Fagersta luftbevakningstorn

Is it a water tower, minaret or medieval castle tower? The tall air surveillance tower in Fagersta has been given many names over the years.

In the forest above Folkets hus in Fagersta, there is an old air surveillance tower. The tower was built by Fagersta Bruk and completed in 1944.

During the Second World War, Fagersta Bruk was a producer of war materials, including grenade casings and rifle barrels. This meant that Fagersta could be considered an interesting target for potential external enemies. This meant that the mill group wanted to invest more money in developing Fagersta's air defense. In 1943, they therefore decided to build this 26-meter-high air surveillance tower, from which you could look out over the city and industry.

Fortunately, the Second World War ended in 1945, and so did the threat to Fagersta and its industry. The air surveillance tower was therefore never needed.

Adjacent to the tower there is also a smaller concrete building which has been used as an expedition room and shelter.

The air surveillance tower in Fagersta is different from most air surveillance towers in Sweden. As far as we know, this is Sweden's only remaining air surveillance tower that was designed by an architect. The tower was designed by none other than Cyrillus Johansson, Fagersta Bruk's favorite architect. He seems to have been given a free hand when he designed this tower, with details typical of his time, inspired by the Orient. With its yellow brick, balcony and turquoise roof with spire, it is no wonder that many people think the tower looks more like something from a fantasy world than part of Sweden's military history.

In 1992, it was decided that all air surveillance towers in Sweden would be demolished within a 10-year period. Most were demolished at once and today there are about 6 towers left in Sweden, built for the purpose. This air surveillance tower is thus one of the few preserved in Sweden and has been a listed building since 2013.