Visiting Hanstholm Fortress in Denmark
Hanstholm Fortress is easily one of the best WWII museums you'll find in all of Jutland.
As the largest coastal fortification in Northern Europe, Hanstholm Fortress is a fascinating destination for WW2 enthusiasts. Discover everything you need to know about its exceptional Bunkermuseum before you visit.
As the largest coastal fortification in Northern Europe, Hanstholm Fortress was a key part of Hitler's Atlantic Wall during WW2. It had four huge 38cm ship guns and a network of concrete defenses, all constructed within pristine Jutland's dunes, now part of Thy National Park, on Denmark's west coast. Its primary aim was to secure the Skagerrak Strait. A while after the war, the fortress was turned into a modern museum, simply named Hanstholm Bunkermuseum, that aims to conserve all the information this site witnessed in the 1940s.
I'd been eager to check Hanstholm Fortress out ever since I stumbled across it on the map while searching for cool spots on Jutland's coast. What really grabbed my attention was the photo of that massive gunpit I spotted a few moments later - that's when I was completely hooked. With Lucie on board, we suddenly had another must-see spot to add to our Denmark itinerary.
When we arrived, the first thing that caught our eye was a collection of guns, including a gigantic model of the 38cm gun barrel that used to be installed here. Right from the start, Hanstholm seemed like the perfect place to dive into WW2 history in this part of Denmark. So, let's jump into everything we experienced at Hanstholm Fortress!
The model of 38 cm S.K.C/34 naval gun displayed at Hanstholm is absolutely massive.
The Ammunition Train Ride
We started off at the museum, and when we got to the ticket counter, the guy behind the desk asked if we also wanted tickets for the Ammunition Train. That left us a bit puzzled - we didn't even know there was a train! In typical fashion, we didn't dig too deep before the visit - all we knew was that Hanstholm had big ship guns and was tied to WW2. The guy explained the train to us briefly, and we decided to just go for it and get the extra tickets.
The Ammunition Train was used for moving heavy ammo between the bunkers.
We're not usually fans of these types of activities - the last similar experience we had was probably at the Berchtesgaden Salt Mine, but that time, skipping it wasn't even an option because of how the tour was structured. Here, though, we went ahead and made an exception.
He mentioned the train station was about 200 meters away, with trains running every 30 minutes. Since it was nearly 2 PM, we had just three minutes to catch it - or face a half-hour wait. Not wanting to interrupt our bunker-museum flow, we said a quick goodbye and rushed to the station. A few people were already aboard, and the train was about to pull out, but thankfully, the conductor spotted us and held up for a moment.
The Ammunition Train is basically a 1-kilometer restored circuit from one of the original tracks they used back in the day. The huge 30cm guns had massive, heavy ammo that couldn't be transported by handcarts, so they installed these tracks and ran tiny diesel locomotives to carry the munitions from the bunkers to the gun stations.
The 10-minute ride was pretty simple, plus no views to enjoy while we were sitting in a cart surrounded by an iron wire mesh cage. It kind of felt like we were munitions being hauled between bunkers.
Taking the Ammunition Train Ride was a unique and pretty eerie experience.
On a serious note, while it's a fun attraction for families and kids today, knowing the train's real purpose made the experience feel both fascinating and a little eerie. It was hard not to think about the terrifying destruction those munitions once caused.
Typically, the Ammunition Train runs from late May to early September, with special exceptions like Easter. While writing this, I figured out it was likely the last day the train was in service for the year - so we lucked out without even knowing it! After the ride, we made our way back to the museum.
Documentation Center Hanstholm
We started our tour in the museum's main exhibition, but after the first two or three displays, we noticed a problem - there was no English text, just Danish and German, so we had little idea of what we were looking at. Sure, the uniforms, the giant naval mine, and the Hanstholm Battery model didn't really need much explanation, but we were hoping to dive deeper into the details, and not having English translations was definitely not ideal.
A bit unsure of what to do, Lucie had the bright idea to head back to the front desk and see if they offered audio or text guides to help us out. The guy working that afternoon told us they didn't have audio guides but handed us a thick booklet with English translations for all the displays. Reading through it while standing in front of each exhibit quickly got tiring, so we switched up our approach.
There were no English texts in the museum, so we relied on this lovely booklet.
We figured it'd be easier to sit on a bench, read a bunch of the booklet at once, and then go check out the items or photos we'd just learned about. It definitely made it simpler to take in all the info, but the whole process still felt a bit tedious. We copied our strategy from the Memorium Nuremberg Trials, which also had tons of info - but there they had English audio guides, so that made it a lot smoother.
