Monuments to visit Norway

Library specialized in the Saami universe. A unique collection of Saami literature in several languages.

At 6 km, this lighthouse is a landmark on the steep coast overlooking the Arctic Ocean. It is one of the most mythical lighthouses on the entire coast. Since its automation in 1994, it also serves as an accommodation for visiting groups. The view is breathtaking and it is hard to imagine a better place to be if you are looking to get away from the crowds and reconnect with nature. This lighthouse has been classified as cultural heritage since 1998. It used to run on kerosene around 1900 and then suffered the hazards of history, particularly the Second World War.

The northernmost lighthouse in the world, located at the same latitude as Alaska. Visits are organized in the summer. It can be reached by a trail from Gamvik (5 km). The lighthouse is located in the middle of the natural park. The road that winds through the park was built in 1930. It leads to Varnesovnen, a cave used during the evacuations in the autumn of 1944. The lighthouse is now a lodge where you can stay between June and August every summer. A great opportunity for lovers of the great outdoors, hiking or fishing!

The Adolf Guns are the greatest guns in the world. They were built by the German occupiers during the Second World War and installed in the stronghold of Trondenes. Today, four are still in place but only one is fully preserved and maintained (in working order). These are the largest naval guns placed ashore during the Second World War in the whole of Europe. They formed Hitler's most powerful battery on his Atlantic Wall. Remembrance of a heavy and traumatic period for northern Norway as well.

Norway's most famous explorer was born in Tomta, on the banks of the river that runs through Fredrikstad. Roald Amundsen, who mapped out the Northwest Route, i.e. the route over the American continent, was also the first to reach the South Pole. He died trying to rescue another explorer, Nobile, trapped in the Arctic ice. Here you can read about his life and the fascinating number of records and discoveries Amundsen made.

Tomba Emanuele is the name that Emanuel Vigeland, brother of the sculptor Gustav, gave to the building. He had decided to build a museum and then wanted to make it his mausoleum. When he died, the windows were walled up and his ashes were placed inside. The vaulted room without light that contains the Vita fresco is amazing. No daylight filters through this remarkable odyssey of existence, from birth to death, where erotic scenes and naked bodies follow one another to compose a piece that shocked contemporaries. This work of a lifetime, which covers more than 800 square meters, is impressive.

This ancient residence was built in the 1720s on the remains of the so-called Bishop Castle (Bispeborgen), which dated back to the ^13th century. Today, one of the halls (Medieval Hall) still belongs to the old structure, but the rest of the building is Baroque. The mansion is located in the heart of the medieval park, which includes the Church of St. Clement. Guided tours are free. Coffee shop on site.

The manor house, built in 1804 in the style of Louis XIV, belonged to the Arbo family for a long time, and it was here that the painter Peter Nikolai Arbo grew up. It has been carefully renovated several times, and today you can still admire the original furniture inside and enjoy the magnificent 18th century park outside. A pleasant visit that children will also appreciate, as they will probably have a great time playing in the gardens.

The Atlantic Highway (or Atlanterhavsveien) is a must for motorcyclists planning a trip to the northern countries. It's a very long road made up of bridges winding across the water, linking islands and small isolated towns. Don't hesitate to stop off at Mount Aksla for a breathtaking view of the fjords for miles around. But beware of the weather: this route is difficult in the rain, especially if it's windy!

This is the farm of Knut Hamsun, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature following the publication of his book The Awakening of the Glebe. Like the main character in his book, he ran the farm for many years. Closed to the public, in an article published in 1910, the author accused tourism of "making the people servile, rotting the healthy life of the countryside and diverting the farmers from traditional values by making them forget their duty, which is to clear new land, replant the forest and colonize the virgin spaces of the Far North".

This manor house dates from 1807. It was built for the then Minister of Trade Niels Aall. Apart from the fact that it is considered the finest example of empire architecture in Norway, it is also a place where important political decisions were made. Indeed, Aall was involved in the discussions that followed the signing of the 1814 constitution. The walk through the garden is pleasant and we recommend a guided tour, if possible with Elisabeth!

According to Unesco's description, the Struve Arc stretches from Hammerfest to the Black Sea, crossing 10 countries over a distance of 2,820 km. The project was originally carried out by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm, and represents the first accurate measurement of a long meridian segment, helping to define and measure the exact size and shape of the Earth, and playing a key role in the development of Earth sciences and accurate topographical maps.

For more information, see the UNESCO website.

It is a building that houses the only state-sponsored Sami theater. The research center of the Sami Nordic Institute is also located here. The building is to be admired for its original architecture, which was awarded the Northern Norway Prize in 1987. It is one of the first buildings to be designed to fit in with Saami culture and climate conditions. There is also a library, a café and a cinema.

