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On the outskirts of Oslo in Norway lies an old 17th-century red-painted vicarage that was once bustling with life. The stories and curiosities inside its walls could, without doubt, fill the pages of a spell-binding novel.
Perched on a hilltop, the old vicarage offers a breathtaking view of an endless sky, rolling hills, fertile farmlands, and sparkling lakes. This is a place where history and legend intertwine, where the infamous Vikings once worshipped their mighty Norse gods, and monks prayed to their Saints in the neighboring 12-century Norderhov Church.
Join me as I reveal an old vicarage's captivating history and secrets, now a museum full of curiosities, stories from bygone eras, and possibly some ghosts...
What Makes Ringerikes Museum a Unique Historic Attraction?
Now, let's start with the museum. I will get straight to the point and tell you that the vicarage, now Ringerikes Museum, was built in 1635. And the adjacent medieval stone church was built in 1170! This alone makes the surrounding area, where countless people have lived, laughed, loved, argued, prayed, and died, along with the buildings themselves, irresistibly intriguing.
Imagine living in a village where the history of different eras is intertwined in every corner. Norderhov village is not just a place but a living history book that you can explore while learning about ancient cultures, medieval traditions, and Victorian life. Believe me, if you want to experience the thrill of time travel, this an excellent place to do just that because this land has seen it all.
Ringerikes Museum and Norderhov Church are places full of old relics, like this stone slab with rune inscriptions.
And what if I told you that the sacred ground where people kneel and pray today was once the domain of fierce and fearless Viking warriors? Long before the cross and the altars were swords and shields, axes and helmets, runes, Norse gods, and rituals. This is the naked truth that lies beneath the soil of this ancient place. A place where history and legend, faith and myth, collide and coexist. A place that will mesmerize you.
The vicarage and church are not just ordinary buildings but monuments of a diverse and rich past. Here, you can follow in the footsteps of the people who lived here thousands of years ago, from the farmers who tilled the land in 4000 BC to the craftsmen who made exquisite jewelry in 400 AD. You can immerse yourself in the stories, people, and legends that shaped this place, from the big battle of 1716 to the invasion of Nazis, from famous artists to pompous priests. Norderhov is full of delicious mysteries and tales.
History of the Vicarage: How a Historic Building Became a Hub of Culture and Learning
The Norderhov Vicarage is a place where history comes alive. For centuries, it's been the heart of the community, serving as a farm, a school, a church, and a cultural and administrative center. The curiosities in the Ringerikes Museum in Norway will instantly trigger your imagination!
Some of the priests who once preached at the Norderhov Church and lived in the vicarage
The vicarage also provided jobs and income for many people in the area. Locals and tenant farmers tended to its crops, herbs, and flowers, making the vicarage beautiful and prosperous. Many priests who lived on lands with fertile soil became wealthy and influential because the revenue from the lands went into their own pockets, not the church. And that's because it was a part of their salary. Lucrative farms like this were often referred to as the "fat calling," which I find pretty funny.
Built in 1635, the Norderhov Vicarage has witnessed many changes and transformations over the centuries. It's been home to numerous priests and their families, who have all left their mark on its architecture and style.
The vicar's office
But it wasn't only the priest's home; it was also home to many other talents and personalities, such as the organist, the chaplain, relatives, friends, governesses, and most likely some sour old aunts, too. I can almost hear them complaining about some trivial everyday occurrence. All these people, even the grumpy ones, have played an essential role in keeping the vicarage alive, maintained, and loved.
The vicarage has also grown and changed over time. In 1729, new rooms were added on the first and second floors, including a cozy kitchen with a corner hearth. In 1745, it expanded its second floor with more new rooms, which may have replaced the original ones from 1635, when the vicarage was first built. The Norderhov Vicarage is like a living and breathing being, constantly adapting while trying to find its place in history.
Scenes from the 1729 kitchen
There were obviously more structural and decorative changes as time passed, and all the way up until the last priest moved out in 1958. Yes, you heard it. People lived in this historical building until the late nineteen fifties! Remarkable. So, when you visit, ask for a guided tour to hear about why the priest and his family moved and how the building became a museum.
