Fredrikstad has approximately 76.000 inhabitants and covers a area of 288,1 km2. Fredrikstad municipality is the cultural centre of Østfold County. Known as “the Plank Town” (Plankebyen) by the mouth of the river Glomma, it has lots to offer, more than you would expect. You just have to look for it! Here by the mouth of Glomma, old and new town-culture meets silent woods, agricultural landscapes and beautiful skerries. Fredrikstad has a pulsating life, both day and night. There is something for everyone!
The town has opened up towards the river Glomma. Along the strand it gets crowded on beautiful summer days. People eat, drink and enjoy life. There are a huge variety of restaurants. You can have anything from a cup of coffee to a fine dinner. In the end of the Pier Promenade, by the Kråkerøy bridge you find Fredrikstad Guest Harbour and Østfold fylkesbibliotek in locations called (The Hamburg Shed) which used to be a warehouse for the shipping traffic to and from Hamburg in Germany.
On both sides of the river Glomma there´s a path called Glommastien. This is a walk and bicycle path, which offers a rare cultural and natural experience, and it´s just outside your front door! Glommastien takes you through the most beautiful landscape, through protected vegetation and cultural scenery. There are places to rest and even barbecues. Fredrikstad muncipality have a beautifully decorated cathedral from 1880.
THE OLD TOWN (GAMLEBYEN)
The Old Town, with its fortresses, is a great monument of the past, and it is unique of its kind. Most other fortresses like this have been destroyed in the name of progress, but Fredrikstad have managed to preserve the memories of the 18th century, much to our enjoyment. The Old Town on the east bank of the river is the real pearl in Fredrikstad. Construction started in 1663 when the town was built according to General Cicignon´s plan. This famous city planner and architect from Luxembourg was responsible for the construction of Old Fredrikstad, and for other Norwegian cities as well. In 300 years, The Old Town has seen little change. The renaissance buildings, the gates, the drawbridge, the moat and the cobbled streets make this beautiful area the best preserved fortress town in Scandinavia.
There are 4,9 kilometres of pedestrian trails around The Old Town. If you come here on a Saturday in the summer or autumn time, you may have luck and find something you cherish at the weekly market at the Market Place next to the statue of king Fredrik Il.
KONGSTEN FORT
Kongsten Fortress outside The Old City dates back to 1685. The Old Town in Fredrikstad with all its beauty hides a well-preserved fortress, placed approximately 500 metres east of the town. This is Kongsten Fort, aka “Swedish-scare”. The fortress thrones majestically on a bluff that was given the name Gallows Hill because it was used as the place of execution where the lawless citizens of the town had to end their lives in the gallows.
Today, Kongsten Fort is part of Fredrikstad Museum and owned by the council (since 1942). In the summer you can take part in one of the many guided tours that are arranged. As already mentioned the Supplies Magazine is being let to the public. In the summer there’s a cafeteria in the Colonel’s house.
The council has taken good care of Kongsten Fort. The fortress is scheduled as an ancient monument. Its beautiful and majestic position on the bluff invites both young and old to explore it.
GLOMMA
The Glomma or Glåma is the longest and largest river in Norway. The 621 kilometre long river has a drainage basin that covers a full 13% of Norway´s area, all in the southern part of Norway. At its fullest length, the river runs from the Aursund lake near Røros and runs into the Oslofjord at Fredrikstad.
THE BRIDGE
The Fredrikstad Bridge is an arch bridge in the Norwegian city of Fredrikstad. It crosses the river Glomma, and connects the western and eastern parts of the city. The bridge is 824 metres long, with a main span of 196 metres. The sailing height is 39,5 metres. But if you travel from The Old Town to the western side of the river where you find modern Fredrikstad, we highly recommend the short ferry trip instead. It is much more pleasant – and we feel sure you want to leave your car or bus for a little while when you are here. The bridge was opened August 18, 1957, by the then crown prince Olav.
FREDRIKSTAD MARKA
“Marka” is a well-known expression to the people in and around Fredrikstad. It is a large hiking area that goes from Fredrikstad in the south to Skinnerflo in the north, from the fields in Rolvsøy in the east to the Seut River in the west. The touring country of Fredrikstad and Rolvsøy is a wide varied area with different types of forests, bogs, hills, beautiful ponds and small lakes. Paths and tracks interweave the whole area. They´re all well cared for, well used and well signed. From Bjørndalen to Skihytta, the Ski Hut, and further on towards Rolvsøy there are popular illuminated tracks which are being used by joggers, cyclists and skiers.