The former apartments of the great playwright Henrik Ibsen, where he lived from 1895 until his death in 1906, have been transformed into a museum in recent years. The original furniture was salvaged from the Bygdøy open-air museum to bring it back to its original setting. The museum has been restored and recently reopened. It features an interactive exhibition dedicated to the artist's life and work, and now boasts its own theater stage!

This red and white lighthouse, which represents the southernmost point of Norway, is also the oldest lighthouse in the country, built in 1916. The first lantern was built on this site in 1656! Has always, Lindesnes Fyr guided the boats through the shelves and the reefs that cover this dangerous coast. The view from the top of this lighthouse, stowed on a large rock constantly beaten by the swell, is very beautiful, perhaps more impressive still in bad weather. Here a gift shop and public toilets are found.

In the Eiganes district, a little way from the centre, it is a 19th century residence of neoclassical architecture with, inside, a heterogeneous mixture of Rococo, Empire and Biedermeier styles. It was built between 1799 and 1803 for the Kielland family as a summer residence. In 1936 the city of Stavanger took over the house and turned it into a museum. Temporary exhibitions and events are held on a regular basis. Large and beautiful collection of paintings, the oldest dating from 1710. Beautiful park.

It is located opposite the Royal House. It is still a patrician house from 1881, a perfect example of the Swiss style of the time, having kept all its original furniture. The villa is surrounded by an English-style park with a small museum of horse-drawn carriages in the barn. You can find a good part of the museum collection online with lots of information. This villa is spread over three floors and therefore promises a rather nice and diversified visit. Please note that there is no access for people with reduced mobility.

This skating hall, the fastest in the world, was built for the Lillehammer Olympic Games in 1994. Its architecture evokes the shape of an upside-down Viking ship (designed by Niels Torp and the Bjong&Bjong agency), and it's true that it's... stunning! A great success. World-class speed skating competitions are held here every year, but Vikingeskipet also hosts other types of sporting events (car rallies, soccer, luge races, track cycling) and cultural events (concerts, trade fairs and conferences).

This manor house was built in English style in 1901 for the Scottish Lord Salvesen. The buildings that make up the property are surrounded by extensive parkland with a rare collection of rhododendrons and artworks. In summer, there is a café and a beautiful sandy beach. It is also a popular venue for weddings and other celebrations. The temporary exhibitions of Norwegian artists are often of very good quality, such as the paintings of Marit Grini orLisbeth Skranes. See program on the web or on site in summer.

It is a large 19th century mansion on the northern outskirts, near the church of Oddernes, in an English park with wild flowers. The ballroom displays a collection of paintings by anonymous painters and copies of masters. The small charming salons are furnished in the English Empire style. A magnificent building. In the building opposite, a small museum of natural history exhibits a naturalized musk ox and a polar bear.

It is a cultural centre and a folk museum, located in the heart of a fjord. This lighthouse was built in 1849. There is also a nice café with tea and coffee, and their specialty, waffles with jam and cream. Light savoury meals, such as soups, are available, ideal after a short walk! Temporary art exhibition and nice little souvenir shop with things you can't necessarily find elsewhere. A change of scenery!

The building is an example of Norwegian neoclassical architecture. Whatever one thinks of it, it has been voted the most beautiful building in the city. At the time, in 1921, the building cost 1 million Norwegian kroner to construct, donated by the wealthy shipowner Knut Knutsen. The architects Herman Munthe-Kaas and Gudolf Blakstad were finally chosen to design the future town hall. The construction took a total of 8 years.

Ole Bull (1810-1880), composer and virtuoso violinist, made a fortune by giving many concerts in Europe and especially in the United States. He bought this little island to build his "madness", a kitsch délire called the Petite Alhambra. It is a wooden villa painted in blue and white blue. A horseshoe staircase rises to the veranda flanked by a turret in onion bulbs. The concert hall inside is a wooden imitation of the Moorish architecture. This summer residence, including the built trails and small pieces of water invited to romantic walks, was a meeting place for the many friends and relations of the artist. The house has remained unchanged since his death. Listed in Historical monuments, it has been open to the public since 1985.

This lighthouse, which has not been inhabited since 1970, is a popular place for painters and writers. A pedestrian bridge links the lighthouse rock to the mainland. The only inhabitants of the place are about twenty eiders that come here to nest. Beware, the weather can change very quickly! At any moment, the elements can rage around this lighthouse isolated in the sea, so watch the weather forecast. In the summer, you will find a charming little restaurant that serves breakfasts with fresh homemade bread. Lunch and dinner.

