Cultural environment Archives

Eidsivathing

The basis for our democracy and in 2022 we celebrate the 1000th anniversary right here at Eidsvoll and Eidsivatinget!

Eidsivatinget was one of four regional settlements that together covered the whole of Norway from the Middle Ages. The task of things was to resolve conflicts in society and to use the law to judge fairly. The size of things varied over the years. At its largest, the Eidsivating includes the five "old" counties of Oppland, Hedmark, Akershus north of Oslo, Buskerud and Øvre Telemark (Numedal).

Eidsivatinget covered the entire Inland and much of Viken at its largest. Its twelve districts were then: Romerike, Ringerike, Land, Hadeland, Tverrdalene (Sigdal, Modum, Krødsherad), Øvre Telemark (with Numedal), Hedmark, Alvdalene (Østerdalen and parts of present-day Sweden (east to Särna)), Gudbrandsdalen, Lom , Lesja and Toten.

Olav 2. Haraldsson established the Eidsivating on Eid 17 June 1022. Eid, today Eidsvoll, had a strategic location as a hub for trade and transport. The waterways i.a. on Vorma and Mjøsa, were the «motorways» of the time, and at Eid there was a large harbor for boat traffic. The hollow road up to Tingvollen – Badebakken – today testifies to the centuries of traffic. At Tingvollen by Eidsvoll church, the meeting was held until about 1619/20. The parliament was held every year for a couple of weeks from Bottolvsmesse on June 17, and the king was usually present.

The establishment of Eidsivatinget in 1022 was of great importance for the development of the area and gave the place an identity that we want to promote.

The legacy of Olav the Holy has been an important factor in how the Norwegian rule of law developed through the Middle Ages and has left lasting traces in our own time. The people's rule of the Lagtings gave the people legislative and judicial power, which even the king had to abide by. It is difficult to imagine what society and everyday life would have been like in Norway without these values and principles. The celebration of Eidsivatinget's millennium anniversary is thus, in addition to a celebration of a historical event, even more an important celebration and reminder of the basis of our legal culture and democracy. Knowledge of the past is important to give us a broader understanding of our societal values today, and what kind of society we want to be a part of.

Drøbak

The narrow streets from 17-1800 century provide the small town its special "southern Norwegian" feel.
The center of the city is the meeting point and close to the centre you fin the idyllic "Badeparken – a place to take a swin.

In Drøbak you also find Tregaardens Christmas House and Santa's post office. Here is the largest permanent Christmas exhibition of all the letters Santa has got from all around the world – in the same place you also find the Tourist Information.
Welcome to the idyllic small town of Drøbak!!

Aur Prestegård

Heritage site including building with external gallery from 1703. The buildings arranged around a courtyard have architectural qualities and form a harmonic unit. Art exhibitions, summer exhibitions, cultural events, Xmas market, theme days, meetings, courses. Leasing of rooms.
Guided tours/catering by agreement.

The historic Eidsvoll – Vormavegen 1 – Brandtgården

Henrik Wergeland (1808-1845) was the most important and colorful cultural personality in Norway in the first half of the 19th century. He was born in Kristiansand and lived his first childhood there, and he lived most of his short life in Christiania (Oslo).

Nevertheless, he considered Eidsvoll his home village, where he developed a close relationship with the people and nature. The family moved here when his father became parish priest in Eidsvoll in 1817, and here Henrik spent long periods both while he went to school and studied in the town, and after he had finished his education, but did not get a priest's position.

Henrik Wergeland was primarily a poet. He wrote constantly, and there were thousands of printed pages: poems, plays, historical books and booklets, information leaflets, newspaper articles and debate posts – just about every type of text except novels. Everything is not gold, but among the best are some of the finest poems written in Norwegian. Henrik wrote verses on all kinds of subjects: happy and unhappy love, friendship, illness and death, politics, religion and not least nature:

Few, if any, writers in the world have names of more plant species in their texts. His father, Nicolai, had helped write the Constitution during the National Assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814. For Henrik, it was a main task to contribute to building the new Norway, with political freedom, national independence and its own literature and culture. He was an ardent patriot, as it was called. That is why he was eager to make the Eidsvoll building a national cultural monument and to make 17 May a public holiday.