How Ringerikes Museum Brings History to Life: From the Swedish Room to the Homefront Museum
Have you ever wondered what life was like in Norway from the 17th to the 20th century? Do you want to see unusual relics and hear unforgettable stories from the past with your own eyes and ears? Well, then, read on :)
And if you visit Norway, you can explore the museum on your own or join a guided tour. You will be flabbergasted (love this word) by the impressive collection of oddities, from ancient relics to 20th-century war equipment. And boy do the Swedish Room and Homefront Museum have a lot to reveal!
The Turquoise Swedish Room with a painting of Anne Colbjørnsdatter (red dress) and a pair of old WW 2 boots
Wandering through the rooms while letting the building share its secrets is nothing but an adventure. It's the next best thing to a time machine. And I guarantee you will walk away a little bit wiser and more knowledgeable about Norwegian culture, too.
The 7 Most Fascinating Highlights and Curiosities at the Ringerikes Museum in Norway
Working at the museum has been a wonderful opportunity for me to release my nerdiness. It's been so much fun discovering, researching, and learning about my heritage and Norway's colorful past. And it's been a true privilege meeting people, especially my smart and witty colleagues, who are willing to share their knowledge.
I love sharing this incredible place's fascinating stories, curiosities, and history. Of course, I know that only a few lucky readers of this article will be able to visit the museum. Therefore, I wrote this article to reveal some of its hidden secrets while transporting you to a different world for just a moment. Sharing is, after all, caring. I hope you enjoy it!
1. One of the Ringerikes Museum's Major Highlights is the Swedish Room
Meeting people who once walked these halls and listening to their chats would undoubtedly be amazing. I know some remarkable characters who made this place their home and workplace. One of them was Anna Colbjørnsdatter, the wife of the Vicar at Norderhov Church.
The Swedish Room shows the bullet holes in the walls and the weapons used in the battle of Norderhov, which took place on March 29, 1716, during the Great Northern War. The room celebrates Anna Colbjørnsdatter’s heroism and cleverness, contributing to Norway’s defense against the Swedish assault.
This historical room also showcases portraits of Anna Colbjørnsdatter and her husband, Jonas Ramus, as well as furniture and objects related to 18th-century life. Here, you can relive a moment of exhilaration and drama in Norwegian history.
Fun fact: Anna Colbjørnsdatter and her husband were naturally mummified and buried in Norderhovs Church crypt. Not many people know about the crypt, which is not officially accessible to the public. But you can request to be taken down the worn stone staircase to view the coffins.
2. Another Museum Attraction is the WW2 Homefront Museum
The Homefront Museum on the second floor of Ringerikes Museum tells the story of Norway’s resistance during World War II. You can see authentic weapons, uniforms, documents, and photos that illustrate the courage and sacrifice of the Norwegian people.
One of the most riveting exhibitions is The Hoho Cell. The Hoho Cell was a group of Norwegian resistance fighters that operated in the Ringerike region during World War II. They were part of Milorg, the leading underground military organization that resisted the German occupation of Norway.
The authentic primitive wood cabin displayed in the museum is just one of the many examples of how Milorg contributed to the liberation of Norway in 1945.
The Homefront Exhibition from WW 2 displays a compelling collection of memorabilia
From 1942 to 1945, the brave men of Milorg carried out various missions such as intelligence gathering, sabotage, supply deliveries, prisoner releases, and escorting refugees to Sweden.
Fun Fact: The cabin was named The HOHO Cell after the group leader who woke up his men in the morning by saying “hoho.”
3. The Monk’s House: A Hidden Gem of Norderhov’s History
Adjacent to the vicarage stands the Monk’s House, a mysterious building with an intriguing name. However, no evidence supports the idea that monks ever inhabited it.
The house as it stands today is from 1712, while the second floor was added in 1766. A second-story building like this in the 18th century was a pretty big deal and signaled to all the status of its owner.
