Marinmuseum (Naval Museum) is Sweden's national naval museum, dedicated to the Swedish naval defense and preservation of the country's naval history. Marinmuseum is one of Sweden's oldest museums, established in 1752 when King Adolf Frederick began the collection and documentation of naval objects in what was called the Model Room (Modellkammaren). He also ordered the preservation of ship models and ship building machinery.
The rectangular building design includes a pier which extends into the water. Around the pier are several museum ships. A specially designed underwater tunnel with windows provides a way to view the wreckage of several seventeenth century ships.
Figureheads from Swedish ships are on display, including many that were made by sculptor Törnström, royal sculptor to the navy, who worked at the Karlskrona shipyard during the 1700s. These include the figurehead of the ship the Dristigheten. The Marinmuseums Archives include 4,000 drawings and maps, mostly relating to the Sweden's Naval history; there are also pictures, paintings, and models. Subjects include submarines, shipbuilding strategies, battle tactics, and life on board ships of the Baltic Sea.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.