Kristiansand

  • Kristiansand, National Highways, Road-trips

    Drive it Yourself: Telemarkveien (Rv41) from Kristiansand to Brunkeberg

    Drive it Yourself: Telemarksveien (Rv41)

    The Rv41, also known as Telemarksveien (or Telemarksvegen) is a truly remote road. This journey from Kristiansand to Brunkeberg takes you through one of the least populated places south of the Arctic Circle. Along the way, you’ll pass historic farming towns and the famous lake Nisser.

    In this article...

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View on Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    The drive: the Rv41 from Kristiansand to Brunkeberg

    Kristiansand

    Kristiansand was established in 1641 and is named after the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV (who also renamed Oslo after himself to Kristiania). The city is strategically located on the Skaggerak coast and used to be an important military base as all traffic had to pass here in and out of the Baltic Sea. Kristiansand was also an important shipbuilding harbour, and experienced its golden age after the American Revolutionary War and up to the Napoleonic wars.

    Kristiansand Travel Guide

    Tveit

    Town
    Tveit is the first town you pass through after leaving Kristiansand. The town has a population of 1,600 people. It has an Air Force School because of its proximity to the Kristiansand airport. The name comes from the Old Norse word ‘Tveit’, which refers to a separated land or a cleared area of land. Tveit Church (Tveit Kirke) is a stone church from the 12th century. It is clearly marked from the highway.

    Birkenes Municipality

    Agriculture and forestry are important industries in Birkenes. The largest company here is the 3B fiberglass company. The Norwegian Institute for Air Research is located here, and it is one of the most important stations in Europe for measuring trans-boundary air pollutants and climate drivers in Europe. 

    Birkenes Church

    Church
    Birkenes Church is from 1858 and replaced an earlier church on the site. The church is fairly unique for Norway as it is constructed in a Byzantine/Romantic style. The church is located by the highway.

    Mollestadeika

    Famous Tree
    The Mollestad Oak is an oak tree close to the village of Mollestad. It is one of the largest trees in Norway, with a circumference of 9.2 metres (30 feet) and a height of around 12 metres (43ft). Estimates of the age are between 450 and 550 years, but there are also outliers to around 1000 years. The nickname Vetteika comes from the vaettir. She believed that when the farm builder died, he returned as a guardian spirit. The trees that grew around his burial mound were protected and the surrounding land sacred. It was believed that when these trees were damaged this would bring bad luck. To ensure everything went well, sacrifices were made to the tree, including the first brewed beer of the year. The tree is marked with a white sign from the highway.

    Birkeland

    Town
    Birkeland has a population of around 3000 people. A short drive out of town is the Birkenes Bygdemuseum, an open-air museum that is home to the Myhre Peat Litter Factory (Myhre torvstrøfabrik), a museum about a factory that produced peat that was sold to the cleaning works in the cities. Peat litter is used as a component in power, commercial fertilised produced from doe waste.

    Froland Municipality

    Froland Municipality is a largely forested municipality. The coat-of-arms shows a squirrel, which is supposed to represent the forests. An ironworks was founded here in the 18th century and was the main industry until forestry and saw-milling took over in the 19th century. In 2008 there was a forest fire in Froland that is regarded as one of the worst forest fires in history. Over 10,000 acres of forest burned and were fought by around 300 men from the fire brigade, the Home Guard, the civil defence and the red cross. The smell of the smoke could be felt all the way to Thisted in Denmark. Several cabins burned, but no homes were damaged in the fire.

    Åmli Municipality

    Åmli municipality is a forested municipality. The municipality is linked to the beaver, which is clear from the coat-of-arms. It shows a standing white beaver on a blue background. When the beaver was about to become extinct in Eurasia who guys from Åmli were central to saving the remaining Norwegian population. Around 1900, the global population of Eurasian beaver numbered around 1200. The population in Norway was between 60-100. These two men started introducing more beavers and the population grew. In 1918, the population was 7000. Today it is more than 70,000 in Norway and more than 130,000 (originating from southern Norway) in Sweden. Some were also taken to other European countries. The global population has now passed one million. Åmli is home to Scandinavia’s most modern sawmill. The sawmill began operation in 1971 and has been expanded several times.

    Dølemo

    Town
    Dølemo is a historic meeting place. In old times, people would meet here for markets and horse races. The town emerged as a densely populated place around 1880. A surplus of people living in the surrounding farm hamlets, together with the need for other services that could provide livelihoods for people, meant that Dølemo eventually became a centre. Agriculture is the main industry here, and beekeeping has traditionally been an important livelihood with many large producers. Vehus Bigård is still one of the largest honey producers in Southern Norway. Dølemo is known for its annual market, which started in 1980. The market gathers 15,000 visitors a year to a traditional market.