However, what intrigues me most is the foundation wall’s recent dating, which revealed that it dates back to the 1100s—the same era as the neighboring Norderhov Church. Norway was, after all, a Catholic country before the Reformation of 1537, so perhaps the building's name reflects an earlier structure where monks gathered, practiced their crafts, or produced goods.
Fun Fact: The pink wall color is an authentic color from the time period of the building. Wealthy people, such as the Vicars of Norderhov, used pigment mixed with linseed oil to brighten their rooms and flaunt their wealth.
4. The Icon Collection: A Miraculous Gift from a Famous Painter
You can find a remarkable collection of icon art hanging on the stone walls of the old basement at the Ringerikes Museum. In fact, it's the second-largest collection of icons in the world, next to the Vatican!
Icons are sacred images of the Christian faith and are meant to be windows to heaven, inviting the viewer to contemplate the divine through images. They are usually painted on wood panels with tempera, which uses egg yolk and pigment. Icons typically depict biblical scenes, Saints' lives, the baby Jesus, Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Orthodox Church's legendary mysteries.
The icon collection at Ringerikes Museum was donated by Hans Ødegaard (1876-1943), a painter and art collector who lived in Hønefoss. He acquired most of the icons from antique dealers in Italy, Greece, and Russia. He was fascinated by the beauty and spirituality of icon art and wanted to share his passion with his hometown. He generously left his extraordinary and valuable collection of 18 icons to the museum in his will.
Fun Fact: Orthodox icons portray the Christ Child as a miniature adult man, not as a baby. This is a deliberate choice by the icon painters to emphasize the divinity of Christ and his incarnation as fully human and God. By showing him as a mature man, they invite the viewers to contemplate the mystery of God becoming flesh.
5. How Norwegian Folk Art Reflects the History and Culture of Norway
Norwegian folk art is a rich and diverse tradition that reflects the history and culture of Norway. From the prehistoric rock carvings of Alta to the colorful rosemaling paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries, Norwegian folk art showcases the creativity and skill of the people who lived in this land of fjords and mountains.
The mangle board is one of the most interesting and unique forms of Norwegian folk art. A mangle board is a wooden board with a carved handle used to smooth and press laundry. It was also a symbol of love and courtship. The handle was usually shaped like an animal head, representing strength and protection. The mangle board was a practical tool, a work of art, and a token of affection.
Another form of Norwegian folk art that combines functionality and beauty is the ambar. An ambar is a wooden box typically used to store dairy products such as porridge. They were usually carved and painted with elaborate designs, like floral patterns, religious symbols, or scenes from everyday life. Various Norse protection symbols were also quite common to decorate with. These symbols aimed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
Fun Fact: Alta, Norway, has the largest prehistoric rock art collection in Norway and Northern Europe. You can see petroglyphs and pictographs and how ancient people lived and thought at these five sites:
6. The 1729 Kitchen: A Cozy and Charming Room with a Hearth
Have you ever wondered how people cooked in the past? How did they prepare their meals, keep warm, and socialize in their kitchens? Well then, read on, and I'll give you a glimpse of kitchen life from the 1700 hundreds.
The 1729 kitchen at Ringerikes Museum is an authentic, cozy, and charming space with a stone hearth proudly displayed in the corner, copper cookware, iron cauldrons, practical furniture, and everyday objects like plates and wooden troughs.
The enormous corner hearth, crowned by a stone chimney, was not just a fireplace in the 1729 kitchen. It was the heart of the room, where all the cooking, heating, and lighting took place.
The kitchen was the cook's realm, where he or she had to handle the fire and its embers with skill and finesse. The cook's responsibilities required more than knowing how to prepare tasty food, but also the science of adequately regulating heat and correctly using the embers. Believe me when I tell you this is a lost art to most of us today.
The cookware used in the 1729 kitchen was mostly made of copper or iron. Copper pots and pans were shiny and durable, but they had to be lined with tin to prevent poisoning. Iron cauldrons were heavy and black but could hold much more food and water. They were usually hung over the fire by hooks or chains or placed on trivets or stands.
