Stavanger City Centre & Gamle Stavanger Self-Guided Walking Tour
Follow my Stavanger self-guided walking tour! Stavanger is Norway’s fourth-largest city and home to the oil industry. While much of the city has a modern feel, Stavanger is in fact one of the oldest cities in Norway. It was a known settlement during the Viking Age, and Stavanger Cathedral is regarded as the oldest and best-preserved cathedral in Norway. This walk will take you past the major highlights of the city as well as through the beautiful Gamle Stavanger neighbourhood.
Stavanger Self-Guided Walking Tour
Downloadable Version of This Guide
I offer downloadable versions of my self-guided walks on our online store.
Online Guide
- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the neighbourhood
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
Downloadable Guide
- Information about points of interest
- Images of each point of interest
- Historic overview of the city
- Directions between points
- Historic photos
Stavanger Self-Guided Walking Tour
This walk begins at the main square.
Torget
Torget is the central point of Stavanger and therefore a fitting place to start a walking tour. Throughout Stavanger’s history, the square has been an important gathering place and market place.
Until the 11th century, this place was a bay in the middle of a sandy beach. It was eventually filled in and extended. The square was probably owned by the bishop, who had a pier (Bispebrygga) built here and sand embankments were laid out. In the mid-13th century, a long quay was built over the lower part of the square. It’s not exactly known when the quay was redeveloped into a square, but it was first mentioned around the 16th century as a square. After being developed as a square, Torget also became the place where public executions were carried out, with neck irons being placed in the centre of the square.
The market here was very popular. The farmers sold handicraft products, fruit, vegetables, spice, butter, cake, hides, cod liver oil, honey, and cheese. Old items were also sold, like a flea market.
During World War II, the Nazis took over the square and built shelters here. The western part of the square was cut off with large fences and barbed wire.
Today Torget has a new fish market building and several restaurants. More houses originally stood here, but over the last century they were removed. All the old warehouses are now restaurants and bars.
In the square you’ll see a statue of Alexander Kielland, one of the most well-known people from Stavanger.
Byparken
Byparken is Stavanger’s central park. Until the 1960s, the park was owned by the Kongsgård property, and the part closest to the cathedral used to be a cemetery. It’s believed there was a lavish garden here as far back as 1299.
Kongsgård Royal Estate
Kongsgård is the site of a historic royal residence.
The first buildings on the site are believed to have been constructed around the year 1100, roughly the same time Stavanger Cathedral was built. The original buildings were wooden, but they were replaced with brick buildings at the beginning of the 13th century. The first written mention of the bishop’s residence was in 1297, and several rooms are mentioned as well as a farm and surrounding walls. The walls are believed to have been 2 metres thick, and parts can be seen on the side facing Haakon VII’s gate.
After the Reformation, the King took over the building and the function changed and it became an official residence for the sheriff and other county officials. There was an attempt to burn down the building by pirates in 1539, and by 1601 the complex was described as dilapidated.
Today it is a school
Stavanger Cathedral
Stavanger Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Norway and is also the cathedral that has retained its medieval appearance to the greatest extent and the only one that has been in continuous use since the 14th century.
Stavanger was founded in 1125, and this is also the time the cathedral was built. The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Swithun (his relic – an arm – was popular with pilgrims) and is designed in a Norman style, with basket-handle Romanesque arches. After a fire badly damaged the church in the 13th century, a new chancel was added in the Gothic style.
The cathedral became the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop after the Diocese of Stavanger was established. From the Reformation and a few years later, the diocese was governed from Bergen.
During a renovation in the 1860s, the cathedral’s exterior and interior were considerably altered. The stone walls were plastered and the cathedral lost much of its medieval appearance. In the mid-20th century, a major restoration aimed to reverse the changes.
Stavanger Cathedral is currently under a major restoration project that will last until 2025.
The Ruins of St. Mary's Church
This is the site where St. Mary’s Church stood from the 12th century until the 19th century, when it was torn down.
It is uncertain why St. Mary’s Church stood so close to Stavanger Cathedral. One theory is that is a replacement cathedral from the great fire of 1272. Above all, it took a long time to rebuild the cathedral, so it was necessary to have a temporary house of worship. Another theory is that it was a separate independent church. The church may be from the 12th century. Around that time churches called St. Mary’s went up in Nidaros, Bergen, Oslo and Tønsberg.
However, the church fell into disrepair after the Reformation in 1537. It became a hangout for the towns drunkards. In 1565, the town’s bourgeoisie took over the church and converted into a town hall and parliament. The city’s gallows stood outside. A prison was built in the church and developed a bad reputation for great suffering.
The church later became the local fire station as well (I guess the tower’s make for a good lookout!). Less than 20 years later, the fire brigade and prison moved out. A city engineer proposed that the building is antique and thus should be torn down. The city demolished the church in 1883.
