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Fort Christiansvaern
Location Details
Fort Christiansvaern's Purpose
The fort was built to defend Christiansted from pirates, privateers, and to protect the Danish commercial interests, which included the slave trade. The fort housed Danish soldiers and later a police force and court offices before being decommissioned in 1878.
Fort Christiansvaern's Construction
Construction began in 1738 on the site of an earlier French fort destroyed by a hurricane. The structure was largely completed by 1749. The fort is an example of Danish colonial architecture, characterized by its star-shaped design and distinctive pastel yellow walls.
Fort Christiansvaern's Role
The fort served as the centralized headquarters for Danish rule on the island. It also served as a jail that housed prisoners and famously held Rachel Faucette, the mother of Alexander Hamilton, for several months in 1750 for refusing to live with her first husband.
Fort Christiansvaern & Danish Occupancy
Danish control of St. Croix ended in 1917 with "Transfer Day," the sale of the Danish West Indies to the United States.In 1952, Fort Christiansvaern became the first unit of the National Park Service in the Virgin Islands, preserving its historic buildings and interpreting the Danish era.
Permits - USVINPS
General Contact - 340-776-0621
Accessibility - Open to Public
Public Sector
St. Croix Christiansted District
Historic Landmark
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Fort Christiansvearn Painting
Fort Christiansvaern's exterior was extensively repaired and painted between late April and May 2024 as part of a project to protect the historic masonry and was completed without impacting visitor access to the interior of the fort. A different project in March 2025 caused a temporary closure of the fort and the Scale House for a weekend. A project to repair the plaster and apply a limewash/mineral silicate coating was completed on the fort's exterior walls.
