[1] The fortress was built on a hill on the east side of the river Glomma as one of several military facilities in the vicinity.

The fortress was initially established by Danish officer Gustav Wilhelm Wedel Jarlsberg (1641-1717), Count of Wedel-Jarlsberg in 1683.

[2] Originally known as Hammersberg Skanse, during King Christian V's 1685 visit to Norway he toured the fortification.

Recognizing its strategically important location on the Swedish border, he renamed the fortress Christiansfjeld and directed continued improvements.

After the Great Northern War some of the smaller border forts were determined to be more expensive than their utility justified and they were closed.