    Åmli

    Town

    Åmli town is the administrative centre of the municipality. Åmfoss Bridge is from 1918 and is one of Northern Europe’s longest stone bridges. Åmli Church is a long church from 1909. It replaced the previous church that burned down on Palm Sunday in 1907.

    Elvarheim Hunting Museum is a museum all about (you guessed it) hunting traditions in Norway.
    You can find more information on their website:
    https://www.kubenarendal.no/lokale-museer/elvarheim-museum

    Nissedal Municipality

    The municipality surrounds the lake Nisser. There are over 1,750 large and small bodies of water and lakes, so the main industry here is hydropower. The name comes from the folkloric creature Nisse. In the 19th century, M.B Landstad suggested that the nisse came from this municipality because there the gnome tradition must have been so alive that Landstad thought the place was named after them. The municipality is actually named after the Lake Nisser, which comes from the Old Norse word referring to a rushing sea. In any case, now the municipality is associated with the nisse and this is reflected in the coat-of-arms. Beaver, roe deer, badger, elk, red fox, porcupine, marten, lemur, hare and viper are found here. Wolf and lynx are very rare. The main industry is agriculture, forestry, the wood industry, and power production.

    Treungen

    Town
    Treungen is a town with a population of 550. It is located at the southern end of the lake Nisser. The town has been closely associated with the city of Arendal throughout history because the lake was part of the Arendal water system. Treungen was an important hub where timber was towed here on the lake before it was sent on its journey towards Arendal. Tveitsund Bride is a historic bridge from 1919 and is the country’s second-longest stone vault bridge with a span of 51 metres. The bridge is known for its high-class engineering. Before there was a bridge, there was a ferry going across. Many people from the village participated in the construction work.

    Nisser Lake

    Lake

    The Nisser is a lake in the Telemark region. It is the second largest lake in telemark with a length of 35km. The tourist industry began around the lake in the 1960s and is a popular place to go swimming in the summer. Whoever buys a fishing license can fish for trout, char, whitefish, and perch.

    Nissedal Church

    Church

    Nissedal Church (Kirke) is a church from 1764. The church is located by the highway on the northbound side.

    Kviteseid Municipality

    Kviteseid is a municipality in the upper part of Telemark. The municipality has existed since the Middle Ages and was an important administrative centre in Telemark. Kviteseid was originally an agricultural community without any real urban development. The most important industries here are still agriculture and forestry, though tourism is on the rise.

    Kviteseid is known for its distinctive cultural traditions, including folk music, arts and crafts, food and architecture. The dialect in Kviteseid is one of the Norwegian dialects that has preserved the most features from Norse and is close to the most conservative form of nynorsk.

    Kviteseid Bygtun

    Museum

    Kviteseid Bygdetun is an open-air museum that is located by the Kviteseid old church and Kviteseid farm. It is in one of Norway’s oldest rural areas. The site has 12 buildings that have been moved from various farms in the district throughout the 20th century. The oldest building is from the 16th century.

    Kviteseid Church

    Church

    The church is from the 13th century. For long periods, especially in the 17th century, the church was the religious and official centre, and the area has been important since ancient times. The church is built in the Romanesque style.

    The church is located next to the historic Kviteseid farm. The farm has been inhabited for over 1000 years and is in the historic centre of the town. For many hundreds of years the farm was the official farm for the parish priest in Kviteseid. The main building burned down in 1764 and the farm was rebuilt in 1769. Today the yard consists of seven buildings forming a square.

    After the old church you will cross two bridges. The second bridge crosses the famous Telemark Canal.

    Kviteseid

    Town

    Kviteseid is a small town with a population of around 800. It is not where the original town was; the original town was closer to the old church. However, the modern town centre was built here. The opening of the Telemark Canal brought a lot of traffic to the region, and this led from Kviteseid being a small settlement to being a modern village.

    Kviteseid has a long tradition in butter production. The first dairy came in the 1890s, and ever since then the town has been known for its butter production.

    Brunkeberg

    Town

    Brunkeberg is a small settlement. Norway’s first teacher’s school was located here. Today the school building has been moved and is being used as a private cottage. Brunkeberg Church is from 1790.

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Kristiansand, National Highways, Road-trips

    Drive it Yourself: Setesdalveien (the Rv9) from Kristiansand to Haukeli

    Drive it Yourself: Setesdalsveien (Rv9)

    The Rv9 highway from Kristiansand to Haukeli covers southern Norway truly off-the-beaten path. The highway is often nicknamed Setesdalsveien as you’ll travel through the Setesdalen valley. The road itself has been constructed in various stages due to the remoteness and therefore difficulty of the region. The most difficult stretches of road are now tunnels. The Setesdal valley is known for its rich culture and traditions, and the first mention of people in this valley is from the 12th century.

    In this article...