The children also had to go along: "We are a nation, we together, we little ones a cubit long." But Wergeland was also concerned with the fight for freedom in other countries around the world. Wergeland was often enraged when he saw injustice. He scolded rich and powerful men who he believed treated poor people badly, also here in Eidsvoll. It led to many and lengthy court cases that almost ruined the poet. Another thing that angered him was animal cruelty. Henrik was one of the first in our country to fight for animal rights, including in the poem "Cast off, where the hill is too steep" and in "Veslebrunen's speech to humanity in humanity". Weslebrunen was the horse of Wergeland.

Henrik Wergeland was deeply religious, and he was a strong supporter of freedom for all religions. They were true in their own way and deserved respect. The constitution, of which Henrik was otherwise so proud, among other things denied Jews entry to Norway, and therefore he wanted the Storting to change that section.

It succeeded, but only after Henrik Wergeland died, aged just 37. With Nicolai, his wife Alette and their five children, a completely unusual family came to Eidsvoll.

Henrik became the great poet and the center of many kinds of debates, with both friends and enemies in large numbers. The sister Camilla wrote the first modern novel in Norwegian literature and was the one who first raised the fight for women's rights in Norway. The memory of both is still alive in the village. The quote has been chosen by Geir Uthaug.

Geologi center

The Geology Center in Slemmestad has an exhibition in the Trilobox containging fossils, rocks and minerals. A model shows the bedrock of Slemmestad which has a unique geology that we find only 3 places in the world.

In the outdoors, you can find octopus fossils, trilobites and snails that lived over 400 million years ago.

Slemmestad is a central part of the Oslo field and has a particularly complex geology. Next to Kolsås, this is probably the place in Norway most used for geological studies. Here you will find in a small area rich deposits of fossils and a wide variety of rocks from the earth's ancient times.

The fossils, which are perhaps the most fascinating, are found almost everywhere. You just need to know what to look for! The fossils here in the area date from the Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian periods, a period from 541 million to 419 million years ago. At that time, Slemmestad's seabed was in a relatively shallow sea. Here it was teeming with animals and plants. Some are similar to those we know today, while others look completely foreign.

The most famous fossils from Slemmestad are squid and trilobites. The trilobites were very common arthropods related to shrimp and crayfish. Along with them lived octopuses, snails and sea lilies. Most notable in recent years are the "football pitch fossils" nedt to Slemmestad Ungdomsskole. It is a relatively new and unique discovery: a gigantic petrified seabed that contains thousands of octopus fossils. In retrospect, a smaller part of the same area has been uncovered behind the local gas station. Both surfaces are full of squid and are a fascinating sight.

We recommend going to Slemmestad to see unique world-class stones and fossils. Visit us at the geology center for tips on where to go.

Member of Visit Greater Oslo

Salamanderparken på Holumskog

What can you experience in the park?

By being observant, you will be able to meet many of the park's residents. The boards will give you knowledge about the developmental stages of the animals, their appearance and their way of life. This happens through pictures, text and play. In the salamander park you will find as many as five of Norway's six naturally occurring amphibian species and as many as three of Norway's five land reptiles. This makes this place a regionally and nationally valuable area. It has a distinctive and partly dramatic history. The pond has been threatened by both development and fishing. But student participation, research and willingness to take care of the place, have led to this gem being taken care of.

So why not take the trip to Salamander Park yourself?

In the salamander park you will find as many as five of Norway's six naturally occurring amphibian species and as many as three of Norway's five land reptiles. This makes this place a regionally and nationally valuable area.

The park is adapted for prams and wheelchairs.

So take a trip and experience something exciting and different in combination with a trip to Gallery Würth and maybe a bite to eat at Mortens Kro!

Information from Visit Greater Oslo

Drøbak – history

In 1842, Drøbak was the first place to receive city status in Akershus. Ever since the Ice Age, people have lived at the narrowest point of the Oslofjord. The Vikings came with longships along the fjord and one of the courts was at Husvik. Settlement has taken place despite the steep slopes which made the work of transporting the materials up and down to the water hard and demanding. There have been several theories about Drøbak's origin and what it means. But that "Drugbakir" or "Drugibakki" comes from quite a hill is the most likely theory.

In the beginning, Drøbak was a modest beach town with fishermen's huts clinging to the rocks. At the beginning of the 18th century, business increased in Drøbak through the export of "Dutch beams" which were used in the large damming work in Holland. The timber was exported as beams because there was a lack of sawmill capacity in the area. The Dutch brought with them goods such as grain, groats, cheese, butter, fabrics, roof tiles and bricks. The city's greatness came with the merchants and sailing ships and the number of inhabitants eventually increased to 7-800 "souls" at the beginning of the 19th century. Drøbak had the designation "loading station" in the same way as Son and Hølen. Navigating large sailing ships in narrow waters was not easy, nor was sailing all the way to Christiania. Therefore, the skippers chose to unload and load in Drøbak.