One of my absolute favorite exhibitions at the Ringerike Museum
The furniture in the 1729 kitchen was simple and sturdy. It was made of wood, such as oak, pine, or birch. There were tables, chairs, benches, cupboards, shelves, and chests. The tables were used for preparing food, eating meals, and doing other tasks like ironing. The chairs and benches were used for sitting and resting. The cupboards, shelves, and chests were used for storing food, utensils, plates, and other items.
The 1729 kitchen was a place for cooking, eating, meeting, and socializing. It was where people gathered to chat, gossip, play games, read books, or play instruments like the fiddle. It was where families celebrated birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. It was where guests were welcomed and entertained. It was where warmth and comfort were found.
The 1729 kitchen was a cozy and charming space that reflected the lifestyle and culture of its time. It was a place where history was made, and stories were told. If I were a ghost from that era, I would choose this comfy room to haunt.
Fun Fact: Drinking water every day was not the standard. Instead, people drink beer because waste or sewage dumped in rivers or streams often pollutes the water.
7. The Norwegian Folklorists Jørgen Moe’s Furniture Collection
Jørgen Moe was a man of many talents who lived in Norway from 1813 to 1882. He was a folklorist, a bishop, a poet, and an author. He and his friend Peter Christen Asbjørnsen created the popular "Asbjørnsen og Moes Folkeeventyr," a collection of oral stories they gathered by traveling around Norway, particularly around the Ringerike region, where the village of Norderhov lies.
And why is there a separate exhibition about these two gentlemen, you ask? Well, they met at the vicarage when they attended summer school in the Monk House, where they were preparing for exams. This chance meeting sparked a vast literary collaboration between Jørgen Moe and Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, who became renowned for their collection of Norwegian folk tales.
When you enter the door of the two furnished rooms containing Jørgen Moe's furnishings, you are immediately transported years back in time: low under the ceiling, with low door openings. All the furniture, photographs, paintings, and decor bear witness to a life of elegance but also austerity. I can only imagine all the conversations that have taken place in and around the chairs and tables of these memorable rooms.
Jørgen Moe’s furniture was kindly donated to the museum by his granddaughter Marie
Ringerikes Museum in Norway: Explore 400 Plus Years of Amazing Stories and Relics
It's effortless to immerse yourself in the stories and people who lived in and around the old Norderhov Vicarage and Church. I can't stop wondering about things like who drank from the wood tankard displayed in the Swedish Room or who stoked the embers in the stone hearth in the wee hours of the morning. There is just so much history still alive inside the walls of this place, and there is so much to research and learn.
This enchanting spot in Ringerike, Norway, could, without question, inspire a whole novel or a non-fiction book. And the fact that the heavenly medieval Norderhov Church, built in 1170, still towers across the street from the vicarage, as if guarding it against harm, is a bit mind-blowing. I just know more stories are waiting to be told, so I hope somebody someday will grab the opportunity to sit down and write about them.
As I mentioned in the introduction, the vicarage has a rich and fascinating history that spans over 400 years. However, despite the bloodshed and violence that occurred there in the past, the atmosphere is light and peaceful. I honestly believe that this is because some really good souls must have lived there. They must have filled this place with laughter and kindness, even though life was challenging compared to today’s standards.
This historical site is more than just a building; it is a place where memories are preserved and cherished. And I'm sure some "people" have decided to linger on in the corners of the rooms, and I can understand why. They, too, want to guard the memories of what this historical site has meant to the locals and the Norwegian people. That’s why I’m not afraid when I occasionally hear the odd sound or get the eerie feeling of being stared at. I know they are just traces of history.
Opening Hours and Contact Information for the Ringerikes Museum and the Norderhov Church in Ringerike, Norway
The Norderhov Chruch:
Email: post@ringerike.kirken.no
Telephone number: +47 48 13 41 57
Website: https://www.ringerike.kirken.no
Address: Norderhovsbakken, 3512 Hønefoss
Open for the public: Saturdays and Sundays during the summer. Check the website.
Ringerikes Museum:
Telephone number: +47 32 13 50 50
Address: Norderhovsbakken 8, 3512 Hønefoss
Open for the public: Check the website for opening hours.