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View on Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    The drive: the Rv9 from Kristiansand to Haukeli

    Kristiansand

    Kristiansand was established in 1641 and is named after the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV (who also renamed Oslo after himself to Kristiania). The city is strategically located on the Skaggerak coast and used to be an important military base as all traffic had to pass here in and out of the Baltic Sea. Kristiansand was also an important shipbuilding harbour, and experienced its golden age after the American Revolutionary War and up to the Napoleonic wars.

    Kristiansand Travel Guide

    Mosby

    Town

    Mosby is the northernmost part of the Kristiansand municipality and has a population of 2000.

    Vennesla Municipality

    The first people came to this municipality in the Stone Age. Until industrialisation at the end of the 19th century, people here lived on agriculture, forestry and salmon fishing. The river was used as part of the timber export, and many sawmills were located along the river.

    Salmon has been important to Vennesla and early on attracted foreigners to the village to fish. The most famous foreign salmon fishermen from earlier times are the English noble family Hawkshaw. Salmon disappeared in the early 1960s as a result of the river being polluted by emissions from the timber factory Hunsfoss. The river was cleaned in the 1990s and it is now possible to fish for salmon but only with a license. Hunsfoss was the largest workplace until it went bankrupt in 2011 after 125 years of operation. The main industries today are forestry.

    Vigeland Hovedgård

    Historic Site

    Vigeland Hovedgård is a manor house located in the town of Vikeland. The property is from 1847, though it is sitting on the foundations of the old main building that was demolished. The property was built by a Swiss man called Caspar Wild, who owned a sawmill and Kristiansand and wanted a house for the summer. In 1894 the farm was sold to the Englishman John Clarke Hawkshaw.

    Today the building is a restaurant or you can go on a salmon safari here.

    Øvrebo

    Settlement

    Øvrebo is a small settlement. In the period between World War I and World War II, a ski was found in a bog. The ski is the oldest ski in Norway and is on display at the Ski Museum at Holmenkollen in Oslo. It is believed to be from the Bronze Age.

    Hægeland

    Town

    Hægeland is a small town with a population of 364. In older, times, the population would be over 700. Hægeland is known for having a strong Christian congregational life, and the famous healing preacher Svein-Magne Pedersen had his offices here.

    Hægeland Church is from 1830. The oldest mention of a church in history is from 1565. In the 17th century, the church owned several cows that were rented out to farmers. The church was in bad condition by the end of the 17th century and was sold by the King into private hands. The old church was demolished in 1829 and replaced with the present church.

    Evje and Hornnes Municipality

    Evje and Hornnes is a municipality that was created when two separate municipalities were merged in 1960. The municipality is rich in old cultural landscapes and has several distinctive cultural monuments after mining. For example, the Flåt nickel mine, formerly Northern Europe’s largest nickel mine, is located here.

    This is one of the largest ‘moose municipalities’ in Southern Norway. Some landowners run hunting rentals for both deer and small game.

    Evje

    Town

    Evje is the administrative centre of the municipality and has a population of 2,500 people. The town grew in association with mining that took place in the area, especially the nickel refinery that is now a museum. Called the Flåt nickel mine, the mine opened in 1872 and closed in 1946. For a time, it was the largest nickel mine in Europe and was even the world’s largest for a short period in the 1880s. There are several paths that you can follow at the site. This is a short detour out of Evje.

    Another interesting attraction in Evje is the Galteland stone, a rune stone from the beginning of the 11th century. The original is kept at the Cultural History Museum in Oslo, while in Evje there is a replica.

    Otra River

    River

    The Otra is the largest river in Southern Norway. It is 246km long and starts at the high end of the Setesdal valley and empties out into the harbour near Kristiansand. There are salmon in the river and some salmon fishing is permitted with a licence.

    Bygland Municipality

    Bygland is a municipality in the valley and traditional region of Setesdal. About 80% of the municipality consists of mountains, bogs, water, pastures, and forest. The river Otra runs through the valley and the municipality. The coat-of-arms represents the lynx, which can be found in the municipality. The lynx are sometimes hunted if they are causing losses to the sheep herd.

    Byglandsfjord

    Town

    Byglandsfjord is the municipal centre and has a population of 330. The town is a communications hub that developed at the beginning of the 20th century. Here there was a change from transport on land to see. Byglandsfjord station was the end point for the Setesdalsbanen that ran down to Kristiansand. From here, transport was done on boat. The veteran boat DS Bjoren does summer routes from Byglandsfjord via Bygland to Ose. In Byglandsfjord is a Tine factory that produces butter.

    Byglandsfjord station is a historic building in town. The station is built in ‘dragestil’ or the dragon style.

    Grendi

    Town

    Grendi is a small village with an interesting building. The Landeskogen Tuberculosis Sanatorium is in Grendi. It was the first of a series of government health measures against tuberculosis at the beginning of the 20th century. The buildings are from 1912 and the sanatorium opened in 1916. It could fit 134 patients. In 1962, the building was turned into a home for the developmentally disabled, and in 2005 the Pentecostal congregation Filadelfia in Kristiansand opened a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts. In 2010, Aktive Fredsreiser established the non-profit Landeskogen peace centre, which it still is today.