ENHUUS ESTATE
A castle-like building which is somewhat of a monument over Fredrikstad’s “plank nobility”. Hans C. Kiær bought this place in 1895. During the next five years it was significantly extended, but the original building is still the heart of the place.
ELINGAARD MANOR
A manor museum. The Elin estate is mentioned already in the middle ages. It had its greatness in the 17th century when the imperial chancellor of Norway, Jens Bjelke, resided here. Elingaard has a reconstructed herb-garden from the Renaissance and also many beautiful archaeological sites, cotter’s farms and a pond with a water wheel.
ROALD AMUNDSEN CENTER
The childhood home of the South Pole traveller Roald Amundsen in Rolvsøy. Opening hours: May – August 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the rest of the year by appointment only.
HANS NILSEN HAUGE
The farm Østre Hauge where preacher Hans Nielsen Hauge was born in 1771. Open by appointment.
KJØKØY FORT
The fortress on the island of Kjøkøy is a terrific outdoor area, where you can walk about in beautiful nature and exciting fortress-ruins. The fortress was built by the Germans during the 2. World War, and has recently been opened for the publics. The Museum of Fredrikstad arrange guided tours at Kjøkøy fort.
TORGAUTEN FORT
The Torgauten Fortress is another fortress from World War II where you can have an exciting walkabout.
OLDTIDSVEIEN
20 kilometres ahead – 3000 years back in time. Along highway no. 110 you find the Prehistoric Road.
HORNES
21 ships, most of them manned and some with rudders, are the main motives in these 3000 years old rock carvings from the Bronze Age. A dancing male figure is also one of the motives.
HULVEIEN
A 2000 years old traffic artery that is placed by the highway no. 110. Originally this was a bridle path which cut through the countryside like a wide trench.
HUNN
A prehistoric park with several stone-circles, most of them with 13 stones. From the centuries just preceding the birth of Christ. There´s also a collection of large burial mounds where jewellery of gold, imported goods of bronze, glass and pottery has been found.
GUNNARSTORP
A huge burial mound from the Bronze Age. The mound is almost 30 metres in diameter and three metres high. In the bottom there is a coffin. 350 metres north of the mound there are circles of large stones or monoliths (these are graves from the Iron Age).
RAVNEBERGET
A fortification of a fortress from 300-400 AD. You can see obvious remains of the barrier walls to the north and east.
SOLBERG
Solberg has three rock carving fields with totally approximately 100 figures from the Bronze Age. Here you find four-wheeled vehicles, saucer shaped depressions and a human figure holding a horn and a spear. The saucer shaped depressions were symbols of female fertility.
BEGBY
A large rock carving area with varied motives. There are ships with animal shaped ends and a large male figure. All pictures are sharp and clear. The carvings at Begby are first and foremost religious motives.
KJØLBERG
At Kjølberg, you can see one of the country´s finest rock carvings.
HANKØ
Along Hankøsundet where regattas are held in the summer. Then you can go by boat from Vikane to Hankø. Hankø is well known internationally as a venue for the sport of sailing, having hosted several world championships in different yacht classes. It is the host of annual sailing competitions in the summer, drawing international competitors in many classes including the Melgis class. The island has many summer cottages, mainly owned by inhabitants from Oslo. This is due to the close proximity to the capital. The island is connected to the mainland, at a beautiful place called Vikane, by a ferry, going to and fro as the need arises. There is a hotel on the island with a spa, which is heavily dependent on corporate customers.
King Olav V used to reside here in the royal family´s summerhouse “Bloksberg”. At Hankø you can join a sailing-school, do water-sports, bathe or fish. Back on the mainland you can visit the bathing-place Mærrapanna.
KRÅKERØY
Kråkerøy is also called Blomsterøya (The Flower Island), and rightly so. Especially in the southern part, the nature is very beautiful with lots of unusual herbs and trees. There are botanical delicacies by the roads, by charming fences made of stone, and particularly in the sunny scree. Kråkerøy Church was build of genuine Kråkerøy granite in 1911, and is placed nicely on a hill overlooking Holesletta.
