The year 1891 was the hottest and driest summer in many, many years, and on Midsummer's Eve itself, a spark from a steam locomotive is said to have set fire to Skansen's roof. The fort was unmanned at this time so they let it burn. After this, it was decided again that Skansen would have a lion on top.
Eugen Thorburn drew the four meter high new lion in copper. The lion arrived in October 1893.
Some fun tips
nside Skansen Lejonet, the following memorable words are written down: "May the memory of the brave below be brave.
State building mark
Skansen Lejonet has been a state building monument since January 25, 1935.