Former presbytery, this room is today in the cultural centre of Nordland. It welcomed louis-philippe of Orléans in 1795, future king of France, when it when the Revolution. Remain today to admire the frescoes of 1754 painted by Gottfried Ezekiel in rococo style, probably the oldest in the country.

Thanks to the work of volunteers, this fort, a symbol of the town's resistance to the English navy, has been completely restored. The site was chosen as a millennium site. Completed in 1810, this military edifice was intended to defend the Norwegian coast against the English navy, and to protect grain imported from Russia despite the blockade to which the Norwegians were subjected. The fort never saw battle.

The Archbishop's Palace, the symbol of the city, is located just behind the cathedral. It was the residence of the pontiffs until the Reformation, when Norway became Lutheran. From 1556 onwards and for about 100 years, the palace housed the Danish overlords before being taken over by the army. At the end of Bispegata Street, which runs in front of the cathedral, is Gamle Bybro, the old drawbridge with its ornate, red-painted porticoes.

Bårdshaug Manor was built in 1900 for the minister Christian Thams. An architect by training, he worked as a director for the Orkla mines and was also consul in Belgium and president of several companies in Africa and Europe. Christian Thams established Norway's first electric railway, the Thamsbanen.

The Bårdshaug Herregård consists of the manor house, which is built in the Empire style in wood, two railway buildings, and a building furnished with antiques.

The fortifications and the Fredriksten Festning fortress, built around 1660 in the shape of a star according to the French model of the time, can be admired here. The fortress contains a collection of exhibits on the city's military history. The castle has been attacked six times, but never conquered. It is a very beautiful place, beautifully preserved. You can go for a walk, have a bite to eat or spend a night there. The view of the city and the fjord is breathtaking. Events are also organized there.

Visit the new Deichman Library for hours of fun! A magnificent building, inside and out. Each year, an author's work is selected and placed in the bookshop of the future, to be published only 100 years from now! For each manuscript, a tree has been planted in Marka's forest, which will be used to print the future book. Deichman is full of surprises: great spaces for little ones, sound niches, art, serenity, workshops. Super café-resto & wifi.

Since a gigantic fire completely destroyed the surrounding area, Bragernes has become the largest marketplace in Norway, and indeed in Scandinavia. Market gardeners, vendors, parties and skateparks are often improvised here, depending on the weather and the season. It's one of the city's liveliest sites, and a symbol for the region as well as the country. All year round, you can find the producers who travel from town to town at the Bondens Marked farmers' markets.

The fortress is a historic building that played a major role in the country's history, notably by sinking a German cruiser during the German invasion of Norway in the Second World War. As a result, the royal family and government escaped to the UK in extremis. It's one of the finest examples of Norwegian military art, and the pride of the local population. A monument not to be missed if you're in the area.

This farmhouse, where Ibsen spent his childhood between the ages of 7 and 15, is located 5 km north of the city. It was originally the Ibsen family's holiday home, but the father went bankrupt in 1835 and had to sell their residence in the city. The Venstøp property burned down in a fire in 1886. The attic that frightened Ibsen so much is the same as the one mentioned in his play The Wild Duck. There is also a small performance of some of Ibsen's productions. This site is one of three museums dedicated to the playwright in Norway.

The Fredrikstad fortress is the only one in the country still standing with ramparts. Built between 1663 and 1666 by Willem Coucheron and his son Anthony Coucheron on the orders of the Danish-Norwegian King Frederik II, it is modelled on Dutch fortresses and features a wide moat which, curiously, forms a half-star shape around the old town. It was only attacked once, in 1814, during the war between Sweden and Norway.

Austrått has existed since the Renaissance. Its history is partly told in Ibsen's play Lady Inger of Austrått, which paints a powerful picture of the 16th-century mistress of Austrått. In the 17th century, the Danish governor Ove Bjelke had the medieval building razed to the ground and replaced it with the present castle dating from 1656. Austrått then became a defensive place, rearmed in an increasingly modern way for each era. Closed in 1968, it was renovated in 1990 and opened to visitors. Cafeteria and walking paths.

There was a fort here as early as 1307, but the present star-shaped fortress dates from 1730 and is based on the French model, with fortifications that allow the enemy to be seen wherever he is. The Lushaugen Museum is dedicated to polar expeditions and local life. It is the most northerly fort in the world, nicknamed Norway's border post in the northeast. Events are organized from time to time: concerts, readings, and even a language café.

Tønsberg was an important trading centre. Located in the town centre, it is the ruins of the most important Scandinavian castle built in the 13th century for King Håkon Håkonsson and his son, Magnus Lagabøter, and destroyed in 1503. Part of the castle walls and fortifications remain, as well as an observation tower, the royal hall and the church dating from 1191. Entrance fee required. A visit not to be missed if you decide to pass through the very charming town of Tønsberg.