    Årdal Church is an octagonal church from 1828. In the cemetery is a monument for Even Thorkildsen Lande, a politician who was active during the writing of the Norwegian constitution. The current church likely replaces a stave church from before the year 1300.

    Hanehaug

    Historic Site

    North of Bygland is Hanehaug, a burial mound and archaeological site. Here graves have been found from the Stone Age, Iron Age, Bronze Age, Migration Period and Viking Age at Nese in Bygland. The diameter of the bound is 16 metres.

    King Hane is said to have lived here in the 11th century and ruled over the whole of Bygland. Legend says that St. Olav came on a Christian journey to Setesdal. King Hane gathered an army from all the surrounding villages to fight against the King. The battle is said to have taken place in an area north of Bygland. King Hane fell and was buried in Hanehaug. His holy white troll cow, Audhumbla, was buried in a mound next to him.

    The site is marked with a white sign that says “Gravfelt”

    Valle Municipality

    Valle is a largely forested municipality with most of the settlement living along the river Otra. In older times, when the road to the mountains was more important, the communications conditions were such that Valle and the rest of Setesdal was very isolated from the west of the country. At Lysebotn in the western part of the municipality there was a meeting point between the people from Western Norway and the people from Setesdalen. Because of its isolation, Valle has unique cultural traditions. The instrument “Munnharpe” is important here, along with the fiddle. Valle also has a unique folk costume.

    Valle has a special secondary school for students who want to learn to be a goldsmith. Hydropower is an important income for the municipality.

    Rysstad

    Settlement

    Rysstad is a hamlet that is regarded as the cultural centre of Valle. Rysstad is the historic centre of the municipality. In Rysstad you’ll find Hylestad Church (Hylestad Kyrkja) – it’s by the highway. It is an octagonal church from 1839 and seats 200. In the church are copies of the Hylestad Portal, with motifs from the legend of Sigurd Fåvnesbane. The portal came from the stave church that used to stand on the site. Hylestad Stave Church was demolished in the 17th century.

    Sylvartun

    Historic Site

    Sylvartun is a historic building that is on the northbound side of the highway. The folk music environment in Setesdal is in many ways unique with strumming on the Hardanger fiddle and harmonica, kveding and dance handed down in an unbroken tradition. The oldest practitioners today learned everything the old-fashioned way – directly from fellow villagers who were born at the end of the 19th century.

    In addition, music and dance have for a long time been mediated through performers at a very high artistic level. Folk music is one of the trademarks of Setesdal that people expect when they come to the valley.

    From its establishment in 1961 until the end of the 2000s, through four decades, Sylvartun was the central sylvsmed and folk music arena in Setesdal. Setesdalsmuseet has seen it as a task to make arrangements so that Sylvartun can welcome visitors again. There are new exhibitions with a focus on musical instruments and visualization of music and dance traditions in Setesdal but with great transfer value to the surrounding area. We call it a center for intangible cultural heritage.

    In addition to being an exhibition arena, Sylvartun is also an activity center and an offer for children and young people in the whole valley with a view to promoting intangible cultural heritage as a practice arena for the playground, cultural school, etc.

    The museum is open in the summer months. https://www.setesdalsmuseet.no/faste-utstillingar/sylvartun/

    Valle

    Town

    Valle is the administrative centre of the municipality and has a population of around 300. The town used to be a popular destination for artists and there were three hotels in the town. Valle is also where the secondary school for goldsmiths is.

    Hovden

    Town

    Hovden is a population of 410 and is a large centre for tourism. Hovden is particularly known for its ski facilities. Before the ski facilities were constructed in the 1980s, the region was mapped and excavated to look for remains from the iron mining in the Viking age. Hovden holds the cold record for the county, with the temperature reaching – 38C in 1982.

    The Hovden Iron Museum is a museum about the history of iron ore in the region. The area was mined during the Viking and Middle Ages.

    Vinje Municipality

    Vinje municipality is a remote municipality with about 1.2 inhabitants per square kilometre. The municipality is located at the northern end of Telemark and extends into the Hardangervidda National Park.

    Haukeli

    Town

    Haukeli is a small settlement. Here you’ll find a café and place to eat called “Haukelo Turisthem”. Haukeli is the last settlement in Telemark you’ll visit before crossing over into the county of Vestland, which is part of western Norway.

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View on Store
  • History, Kristiansand

    The History of Kristiansand – Norway’s Southernmost Major City

    The History of Kristiansand

    The history of Kristiansand is quite fascinating for a city that is considered to be ‘new’ by Norwegian stands. Only founded in the 17th century, Kristiansand was established because of its strategic location on the tip of southern Norway on the Skaggerak strait – the important crossing from the North Sea into the Baltic Sea. However, even though the city is only around 400 years old, traces of settlement show that people have lived here for thousands of years. 

