Architectural, Cultural sights in Norway
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Kjeåsen Farm
Above all other sights in the region, Kjeåsen Farm, 6km northeast of Eidfjord and close to the treeline 530m above the valley floor, should not be missed. According to some accounts, there has been a farm here for 400 years, although vehicle access was only possible with the construction of the road in 1975. Now one of Norway's top scenic locations, the wonderfully remote farm buildings are still inhabited by a woman who has lived alone there for 40 years.
Alone that is apart from the busloads of tourists who visit the farm every day in summer. She sometimes shows visitors around from 09:00 to 17:00. It's possible to climb up to the farm on foot (four hours return), but …
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Posebyen
The Kristiansand Posebyen takes in most of the 14 blocks at the northern end of the town's characteristic kvadraturen. It's worth taking a slow stroll around this pretty quarter, whose name was given by French soldiers who came to reposer (French for relax). A scale model (with buildings around 1m high) of the city as it appeared when designed by Christian IV is on view at Vest-Agder Folk Museum.
The annual Kristiansand guide, published by the tourist office, includes a good section 'A Stroll through Posebyen' to guide your wandering. The most well-preserved buildings include Bentsens Hus (Kronprinsengs gate 59), which dates to 1855, the former post office (Kronprinsengs …
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Lysøen Estate
This beautiful estate, on the island of the same name, was built in 1873 as the summer residence of renowned Norwegian violinist Ole Bull. After the death of Ole Bull’s French-born wife, Felicité Villeminot, Bull purchased the 70-hectare Lysøen island, about 20km south of Bergen. Between 1872 and 1873, he and architect Conrad Fredrik von der Lippe constructed the fantasy villa ‘Lysøen’. This ‘Little Alhambra’ took much of its extravagant inspiration from the architecture of Moorish Granada and integrated not only intricate frets and trellises, but also onion domes, romantic garden paths, Italian marble columns and a high-ceilinged music hall of Norwegian pine.…
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Gamle Byen
Kristiansund's Gamle Byen, occupies part of Innlandet island, a few of whose clapboard buildings date back to the 17th century. The grandiose Lossiusgården, at the eastern end of the historic district, was the distinguished home of an 18th-century merchant. The venerable 300-year-old Dødeladen Café - where you can still get a decent meal and a drink - hosts cultural and musical events. The most convenient access from the centre is on the Sundbåt ferry from Piren ferry port.
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Bilstadhuset
Some 92 homes, nearly two-thirds of the original town, were gutted by fire in 1843, after which Egersund was reconstructed with wide streets to thwart the spread of future fires. Most buildings in the old town date from this period. The Bilstadhuset still has its original timberwork and includes a sailmaker's loft upstairs.
The house is not open to the public, but the tourist office hands out a leaflet Strolling in Egersund which has a map and informative commentary.
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Strandgaten 43
Strandgaten 43 is arguably more beautiful than Strandgaten 58 (Skrivergården) and has what's known as a 'gossip mirror' which allowed the inhabitants to keep an eye on the street.
Strandgaten, a street of timber houses constructed after 1843, is well worth a stroll. The house is not open to the public, but the tourist office hands out a leaflet Strolling in Egersund which has a map and informative commentary.
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Andreas Aagaard House
You'll find lots of early-19th-century timber buildings around the centre. Andreas Aagaard House, constructed in 1838, was the first building in town to be electrically lit. Explore too the stretch of 1830s shops and merchants' homes along Sjøgata.
The booklet Town Walks, on sale at the tourist office, is a well illustrated, exhaustive run-down of Tromsø's historic buildings.
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Grieg’s Hut
The main attraction in Lofthus is Grieg’s Hut, the one-time retreat of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. It’s in the garden of Hotel Ullensvang. Lofthus also has a stone church dating back to 1250 (the tower was added in the 1880s) with fine stained-glass windows and it’s surrounded by a cemetery with some graves from the Middle Ages.
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Damsgård Manor
The 1770 Damsgård manor, 3km west of town, may well be Norway’s (if not Europe’s) finest example of 18th-century rococo timber architecture. The building’s superb (even over-the-top) highlight is the baroque garden, which includes sculptures, ponds and plant specimens that were common 200 years ago. To get there, take bus 19 from the centre.
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Herregården Manor House
The classic baroque timber Herregården manor house was constructed in 1677 as the home of the Norwegian Governor General, Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, the Duke of Larvik; as the illegitimate son of King Fredrik IV of Denmark, Gyldenløve was given a dukedom and packed off to Norwegian obscurity. It’s furnished in 17th- and 18th-century style.
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Original Home of Potato Alcohol Aquavit
You can also see the house (from the outside only) where aquavit was first produced, in 1804, on Sommerfrydveien by merchant Johan Godtfried Schwencke in response to a royal decree that corn not be used to produce spirits. In late autumn, Drammen holds a national aquavit competition in which celebrities judge which is the best brand.
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Town Hall
One Tyholmen highlight, by the water’s edge, is the striking town hall, Norway’s tallest wooden building. Originally a shipowner’s home dating from 1815, it became the town hall in 1844. The interior is accessible for groups, but the façade is elegant for those who can’t get inside.
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Tuomainengården
The Tuomainengården is a mid-19th-century Finnish farmhouse, with its own bakery, sauna and blacksmith. Esbensengården (Esbensen estate, Hvistendalsgata; adult/child around NOK30/free) is a mid-19th-century opulent merchant's dwelling, complete with stable and servants' quarters.
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Skrivergården
Strandgaten, a street of timber houses constructed after 1843, is well worth a stroll Skrivergården was built in 1846 as the home of the local magistrate Christian Feyer. The small town park opposite served as his private garden – half his luck.
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Esbensengården
The Tuomainengården is a mid-19th-century Finnish farmhouse, with its own bakery, sauna and blacksmith. Esbensengården is a mid-19th-century opulent merchant's dwelling, complete with stable and servants' quarters.
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Bjerkebæk
Bjerkebæk celebrates the life of Sigrid Undset, one of Norway’s most celebrated authors; she won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928. Her home has been restored with memorabilia from her life.
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Arendal Town Museum
Well worth a visit is Arendal Town Museum, largely because it is a rare opportunity to see inside one of Arendal’s charming old burghers’ houses (Klöckers Hus).
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