It’s a little tricky to see the ruins, but if you look at the picture above, you’ll see they’ve put some picnic benches there!
Laugmannsgata
Laugmannsgata is one of the city’s oldest streets, linking Domkirkeplassen to the street Arneageren. The name comes from two lawyers who lived at the Bishop’s Estate in the 18th century.
Arneageren
Arneageren is a public square. It is home to the culture house, which was built in 1987. The culture house has various galleries, cafes, kiosks, a cinema, and an art school for kids.
The Film Theatre building is next to the culture house and is a little older (it’s the distinctive brown building). Dating to 1924, the building is designed in the neoclassical style. It is regarded as one of the most important representatives of this style in Rogaland county. The Film Theatre was rebuilt in connection with the culture house in 1988. The square is well-known in Stavanger and throughout the week there are political and religious organisations distributing brochures. There is also regular music from groups and street musicians.
Søregata
Søregata runs along the border of the old Arnegård farm. While the street itself is old, the exact age is unknown. In the 19th century, this street was known for its many eateries and bars. Many workers and sailors lived along this street and there was a liquor distillery at the end. The cafes would display the dish of the day in the window. It’s not like the Asian restaurants that have plastic displays in the window; these cafes would use real food. By the end of the day, the food had attracted many flies.
Kirkegata
Kirkegata is the first ever pedestrian street in Norway – announced in 1960. The name means ‘Church Street’, so the street leads to Stavanger Cathedral. If you turn left you’ll be at Stavanger Cathedral in two blocks.
It’s believed that Kirkegata was a street from before the year 1100. It’s had different names throughout history, including Urgata and Holmengata. Urgata refers to a natural clock. One theory is that building materials for Stavanger Cathedral were stored here, and that a wrecked stone was tipped down and turned into a clock. Holmen refers to the flat edge near the water – today it’s the name of the northern part of Stavanger inner city. After the fire of 1860, the street got the name Kirkegata.
Steinkargata
This is an old street that linked the two main streets Østervåg with Kirkegata. It previously had the name “The Street to Østervåg”, indicating its purpose. Today’s name refers to a stone vessel used to moor boats. A wharf called “Laksebrygga” (Salmon Wharf) used to be here. Until the 1850s, fishermen docked here. The 1860 fire destroyed both sides of the street, so everything was rebuilt after that.
Østervåg
We’ve made it to Østervåg! This is the city’s main street. The name roughly means ‘East Bay’ and refers to the stretch of sea nearby. Østervåg was the natural harbour for scheduled shipping traffic and the fishing fleet. The bay area used to have shipyards.
Østervåg is one of the most important streets from the Middle Ages. The property Arnegård was here, and Østevåg ran through it. The street linked the bishop’s pier (Bispebrygga) to the Stavanger Cathedral. Østervåg is first mentioned in 1297 in relation to this pier. It’s believed that this was the medieval town centre.
The area we are on is very narrow, but it gradually becomes wider. This marks where the 1860 fire spread. The narrower part of the street was untouched, whereas the wider part of the street had burned down and was regulated and levelled after the fire. The fire started at the corner of Østervåg and Breigata.
Norwegian Oil Museum
The Norwegian Oil Museum is an excellent place to learn about the Norwegian oil industry. The museum covers the entirety of Norway’s oil journey. It stars from early exploration to discovery, foreign help and current environmental concerns. The museum has a lot of information boards, photographs, footage, and objects used to help develop the oil platforms.
Øvre Holmegate
Øvre Holmegate – better known as ‘Fargegaten’ (The Colourful Street) – has become one of the most famous streets in Stavanger. It started in 2005, when hairdresser Tom Kjørsvik wanted to create a vibrant environment so more people would visit his salon. The houses were to be painted in a ‘Miami Vice’ colour scheme as proposed by the Scottish artist Craig Flannagan. It’s not about the individual colours, but rather everything working together.
Some of the building owners did not approve of the final design. Some owners didn’t want a pink house, for example, while some specifically wanted it. After each change was agreed on, the street was designed to create harmony. Only one building on the street chose not to participate.
Valberget
Valberget Viewpoint is the site of the city’s old fortress. The date of the fortress is unknown. The land was likely given to Stavanger during the Nordic Seven Years’ War in 1567. The city likely needed defence for the sea after the Swedes were trying to take Bergen from the sea in 1564.
Above all, fires have destroyed the fortress many times. There’s not much of the original fortress remaining. Its current appearance is from the 19th century. They had 12 12-pound cannons circling the tower. In 1840, they discarded the cannons when four men went on trial for refusing to shoot with them. They were acquired because the cannons were proven to be life threatening. Today the cannons are decorations on the viewpoint.