    Here is a summarised history of Kristiansand with a focus on places you can visit when you visit this lovely city. 

    The History of Kristiansand

    The E39 Highway

    Kristiansand is located on the E39, the main highway along the west coast. You can find my guide to the E39 by clicking the link below. 

    The E39 Highway
    Kristiansand Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Kristiansand, including practical information and things to do. 

    Prehistoric Kristiansand

    In recent years, there have been a number of important discoveries showing life in prehistoric Kristiansand. The most important find is the Søgne woman, the oldest human discovery in Norway. She was discovered in 1994 one metre below the surface in the neighbourhood of Søgne. The skeletal parts have been dated to 7910 – 7600 BC. 

    There has also been a discovery of a settlement from the Stone Age at the place Grauthelleren in the neighbourhood of Fidje, located on the south-east coast of Kristansand city centre. It is not possible to visit this site, though. Additional traces of settlement, including a round house and pit, were discovered under cultivated land in the 1970s. Uniquely, round houses are not common in Norway. 

    Oddernes & Settlement in the Middle Ages

    The earliest traces of permanent settlement have been found in the neighbourhood of Oddernes to the north of current-day Kristiansand. Pits, houses and pottery have been found along with evidence of pagan worship.

    The compact burial ground known as Klempegravene på Odderenes (not accessible) is one of southern Norway’s largest burial grounds in pre-Christian times. 

    An important testimony of a larger and organised society over more than 1,000 years is Oddernes Church, built in 1040. Inside the church’s armoury is a large runestone called the Oddernessteinen, which mentions Saint Olav. The fact that the church is built in stone symbolises wealth and status, meaning Oddernes must’ve been an important place. The stone originally stood outside the church but has since been moved inside. 

    Oddernes Church

    Oddernes Church is the oldest building in Kristiansand. The first church to be located here may have been built by Øyvind, the godson of Olav the Holy. The middle part of the church is the oldest part and dates back to the 12th century. The church was expanded after the Reformation. In the churchyard, burial mounds indicate this was an important place back to 400AD, and there used to be a royal farm here.

    It is possible to visit Oddernes Church. The church is located just off the E18 highway at this address: Jegersbergveien 2

    Trade & Shipping Traffic in the 16th Century

    The interest in southern Norway as a trade hub is thanks to the Dutch, who began to compete with the powerful German Hanseatic League in the 16th century. Therefore, the Dutch began trading in Mandal, close to Kristiansand, around 1450. Danish ships arrived around the same time to trade, while ships from Scotland came in 1520. For the Dutch, it was the timber trade that was most of interest, especially oak. 

    Before the Kiel Canal was constructed, the area around Kristiansand was of strategic importance because the naval base could control access to the Danish straits and Baltic Sea. Because of that, the Danes also established a military base here. 

    Establishment of Kristiansand under Christian IV

    The eccentric but heavily influential King Christian IV visited the area around Kristiansand twice – in 1630 and 1635. He saw the flat plain by the sea being used for pastures and envisioned a city with large, wide streets in a grid pattern according to the Renaissance ideals of the time (called kvadraturen). 

    “Christiansand” (original spelling) was founded by King Christian IV on the 5th of July, humbly naming the city after himself. The town got its Renaissance grid plan, and merchants in the county of Agder were ordered to move to the town. In return, they would get trade privileges and ten years of tax exemption. 

    Kristiansand quickly became the southernmost major city in Norway.

    Shortly after its founding, two new fortresses were built: Fredriksholm and Christiansholm. 

    Fra Frederik 5s atlas. Source: Riksarkivet, Oslo, Norway

    Fredriksholm Fortress

    Fredriksholm fortress was completed in 1662 and is named after the Danish King Fredrik III. The fortress closed in 184, though was partly restored in 1874. When Roald Amundsen was setting out on his expedition to the South Pole in 1910, the harbour here was the last stop in Norway before his departure. At the fortress, almost 100 Greenland dogs were waiting to come aboard the ‘Fram’ ship. 

    The remains of the fortress can be seen, but the fortress is out on an island and difficult to get to. 

    Christiansholm Fortress

    Christiansholm Fortress was part of the plan for Kristiansand when Christian IV founded the city. Construction was completed in 1672, though many extensions were made after that. The facilities were mentioned at the same level as Akershus Fortress in Oslo and Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen. The fortress was closed in 1872. Today you can take a ferry to visit and there are regular cultural events held here. 

    As Kristiansand grew, it overtook other Norwegian cities for important things. For example, in 1682 the King moved the episcopal seat from Stavanger to Kristiansand. 

    The town experienced its first major fire in 1734, when 333 houses were destroyed. 

