Monuments to visit Fredrikstad

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.

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.