The tower is not original – it was built in 1850 and is a lookout tower.
Skagen
Skagen is a street that runs parallel along the bay, Vågen, linking Torget to Holmen. It is one of the city’s liveliest streets with many shops and nightclubs. But it is also home to some of Stavanger’s oldest buildings.
That is to say, the name Skagen is common all throughout Scandinavia and refers to a headland. It’s believed the street was here in the Middle Ages and is largely unchanged from the 13th century. Archaeological finds show that there were buildings here in the Middle Ages.
You are in the upper part of Skagen, making our way down to the lower and older part.
The Clarion Hotel is where a cannery used to be. The cannery ran for three generations before being demolished in 1964 and replaced with the hotel. For example, Chr. Bjelland & Co, is one of Stavanger’s most famous canneries (see the history section at the start of this guide).
As you walk along Skagen, you’ll notice many references to shipbuilding, merchants, and steamships (dampskip). It indicates what exactly this street was used for.
Skagen 18
Skagen 18 is one of the city’s oldest and most famous buildings. It is from after the 1684 fire, though a building stood here before then. The oldest known inhabitants are Sidsel Olsdatter Cruys and Albert Albertsen Libert. They aren’t famous Norwegians; just residents who have been remembered in history thanks to their house being the longest lasting. They lived here between 1687 and 1700. Moreover, inside the building are rosemaling decorations from before 1710. Merchant and shipowner Ole Smith Plow is the next owner; establishing his business in 1768.
Gamle Stavanger
The oldest and best-preserved neighbourhood in Stavanger is Gamle Stavanger (‘Old Stavanger’). Here you’ll find around 200 wooden houses that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The neighbourhood was built up as a result of rich herring fishing, shipping and shipbuilding, and Stavanger had a huge population growth as a result. This was primarily a working class neighbourhood.
After World War II, city planners wanted to rebuild the area with modern, concrete structures to have even more housing in the city. After the war, the houses of Gamle Stavanger were run down and seen as an undesirable place to live. Thanks to a campaign led by architect Einar Heden, the city council voted to conserve the area in 1956. Since then, many of the buildings have been restored.
When walking through Gamle Stavanger, this guide doesn’t go house-by-house as limited information is available on the specific houses. Rather, this guide will lead you on the prettiest route around the neighbourhood.
Stavanger Maritime Museum
The Stavanger Maritime Museum is located in two former warehouses. The museum itself covers the maritime history of Stavanger, including replica offices and stores through to archaeological finds, paintings of ships, model boats, and historic photos.
Øvre Strandgate
Øvre Strandgate is where the best wooden houses are preserved in Stavanger. Make your way down the street, admiring the old wooden houses along the way.
Norwegian Canning Museum
Located in an old sardine factory, this museum tells the story of the industry that saved Stavanger from economic collapse at the end of the 19th century. Canning remained Stavanger’s main source of employment until as late as 1960; in the 1920s there were 70 canneries in the city, and the last one closed down in 1983.
Øvre Strandgate 90
This is a restored residential house. The house is built in the Empire style and is an excellent example of what a residential building looked like in the 19th century. The house was built in 1836 by blacksmith Peder Pedersen Thilo, originally from Voss. The same family lived in the house for over four generations. The house was given to the Stavanger Museum in 1997 and opened to the public in 2000.
Villa Blidensol
Villa Blidensol is Stavanger’s oldest building, after the Cathedral and the Bishop’s Chapel.
Blidensol is first mentioned on a map in 1726. It is next mentioned in a written source in 1737. The building itself is thought to be from 1777, though some believe it is older – it’s hard to know what’s original, what was moved here, etc. The villa is built in an Empire style that was probably added in the period 1805-1820. Much of the interior is unchanged.
The first known owner is Laurits Andersen Smith (1680-1758). He bought several smaller plots and merged them into a large estate. The name isn’t very Norwegian; that is because he came from Scotland. Laurits is the son of Andrew Smith, who did the wood carvings inside Stavanger Cathedral. They owned the home until 1825. From then on, the large estate was continuously subdivided into smaller plots.
When lawyer Christen Iben Minos bought the house in the mid-1980s, it was quite decayed. He and his wife extensively restored and modernised the house, though keeping it in an old style. Today the villa is privately owned and it’s a little tricky to see.
Stavanger Tourist Office/Street Art
This walk ends outside the Stavanger Tourist Office, where you’ll also find this impressive street artwork showing the relationship between Stavanger and Houston, Texas, thanks to the oil industry.
Stavanger Self-Guided Walking Tour
Enjoy your walk around Stavanger! If you want a self-guided walk with more details, be sure to buy my downloadable Stavanger self-guided walking tour.