    Shipbuilding emerged as a major industry in Kristiansand throughout the 18th century. 

    Naopoleonic Wars

    The Napoleonic Wars with the accompanying blockade and naval war caused an upswing in trade for Kristiansand, but with the declaration of war from England came years of emergency.

    Denmark-Norway supported France and was therefore exposed to attacks from the British on Danish-Norwegian ship. The British liner HMS Spencer entered the Kristiansandsfjord on the 18th of September 1807 and were fired upon from Christiansholm fortress. The British captured the disused Fredriksholm fortress, which was blown up and destroyed. 

    The story of Terje Vigen is from this time. You can read the poem and some background into the poem by clicking here. 

    French troops were garrisoned in Kristiansand during the Napoleonic Wars, often in private homes. The rented quarters got the nickname Pose Byen (French town) and this neighbourhood still has that name.

    In the early 19th century, Kristiansand was known to be a dangerous and lawless harbour town, but eventually a Pietist revival as a reaction to these conditions came. 

    Posebyen

    Posebyen is the name of the charming neighbourhood in the eastern part of Kristiansand. The neighbourhood has one of the biggest collection of wooden houses in Norway.

    19th Century Growth

    Throughout the 19th century Kristiansand remained an important port of call for goods leaving Norway, and this created massive fortunes in the city.

    In the 1830s, growth in Norwegian shipping was centered on Kristiansand. From the middle of the 19th century, Kristiansand and Arendal advanced to become the world’s leading shipping cities. 

    Arendal Travel Guide

    The ships sailed with timber and lumber ot England, carried grain to Russia, the United States and Canada, and carried cotton to the West Indies. Some even went as emigrant ships to the United States. However, towards the end of the 19th century, both cities held onto sailing ships for too long as steamships began to overtake trade. Because of that, the shipping industry began to dramatically decline. The largest shipping company in Norway in the 1890s was Stray, which had 70 sailing ships and 15 steamships. 

    An important event for the city was the establishment of Eg Sindssygeasyl in 1891, the second central psychiatric institution in Norway after Gaustad. The psychiatric hospital attracted highly trained doctors to the city and was a pioneering institution in Norwegian psychiatry. It also provided many jobs for women.

    The last major fire in Kristiansand happened in 1892, when the southern half of Kvadraturen up to Rådhusgata was destroyed. 

    World War I and the Interwar Period

    During World War I, Kristiansand was a neutral shipping town. The town grew thanks to this economic boost, and banks and trading houses were built.

    However, during the Interwar Period there was a housing shortage after a strong population growth, and unemployment intensified social problems. Kristiansand became a centre for intellectuals. Bauhaus architect Thilo Schoder came here, escaping Hitler’s Germany in 1932. Arnulf Øverland was also a frequent guest of the city. 

    Thilo Schoder

    Thilo Schoder was a famous Bauhaus architect from Germany. He escaped Hitler’s Germany in 1932 to come to Kristiansand. He was arrested by the Nazis in Kristiansand in May 1940 but survived the war by designing barracks for the Nazis. The long blocks of flats in Solbygg (pictured left) are architectural highlights of functionalism in Norway. 

    Arnulf Øverland

    Arnulf Øverland was a Norwegian writer, poet, critic and advocate of the national language. He was the last person in Norway to be prosecuted for blasphemy, in 1933, after giving the lecture “Christianity – the tenth scourge of the land” in Oslo. He was also very critical of Nazism, and in 1936 wrote the poem “You Must Not Sleep”. It ends with: “I thought: Now something is happening. / Our time is over – Europe is burning». A well-known part from the poem reads: “You must not bear so heartily / the injustice that does not affect you!”

    Øverland was one of the Norwegian delegates to the Hague Congress in 1948, which laid the foundations for the European Convention of Human Rights and the Council of Europe.

    World War II

    Kristiansand was attacked on the 9th of April 1940 by the Nazi naval forces. On board were approximately 1,100 landing troops. The fortress on Odderøya fell. German troops occupied the city. The Nazis built coastal fortifications and took over the military bases.

    Postwar Period

    During the reconstruction after the war, Lund was developed with unique houses in the Bauhaus style, designed by Thilo Schoder.

    Lund in Kristiansand

    Lund is a neighbourhood to the east of Kristiansand. Traces of people have been found back to the early Iron Age, through the Viking Age and up to the early Middle Ages in some places. There has been settlement here since the Stone Age. In the Viking Age, there was a nobleman’s farm here. The area has eventually been developed into a neighbourhood and now the University of Agder is located here.

    In the 1980s, the city’s industry and business were down, and only two shipping companies were left in town. In the 1990s the engineering community began to emerge and develop companies for ship and offshore equipment, safety technology and well drilling.

    Kristiansand also became one the country’s leading locations for telephone sales and call centres, with more than 1,000 employees in this industry.