Merchant Niels Carlsen was a very rich man, and a large sailing ship owner who owned 10 ships. In addition to the shipping business, he ran a timber trade and banking business.He selected one of his best plots of land and built Drøbak's first church with timber from his own forest. The church has had a central place in the city ever since. In 1787, the bishop's daughter Anna Pauludan (widow of Christen Carlsen) donated the property to support poor widows of the bourgeoisie and build a house for them. The house is the current "Hospital", which is also today a center for the elderly, and is a great neighbor to the church.

Two people were of great importance to Drøbak's development. One was magistrate Hans Peter Ellefsen who bought the property on the square known as "Skrivergården". The other was Frederik Ring who was a loyal man and adventurous person who had spent many years in South America. He established a trading business with the import of textiles. Ellefsen and Ring joined forces to establish Follo Sparebank in 1843.

The Drøbak strait strategic location meant that King Christian Frederik decided in 1814 that 3 cannon batteries should be built along the fjord. The fortifications were constantly expanded from 1846 and completed in 1853. During King Oscar the First's visit on 23 August 1855, the fortress was named Oscarsborg. Drøbak became a garrison town, and the relationship with the State and the military has been of great importance to the local community throughout the years. "Borgen" became a large and safe workplace for all kinds of craftsmen and professionals, and military personnel became visible elements in the Drøbak environment.

Østfoldmuseene – The Halden Canal Museum, Ørje

The Halden Canalmuseum, Ørje
The Halden Canalmuseum is part of the Østfold museums, and is located in the old wood grinding factory at Ørje Brug. The museum conveys the rich cultural and natural history associated with the Halden watercourse.

The Øsfold museums – The Halden Canalmuseum
In the heart of Ørje is the Halden Canalmuseum, where you can explore how natural forces and human efforts have shaped the watercourse through the ages. The museum takes you on a journey from the landscape of the Ice Age to the heyday of timberfloating.

Cultural history – the journey of the timber
Central to the cultural history exhibition is the log. By following its journey from the forest, through the river's waterways and up to the sawmills and wood mills, you will become familiar with the history of log timberfloating.
Meet the loggers, the rafters, the sawmill owners – and the canal builder Engebret Soot.

The Halden watercourse has been used for floating timber for over 500 years. The timber came from the forests in the north – of Nes, Sør-Odal and Eidskog, as well as from Swedish areas such as West Värmland and Dalsland, and was transported through the watercourse to Fredrikshald (Halden), where it was processed and exported to Europe.

At the museum you can also watch a film about the history of the river, made in 2016, which is shown in our small movie theater.

Natural history – the imprint of the ice age
In the museum's inner circle, the glacier leads you into the natural history section.The retreat of the ice after the last ice age shaped the landscape of the Halden watercourse, with lakes, rivers and wetlands.
This unique landscape is home to a rich diversity of species, including rare animal species – so-called ice age immigrants.

The museum has several aquariums where you can see freshwater fish, crayfish and other species from the watercourse, as well as the forest's birds and mammals – and for the extra interested: the tracks they leave behind.

The children's museum
Haldenvassdragets Kanalmuseum is an exciting place for families with children. For the little ones, the house in the “forest” is ready for play, while the slightly older children can investigate small animals in the exciting “water channel”.The outdoor area offers play equipment, and from the pier outside you can experience the boating life with the large steamboats that still serve Ørje.

Østfoldmuseene has museums and visitor venues throughout Østfold!
For opening hours and events, see our website
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for news, events and glimpses from the museums!

The Sunday town Drøbak

Unlike most Norwegian cities and towns where the shops are closed on Sundays, the small charming coastal town of Drøbak comes to life every Sunday with its small boutiques and cafes. Here the shops are open every Sunday, all year around.

The people of Drøbak are never in a rush and certainly not on a Sunday. Do as the locals; buy a coffee, take a walk surrounded by old historic wooden houses, visit some of the small unique fashion and interior shops or go to a gallery opening. Life is good in Drøbak, especially on sundays!