After about 15-20 minutes, we'd only made it through fifteen pages of the booklet and realized there was no way we could read everything and still see the bunker. So, we started skimming and being a lot more selective about what we wanted to read.
The German mine they've got at the museum is pretty cool.
To be fair, the whole thing wasn't perfect - we didn't have much time, and it was tricky figuring out what to read without skipping over anything cool or important. We're guessing Hanstholm mainly gets local or German visitors, but the setup could really use a little upgrade. At Tirpitz Museum the day before, the audio guide made the visit a breeze by comparison.
Anyway, the Documentation Center dives into the Atlantic Wall, Hitler's huge fortification line from Norway to Spain. Hanstholm was one of the strongest points in this chain, especially in Northern Europe. The main exhibition, called Enemy & Neighbor, covered loads of info about the daily lives of soldiers stationed there and the Danish civilians coexisting with both the Germans and the massive fortifications.
By the way, don't let the name confuse you - it's still a regular museum. Earlier this year, we visited the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, and it was the same deal.
The 'Enemy & Neighbor' exhibition offers a wealth of information about life in this part of Jutland during World War II
Even though the museum isn't huge, it's packed with information, and we could've used way more time to really take it all in. For anyone into WW2 history, though, it's a fantastic spot. Oh, and they do offer both indoor and outdoor guided tours, but we didn't feel like we missed anything major while exploring on our own. The final section had some guns on display, which was a pretty cool touch.
Hanstholm Bunker
Reading up on Hanstholm's history and technical details was super interesting, but the real highlight was still ahead - the bunker visit. The entrance wasn't far, just a quick descent from the museum down some stairs and through a short tunnel that led us straight into the bunker. Inside, the bunker was split into three sections.
We started off in the ammunition storage rooms, which could hold up to 160 shells. They had this cool hoist system with ceiling rails for moving the ammo around, and the best part? They'd installed an electric device that demonstrated how the system worked during the tour - it was so easy to picture it in action back then.
The shells at the Hanstholm bunker for the large guns weighed between 495 and 800 kilograms.
After that, we explored the gun pit itself, sitting in the middle of the ammunition corridor. It was 25 meters across, 5 meters deep, and had a 2-meter-high base for the gun - a seriously impressive setup.
The gun pit was circular so the guns could swivel around completely.
Initially designed for Bismarck-class warships, the 38 cm S.K.C/34 guns were later adapted for coastal artillery after the loss of the ship and wartime shifts, intended for locations like Hanstholm and Tirpitz (though they were never installed there at that site). The giant gun with its 55-kilometer range had been removed ages ago, so the space was bare. Thankfully, the museum's model gave us a better sense of what it must've looked like back then.
For comparison, this is the museum model with the guns set up that we saw earlier.
The final area we checked out was the crew's quarters and technical facilities. This section was completely sealed off, with its own water and electricity systems. Since it was close to 4 PM, we were practically alone in this part of the bunker, and wandering through those tight corridors made the atmosphere feel even more eerie and intense.
The crew's quarters were designed to be self-sufficient.
After checking out other WW2 bunkers recently, like the one after our Eagle's Nest hike, the Hanstholm bunker was another incredible and unique experience. The entire site offers a great look at how things functioned back then and what life underground must've been like. After the tour, emerging from those corridors hidden behind 3.5-meter-thick walls into the bright, sunny museum area was such a stark contrast.
Hanstholm Trails
Hanstholm's title as one of Northern Europe's largest fortifications means the museum and bunker displays are just scratching the surface of everything there is to see here. The rest of Hanstholm has essentially turned into a huge open-air museum with marked trails and tons of bunkers and structures to explore for free. The best part? It's open every day, all year long, so you can spend as much time there as you want.
You've got four main trails to choose from: blue, red, green, and yellow. The first three are short loops (1–2 km) near the museum, like the blue trail, which runs partly along the train tracks, or the green one that showcases some cool guns around the parking area. The yellow trail is a 7 km route that heads all the way to Vigsbo. These trails are perfect for spending a few hours exploring bunkers, gun placements, observation points, and more wartime relics.
Make sure to explore more of Hanstholm Fortress if you've got time - it's worth going beyond the Bunkermuseum.
One cool thing we found out about this part of Hanstholm is that during WW2, it was just barren dunes. The forest around us was actually planted by the Danish government in the 1950s to help protect the fragile environment. We noticed similar conservation efforts later at places like Isbjerg Trail and Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse.
Hanstholm Battery 1
Hearing about Hanstholm being the largest fortification in Northern Europe is one thing, but imagining it is another. Hanstholm Battery 1 really gave us a sense of how massive these coastal defenses were - we actually stumbled upon it by accident before reaching the main Bunkermuseum area.