ONSØY
The name Onsøy, Odin´s island, tells us that this used to be an island. Now the north of Onsøy is connected to the mainland. By acreage Onsøy is the largest of the municipality districts, and it is a major holiday attraction with thousands of summerhouses, huts and cottages. Elingaard Manor (Elingaard herregård) is a manor house located on Onsøy. The current main building was erected in the Renaissance style and was completed early in 1749. The building was constructed on two floors and consists of a main wing and two side wings. Outside is a garden laid out by English model. The manor house was developed by Chancellor Jens Ågessøn Bjelke (1580–1659). Jens Bjelke, one of the wealthiest men in Norway, was the grandson of Jens Tillufssøn Bjelke and the father of Jørgen Bjelke. His elder son Admiral Henrik Bjelke (1615–83) inherited Elingaard Manor. Elingaard manor is currently operated as a museum.
ROLVSØY
Because Rolvsøy actually is an island, you can also go by boat around Rolvsøy. A trip like this is an experience that offers lots of nature impressions, from the powerful Visterflo to the narrow Seut River, past Bryggen in Sentrum and back upwards along Glomma. The Tune ship, a viking ship dating from ca. 900 and now exhibited in the Viking Ship Museum in Bygdøy, Oslo was found in Rolvsøy in 1867. It was so named because at was found at in a boat burial mound (Norwegian:Båthaugen, from the Old Norse word haugr meaning mound or barrow) on Rolvsøy which was a part of Tune at that time.
ROSTADNESET
At Rostadneset there are plenty of houses and people, but not many know that the first people to settle down here were the rowers at Sanne and Solli Bruk. Every morning at around 4 o´clock they walked to Solli. Here the flat-bottomed rowboats would be ready, with up to 1000 plank on every boat. The rowers just had to take the oars and row the cargo to the timber mills at Nesøya by Greåker where the two rivers meet. They could make two or three trips a day. The workers would then start the trip home to Rostadneset, which was strategically placed between Solli and Nesøya. The rowers’ job was taken over by steamers in 1868.
ENGELSVIKEN
Engelsviken is an ancient communities built up around the fishing industry. Here several shrimp fishermen as its starting point. There are fish restaurant, convenience store, fish shop and camping. Troll Salmon is a leading processing plant for salmon and trout located in Engelsviken. Troll Salmon exporting salmon and trout products to 15 countries in Europe and Asia. In summer, the number of residents sharply in Engelsviken as there are many cabins in the area. Engelsviken has person ferry connections to Tønsberg and Torp airport.
FREDRIKSTAD MUSEUM
Fredrikstad Museum is located in Old Fredrikstad. The museum shows the history of the city and the surrounding region. The museum also manages Elingaard Manor in Onsøy and Torgauten Fort. Fredrikstad Museum was founded in 1903. Since 2003, the museum´s management has been located in Tøihuset in Old Town.
YTRE HVALER NATIONAL PARK
Ytre Hvaler National Park is a national park in Hvaler and Fredrikstad. It is mostly a marine park, covering the outer parts of the skerries of the Oslofjord´s east shore. To the south, the national park´s border lies on the Norway – Sweden border next to Kosterhavet National Park. Ytre Hvaler covers an area of 354 km2, of which 340 km2 is sea and 14 km2 is land. The park was established on 26 June 2009 and is the only marine national park in the country. Within the park are two lighthouses: Torbjørnskjær and Homlungen, both which are operated by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. The park includes the largest known coral reef in sheltered waters in Europe, which is located near the island Tisler.
SWIMMING
Tangen is a popular resort for day-trippers, with nice opportunities for sunbathing and swimming. There is also a cafeteria here.
FISHING
Glomma is one of Norway´s best rivers for fishing, and in the currents by the bridge anglers can catch many kinds of fish including trout. The numerous lakes and rivers in the district are also worth trying. It is possible to enjoy the open-air life the whole year round in many different ways. Perch, pike and different variety of carp are the dominant species.
They are more numerous in the slower water of the watercourse and in the estuaries where the tributaries join. Here perch and pike can reach a considerable size. The Oslofjorden has an abundant variety of fish species, and bathing is a popular attraction in the summer.
GOLF
Onsøy Golfclub is a golf course with high standard, 18 holes and a variation of difficulties. The course lies close to Elingsgårskilen, approximately 15 km from Fredrikstad.