Hokksund is a small industrial town located halfway between Kongsberg and Drammen on the E134. It may look unassuming, but Hokksund has had many rich finds from the Viking Age, proving that people have lived here for thousands of years.
Fun Facts About Hokksund
Latitude: 59.4 degrees north
Population: 8,000
Hottest Month: July
Coldest Month: January
Wettest Month: August
Windiest Month: May
Øvre Eiker Municipality
In this Travel Guide...
Things to See & Do
Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Hokksund
Hoenskatten
Hoenskatten is a site where Norway’s largest find of gold jewelery from the Viking Age was discovered in 1834. The items are on display at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. A large replica of the shovel that was used to dig up the treasure can be found at a roundabout in the centre of town, and there’s an information sign close to where it was found. The site is clearly marked on GPS as “Hoenskatten”.
Eiker Sorenskrivergård Farm
A historic site is the Eiker Sorenskrivergård Farm, located just outside of Hokksund. The building is from 1904 and was constructed to be a prototype for how magistrates courts should be built in Norway. However, it did not work because it was too expensive. Today it is a museum with items from the historic Nøstangen glassworks that operated in Hokksund in the 18th century.
Haug Church
Haug church was originally built in 1152 and is an interesting medieval stone church.
Looking to go for a hike or take part in a unique experience? Here are our recommendations!
Road-Trips
Follow our road-trip guides for scenic trips around Hokksund
Self-Guided Walks
Hokksund on YouTube
Watch our YouTube videos featuring Hokksund
Uniquely Hokksund
Here are some things that you must do and try in Hokksund
Old Hokksund
Old Hokksund is the old part of town that has some old timber houses. The people who built houses there were linked to salmon fishing and timber rafting. There was also an ice house for storing salmon. The old road between Hokksund and Kongsberg is also located in this area.
History of Hokksund
Hokksund has been a place for thousands of years, and many finds have been discovered from the Viking Age. At the Eiker Farm, a silver treasure was found along with 20 graves and 13 individual finds. In 2014, a Viking farm was found not far from the centre of Hokksund. Many weapons have been found in the graves. The most recent excavation was in the spring and summer of 2023 and traces of. Alarge house were found, along with 30-40 cooking pits which are believed to date from AD 300-500.
Interestingly, Hokksund used to be called Haugsund – which is similar to Haugesund. In 1920s, it was decided to change the name from Haugsund to Hokksund as it was too confusing for the post office. There were strong protests in the community, though, who wanted the name Eiker after the municipality instead.
Hokksund is a historic trade and travel down, with the old road from Hallingdal and Numedal passing through Hokksund on the way to Oslo. When silver was discovered in nearby Kongsberg in 1623, the King decided that a road should be built between Kongsberg and Hokksund. It is regarded as the first road to be built in Norway.
The railway came to Hokksund in the 19th century and was important for the development of the community. Several companies laid railway tracks onto the site. The river was also used to float timber down towards Drammen, where further shipping took place.
Hokksund Today
Hokksund is the administrative centre of Øvre Eiker municipality and sits on both sides of the Drammen River. Hokksund is in a rich agricultural district so agriculture is fairly important. Forestry was traditionally the main industry, but engineering, especially electrical as well as the cement industry, has become important.
Travel Information
Getting Here
Fly: No airport access.
Drive: Hokksund is on the E134 highway between Oslo and Haugesund.
Train: Hokksund is a station on the Sørlandsbanen between Oslo and Stavanger via Kristiansand.
Ferry: No ferry access
Getting Around
A car is needed to get to the attractions.
Shops
Places to Eat
Cafes & Bakeries
Quick Bites
Reasonable Restaurants
High End & Unique Eats
Places to Stay
Camping
Cabins & B&Bs
Chains & Mid-Range
High End & Unique Properties
All Posts About Hokksund
Sunrise/Sunset & Weather Averages
January
Sunrise: 9:07am
Sunset: 3:52pm
Average Temperature: -3C (27F)
February
Sunrise: 7:59am
Sunset: 5:10pm
Average Temperature: -2C (28F)
March
Sunrise: 6:35am
Sunset: 6:23pm
Average Temperature: 2C (35F)
April
Sunrise: 6:03am
Sunset: 8:38pm
Average Temperature: 7C (44F)
May
Sunrise: 4:43am
Sunset: 9:51pm
Average Temperature: 12C (53F)
June
Sunrise: 3:59am
Sunset: 10:43pm
Average Temperature: 16C (60F)
July
Sunrise: 4:26am
Sunset: 10:24pm
Average Temperature: 18C (65F)
August
Sunrise: 5:36am
Sunset: 9:11pm
Average Temperature: 17C (62F)
September
Sunrise: 6:49am
Sunset: 7:40pm
Average Temperature: 12C (54F)
October
Sunrise: 8am
Sunset: 6:01pm
Average Temperature: 7C (44F)
November
Sunrise: 8:17am
Sunset: 3:51pm
Average Temperature: 3C (37F)
December
Sunrise: 9:15am
Sunset: 3:15pm
Average Temperature: -2C (29F)
Hokksund Photo Diary
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