The narrow streets from 17-1800 century provide the small town its special "southern Norwegian" feel. The center of the city is the meeting point and close to the centre you fin the idyllic "Badeparken – a place to take a swin.

Shopping on a Sunday

You are welcome to explore Drøbak at your own pace and that goes for our unique shops too. Whether it is high-end fashion from Norwegian designers, Drøbak-designed Kashmir wool or Scandinavian interior homeware.

Most of these unique shops are located along Niels Carlsensgate, Storgata and around the main square. In the summer season there are also many vendors on the main square selling everything from vintage records to antiques.

Arts and culture

Drøbak has throughout the ages charmed artists, bohemians and writers, including Hans Gude, Oda and Christian Krogh and Knut Hamsun. As an arts center, Drøbak has several galleries. Local artist Reidar Finsrud has two galleries outside the city center, at Bilitt and at Torkilstranda. He has also made the bronze sculpture of the three ”The Mermaids of Drøbak” in Drøbak boat harbor.

The Norwegian Cartoonist Gallery Avistegnernes Hus shows drawings with meaning, expression-based art and is a tribute to the newspaper cartoonist Fredrik Stabel. Drøbak kunstforening (Art Association) curates exhibitions in the historic bathing building Varmbadet at Badeparken, with a stunning fjord view. Oslofjorden Kunstsenter, Creative Gallery & Framework Workshop, Drøbak Kunstnerforum and Gallery Havstad are all worth a visit. May-Britt Kjeserud is another artist who has a gallery in the center, while Gallery Vera is on the way to Torkilstranda. In the center of Drøbak, the former Munich-based goldsmith Walter Hensel also has his own workshop called Gullsmed Atelieret, together with his Norwegian partner Marit Falch.

Family fun

Drøbak is also a great place to visit with your family. Follo museum is a child-friendly open-air museum at Seiersten, 15 minutes’ walk from the center of Drøbak. Here you can see old cultural-historical buildings from the local area. New this year «The Museum Mystery», is an experience for the whole family, with challenging riddles and puzzles to solve a mystery. They also have guided tours.

Follo museum is also very close to the community swimming complex Bølgen Bad, another family favorite. Just next to Bølgen you also find a Skate Park for the kids. Drøbak is home to the only aquarium in the eastern part of Norway – Drøbak Akvarium, located in the same building as the Tourism Information Center, is also open on Sundays. Here you will learn more about the rich wildlife of the Oslofjord and the kids will love meeting the Atlantic wolffish «Hugo» – the aquariums mascot.

In Drøbak you also find Tregaardens Christmas House and Santa's post office. The yellow wooden house in Drøbak square is the Nordic region’s only year-round Christmas house and a must-see attraction. In Drøbak harbor you will also find the Santa Claus traffic sign, right outside the Tourist Information Office.
Welcome to the idyllic small town of Drøbak!!

Member of Visit Greater Oslo

Drøbak – home of artists

It was here that Tidemand and Gude met for the last time. Christian Krohg also spent many summers in Drøbak in the years 1904 to 1912, at this time he had no permanent residence. Chr Krogh was constantly seen wandering around in a dressing gown and slippers in search of picture frames and paintings, or a trip to "Samlaget" after a good drink. He enjoyed chatting with the residents and found many of his models through these meetings.

Krogh was temperamental and committed to society and was not afraid to express his opinion on developments. He believed that art should serve a social function and painted the painting "Albertine in the police doctor's waiting room" which hangs in the National Gallery, and wrote the book "Albertine". This was seized already on the day of publication for the mention of sexual life and Krogh was fined NOK 100 by the Supreme Court.

Drøbak's own Anton Thoresen (1884-1968) was a well-liked painter. In he depicted his home town in hundreds of pictures and a Thoresen picture hung in most homes and he decorated the walls of the Reenskaug hotel where Knut Hamsun also has his own room on the floor above reception.

"Fiskekroken" alley

One of the city's most beautiful streets is Fiskekroken with its beautifully preserved wooden houses and rose gardens. An alley between the square and the harbour. The families of the fishermen who lived here rented out their houses to bathers to earn an extra penny. They themselves moved to the outhouse and life took place around the simple jetty where the boats were moored, the nets hung out to dry and where the water post called gossip bank, was the meeting place for exchanging the latest news among the local residents.

Artist town with 10 galleries

Today, Drøbak is a vibrant city of artists with a number of galleries, artist workshops and great shops with design, fashion and interior design in the narrow streets in and outside the city core.