    The E39 Highway

    Kristiansand is located on the E39, the main highway along the west coast. You can find my guide to the E39 by clicking the link below. 

    The E39 Highway
    Kristiansand Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Kristiansand, including practical information and things to do. 

  • Arendal, Drammen, European Highways, Grimstad, Kragerø, Kristiansand, Larvik, Oslo, Porsgrunn, Road-trips, Sandefjord, Scenic Drives, Tønsberg

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18

    Drive from Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18! The E18 is a major highway running through Scandinavia. Starting over in St. Petersburg, the highway travels across Finland and via ferry to Stockholm, where it can then be followed all the way to Kristiansand. There used to be a ferry across to England, which is where the E18 continues over to Ireland, however the ferry is no longer operating. Still, it is an interesting highway to follow.

    This guide follows the stretch from Oslo to Kristiansand. Along the way, you pass a number of interesting historic port communities, and many are worth spending time in. The drive from Oslo to Kristiansand isn’t long – only 4 hours – but allow an extra day or two so you can enjoy all the stops along the way. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

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    Online Guide
    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way
    Downloadable Guide
    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18

    Oslo

    This drive begins in Oslo, Norway’s capital city. You can find a detailed overview of Oslo via our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Oslo's Neighbourhoods

    Neighbourhoods

    As you drive out of Oslo you will pass the affluent neighbourhoods of Sandvika and Asker. 

    Lier Municipality

    Lier municipality is known for its agriculture, and is regularly nicknamed the strawberry municipality, or the apple and vegetable municipality. It has also been nicknamed ‘the green lung between Oslo and Drammen’. 

    Lierskogen

    Village

    This is the easternmost part of the Lier municipality. Lierskogen is an active agricultural village with the production of milk, meat and sheep farming. 

    Drammen Municipality

    Drammen municipality is the first municipality you’ll pass through. It is named after Drammen, the city and centre of the municipality.

    Drammen is located where the Drammen River flows into the fjord. The river has been important for timber trade for hundreds of years, and thanks to this Drammen developed into one of Eastern Norway’s most important maritime and trading towns. 

    During the Viking Age, the area was called Dramm, a Norse word that can mean ‘waves’. In the Norse sagas, it is written that Olav the Holy (St. Olav) hid from Knut the Mighty in the Dramm fjord. Oslo’s Saint Hallvard is also from Drammen – he was killed and sunk in the Drammensfjord in 1043. 

    Drammen

    Drammen is today the fifth largest city in Norway, with a population of 111,000. It is also one of the fasted growing urban regions in the country. Despite this rapid modern growth, Drammen does have some interesting places to visit, as well as an interesting history. Read about Drammen on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Drammen Travel Guide

    Vestfold og Telemark County

    You now cross into Vestfold and Telemark County. The two used to be two individual counties, but in 2020 they were merged under a government restructure. However, they are planning to separate again. So, you are technically just in Vestfold County!

    Holmestrand Municipality

    The area around Holmestrand has long been connected to timber trade and the construction of sailing ships. The Dutch first came to the area to trade timber in 1550, and Holmestrand grew quickly. You can visit the historic pier in the town centre. 

    Today Holmestrand is regarded as a popular holiday destination due to its proximity to some nice beaches. The first spa was built here in 1840. 

    Holmestrand town has a population of 8,000 people. 

    Detour: Tønsberg

    Tønsberg is a short detour off the E18 but is well worth it – it is regarded as Norway’s oldest town and was founded before the year 871. It was an important centre during the Viking Age. Some sites survive from old times, and there’s a great museum in town. 

    Tønsberg Travel Guide

    Sandefjord Municipality

    Sandefjord is known for its rich Viking history and is where one of the Viking ships at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo were found – the Gokstad Ship. However, Sandefjord also developed as an important whaling centre and now has Europe’s only museum dedicated to whaling. 

    Today Sandefjord municipality is a popular summer destination for Norwegians and there are ferries linking the municipality to Germany and Denmark. 

    Sandefjord

    Sandefjord is worth spending some time in – the museums are wonderful and the town itself is charming. Learn about Sandefjord via our dedicated travel guide below. 

    Sandefjord Travel Guide

    Larvik Municipality

    Larvik municipality has a population of around 48,000 and like the other communities we have passed through, is today known as a popular summer spot for Norwegians.

    Larvik does have an interesting history, too. Remains from the Stone Age have been found here and during the Roman Iron Age, ancient peoples erected a stone monument resembling a ship at Istrehågen, and this is today regarded as one of Norway’s greatest remains from prehistoric times. 

    Larvik was a Danish county until 1817. The rest of Norway had come under Danish rule, and four local businessmen bought the county in 1817, making it part of Norway. 

    The highway passes by the town of Larvik. 