We started the day hiking at Sorte Naese in Thy National Park and made a couple of quick stops (like Cold Hawaii) along the coast before heading to Hanstholm. Not far from the town, we noticed some awesome-looking bunkers peeking out from the grassy dunes on our right. I really wanted a photo of those concrete giants, and luckily, we found a spot to park safely.
On our way to the main museum, we stopped by and checked out Hanstholm Battery 1.
When you're heading to Hanstholm from the south, there's a small pullout on the right side that fits around 10-15 cars. The GPS coordinates are 57.10688, 8.58112. We only saw a couple of cars parked there, so finding a spot wasn't an issue. If you're coming from the north, though, parking's trickier since crossing double lanes is illegal in Denmark. There's a narrow gravel shoulder where you might be able to stop temporarily.
As soon as we got out of the car, we found out from a small info panel that we were actually standing at Hanstholm Battery 1. Built in 1940, it was the first coastal battery the Germans put up here, armed with old 17 cm ship guns (not the 38 cm beasts you'll find in the museum). Its main goal was to protect the mine-free Skagerrak area for German logistics and fend off Allied ships.
Though we were keen to check out Hanstholm Battery 1 more closely, the clock was against us - it was already 1:30 PM, and the museum closed at 4. So, we just took it in from a distance, skimmed the info text, and headed straight for the museum.
You can easily walk to Hanstholm Battery 1 from the parking lot - it's really close.
If you have time to spare, you can totally check out Hanstholm Battery 1 up close. It's a massive site with 19 bunkers, basically an open-air museum surrounded by Jutland's stunning coastal scenery. Best of all, it's free to explore, which is awesome if you're skipping the main museum. Just bring a flashlight - your phone's light will work fine, but a headlamp is way better since it keeps your hands free.
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Practical Information
Tickets
The adult entry fee to Hanstholm Bunkermuseum was 110 DKK, making it about a third cheaper than Tirpitz. If you want to hop on the Ammunition Train, that costs an extra 25 DKK per person.
Inside the museum, there were more weapons on display, like this 20mm anti-aircraft gun
Opening Hours
During summer (June through August), Hanstholm Bunkermuseum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM, but it closes at 4 PM the rest of the year. FYI, it's closed in December and January. We visited on a laid-back September weekend, and there were hardly any people around.
Driving to Hanstholm Bunkermuseum
Getting to Hanstholm Bunkermuseum is super easy if you're driving - wherever you're coming from. Public transport is an option, but you'd miss loads of cool coastal spots along the way.
For instance, we started at Lodbjerg Lighthouse, did some hiking there, and then drove to Hanstholm. On the way, we made quick stops at Klitmøller - Denmark's Cold Hawaii - and Stenbjerg Landingsplads, with its cute fishermen's houses.
Hanstholm is pretty accessible by car - Aalborg is only 90 minutes away, Aarhus is 2 hours and 15 minutes, and both Esbjerg and Odense are about 3 hours out. Take a look at rental car prices here.
We took a scenic drive along the coast to get to the Hanstholm Bunkermuseum.
Taking a Bus to Hanstholm
Getting to Hanstholm Bunkermuseum by bus can be a bit of a hassle compared to driving, but it's not out of the question. Catch bus 90 from Thisted, which comes every hour, and you'll be there in about 40 minutes. The stop is Molevej on Christian Hansens Vej, a short 600-meter stroll to the museum.
Another option is bus 322, which goes to Hanstholm from Klitmøller in under 20 minutes. The bus even continues on to Thisted if you're heading that way afterward.
Parking
Parking is free at Hanstholm Bunkermuseum and is only about 100 meters from the entrance. The lot's fairly big, and since we arrived a couple of hours before closing on a slow day, finding a spot was no problem.
Accommodation in Hanstholm
Hanstholm Fortress sits right above the town of Hanstholm, one of Denmark's biggest fishing ports. The town's growth went hand-in-hand with building the port in the early 1900s. It's a relatively new town with kind of an industrial edge, or at least it seemed that way to us as we passed the port heading to the museum.
Unlike Ribe, Hanstholm doesn't have a traditional town center. With its big port, it's not your typical holiday spot like other Jutland coastal towns, so tourist accommodations are pretty limited.
If a traditional hotel experience is your thing, Montra Hotel Hanstholm has you covered with its modern look, pool, and free parking. La Ola, on the other hand, is all about charm, with its stylish rooms and a shared kitchen for that extra homey touch.
A short 20-minute drive takes you to Hotel Limfjorden, ideal for exploring Thy National Park, or Klitmøller Hotel, an awesome pick for staying near the beach.
Hanstholm's mainly a commercial port, not a tourist hotspot, so there aren't many places to stay.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
