Population 16,500 / 60.1 degrees north

Hønefoss, Norway

Hønefoss is the administrative centre of Ringerike. The town is located by a waterfall and is founded on the sawmill business that arose from the waterfall in the 17th century. Hønefoss is home to several factories and other industry, with Norske Skog Follum, a timber company, having its headquarters here. Dating from 1873, Norske Skog Follum was one of the largest producers of newsprint in Europe until it closed in 2012.

Fun Facts About Hønefoss

Latitude: 60.1 degrees north

Population: 15,000

Ringerike Municipality

Things to See & Do

Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Hønefoss

Veien Cultural Heritage Park

Veien Cultural Heritage Park contains more than 100 burial mounds and several hundred flat graves from the Early Iron Age. A building has been reconstructed on the site where archaeologists found post holes. The field has been excavated several times, and items such as scales, clay pots, gold jewellery and coins have been found. The finds show that this has been an important meeting place for over 3,000 years. It is one of the largest burial grounds in the Nordic region.

Ringerike Museum

The Ringerike Museum has runestones as well as the private belongings of Jørgen Engebretsen Moe, who wrote the famous collection of Norwegian fairytales with Peter Christen Asbjørnsen.

Old Prison

The old prison is one of the more interesting buildings in town. The prison is in the heart of the city and is an interesting wooden building. This one was built in the mid-19th century and had 17 inmates divided into 12 cells.

Hikes, Day Trips & Experiences

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 Hønefoss

The E16 from Oslo to Bergen

Follow this self-guided trip between Oslo and Bergen on the E16, one of the major highways in the country. The road is built close to where the historic postal road from the 17th century went, and parts of the old road are still visible and today a hiking trail. That’s why along the way you’ll see stave churches and runestones. There’s also some charming towns and local markets to stop at, turning a long drive into an exciting one!

The Rv7 from Hønefoss to Eidfjord

The Rv7 is a relatively modern highway in Norway. The earliest road here was in the section between Hardangervidda and Eidfjord in the Måbødalen valley. It’s believed there was a road there in the 16th century. Construction of the highway as we see it today began in sections at the turn of the 20th century. The most difficult part was the stretch over the Hardangervidda plateau, which was finished in 1943. Today the stretch across Hardangervidda is one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads.

Self-Guided Walks

Hønefoss on YouTube

Watch our YouTube videos featuring Hønefoss

Uniquely Hønefoss

Here are some things that you must do and try in Hønefoss

History of Hønefoss

The area around Hønefoss has been inhabited for a long time, and in the 14th century the area was known as Weienfoss. The land on the northern side of the waterfall belonged to a large farm called Hønen, but it was only after sawmills began to appear on the north side that the name “the Høne Foss” was used in the 17th century.

The idea of a city came in 1839, though at the time around 800 people were living there. It was decided to build a city by a waterfall to help the growth of industry in the region. The first worker’s union came to the town in 1890. The last half of the 19th century brought significant development for the community. The town was connected to Drammen by train in 1868 and this boosted industry significantly. Hønefoss got electric street lighting in 1896, only five years after Hammerfest, which was among the first cities in Europe with such lighting. Oslo got its first street lighting in 1893.

Hønefoss is not a maritime town, but launched the first steamship every built in Norway. It was launched on the river on the 9th of July 1837, just below the city bridge and Hønefoss.

Hønefoss Today

Hønefoss is home to several factories, with Norske Skog Follum having its headquarters in the city. Dating from 1873, Norske Skog Follum was one of the largest producers of the newsprint in Europe until it closed in 2012.

Travel Information

Getting Here

Fly: No airport access.

Drive: Hønefoss is located on the E16 just north of Oslo. The Rv7 to Granvin ends at Hønefoss; it shares the highway with the E16 all the way to Gol.

Train: Hønefoss is a station on the Bergensbanen between Oslo and Bergen.

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

The Hidden North

Find our guides, road-trips and self-guided walks on our store!