    Porsgrunn Municipality

    Porsgrunn was first mentioned in historic documents in 1576, but has been a place long before then. The area became an important harbour town in the late 16th century, and Porsgrunn was the home of some of Norway’s most influential families. For a while, Porsgrunn was considered the cultural centre of Norway.

    The processing industry is the biggest industry in the municipality, and Yara – one of the world’s largest mineral fertiliser factories – is located here. 

    Porsgrunn

    Porsgrunn is a town with a population of 35,000 and is the outlet of the Telemark Canal, so makes for a nice place to visit. 

    Porsgrunn Travel Guide

    Kragerø

    Village

    Kragerø is a worthwhile detour  – it was referred to as ‘the pearl among coastal towns’ by Edvard Grieg, after all. At one point, it was one of Norway’s largest shipping towns. The village today is spread over both sides of the Bysundet strait and is a charming place to stop at. 

    Agder County

    Agder country stretches across the southern part of Norway. It is also commonly referred to as Sørlandet, or “the South”. 

    Agder was one of the petty kingdoms during the Viking Age, and the place is mentioned in teh Old Norse sagas. 

    Gjerstad Municipality

    The municipality of Gjerstad has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and the place was important during the Viking Age. Agriculture has been important here for centuries, and timber also provided a good income for many people.

    Risør Municipality

    Risør municipality is primarily a tourist municipality thanks to the lakes, hills and coastline. 

    In the first week of August, there is a wooden boat festival and the municipality has a growing reputation as the regional capital of arts and crafts. 

    The village of Risør has existed for a long time, and the Dutch began coming in the 16th century to trade timber. The village has a Baroque Church from 1647. 

    Sadly the whole town was destroyed by fire in 1861 and has been completely reconstructed since then. 

    You do not pass through Risør; rather, it is a short detour off the E18 highway. 

    After passing through the village of Akland, you will go through the Sørlands Portal – a tunnel marking the beginning of Southern Norway. 

    Tvedestrand Municipality

    Tvedestrand municipality is a historic municipality with the centre being the village of Tvedestrand. One of the oldest buildings in the municipality is Holt Church, which dates from the 12th century and has an ancient baptismal font.

    Tvedestrand

    Village

    Tvedestrand town is only a short detour off the E18 and is worth visiting. The town centre has white wooden houses with irregular streets built on steep hills around the harbour, making it a beautiful village. Around 2,000 buildings are more than 100 years old. It is a popular summer place for Norwegians because of the numerous islands and nice scenery. There are around 1,700 summer cottages here.

    Arendal Municipality

    Arendal municipality is a sizeable municipality with 45,000 people living here. It was mentioned for the first time as an important port in documents from 1528. 

    Arendal

    Arendal is commonly referred to as the ‘Venice of the North’ as the historic town is built on seven islets. Visit our dedicated travel guide page below. 

    Arendal Travel Guide

    Skaggerak Coast

    Coast

    Skagerakk is the strait that runs between the Jutland peninsula of Denmark and the southeast coast of Norway. It is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world because it is the passage from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. It was historically the only entrance to the Baltic Sea, but since 1784 there has been the Eider Canal.

    Grimstad Municipality

    Grimstad municipality is centred around the coastal village of Grimstad, which has a harbour, church and museum dedicated to Henrik Ibsen. After all, Ibsen worked as an apprentice in the pharmacy before leaving the town in 1850. Ibsen’s knowledge of the people and surroundings of Grimstad can be seen in the poem Terje Vigen.

    Grimstad has been known for a long time, but it was recognised as a harbour town in 1622. By 1747, Grimstad had a sizeable sailing community and was a known place for smugglers.

    Grimstad

    Grimstad is a historic harbour town and a nice place to visit on your road-trip. Visit our dedicated road-trip page below. 

    Grimstad Travel Guide

    Lillesand Municipality

    Lillesand municipality is centred around the town of Lillesand. It is one of the more modern ports along the Skaggerak coast as it was established in 1821. However, at the time it had nine shipyards. The end of sailing ships caused huge economic difficulties for the municipality as sailing ships were inexpensive due to the use of timber, whereas steamships required steel that was expensive. Many people from Lillesand ended up emigrating to the United States.

    In Lillesand you’ll find the National Park Skjærgårdsparken, which is spread out across islands, skerries and rocks. There’s also a Maritime Museum about the history of the municipality.

    Kristiansand Municipality

    Well, Kristiansand has one of the more impressive coat-of-arms I’ve seen!

    Kristiansand was established in 1641 and is named after the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV (who also renamed Oslo after himself to Kristiania). The city is strategically located on the Skaggerak coast and used to be an important military base as all traffic had to pass here in and out of the Baltic Sea.

    Kristiansand

    You have made it to Kristiansand, the end of the drive on the E18. Kristiansand is an interesting historic city, so be sure to head over to our dedicated travel guide page to learn more. 

    Kristiansand Travel Guide

    Write any questions or comments you have in the section below!