Kristiansand is a small, picturesque town situated on the tip of the south western coast of Norway.
The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and there are several significant archeological findings dating as far back as 6500BC. More recently, the stone church dates to around 1040, with wooden churches believed to have been on the site before then and indications that a royal centre may have existed in the area from around 800.
Today we set out to walk, leaving the boys on board in the kids club. From the Cruise Quay, we pass through pretty little clusters of buildings that is the Fiskebrygga (Fish Market) filled with flowers and restaurants. Presumably more refined these days than in days gone by.
From here we head up the waterfront, with sand sculptures in the park, turning into town and making our way down the main pedestiranised shopping street towards Markensgaite where we find a little cafe and pause for coffee and WiFi.
After coffee we head up the steep steps on the outskirts of town to climb the steps to the lookout at Baneheia, a recreational park just north of the city centre. The park was founded in 1641 by King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway and has hills, lakes and forests to explore. Unfortunately there is a dark mark on its more recent past as it is the location of the murder of two young girls in 2000. As we are not up for bushwalking today, we enjoy the views over town, skirt the scenic track and then descend again to discover Posebyen, the historic part of town.
Once down the steep hill it is only a short 400m walk until we see signs for Posebyen, the oldest part of the city. This areas is made up of picturesque cobbled streets with whitewashed wooden worker’s houses dating from the 17th-19th centuries. In 1892 there was a huge fire in town and this small area was the only part of the city left intact.
Traditionally this is the home of the working class and also used to consist of a myriad of various types of workshops. Various buildings are flagged as the nursing home, cafe, butcher’s house, fashion house and chapel. In addition to, or perhaps because of the local inhabitants, the area also had lively courtyards and back gardens where the community could gather and socialize. Interestingly, according to the 1900 Census, 400 pigs and 178 cows were registered here in addition to horses and chickens.
We pop out of Posebyen onto the Ostra River. On the far side are large attractive modern houses, on the near side fishing boats line the banks and we pass funky office buildings and converted industrial style apartments. The river, now clear, clear and jumping with salmon, used to be heavily polluted. Over the past 25 years the river has been cleaned up and the salmon stock replenished, hence the volume of fishing boats visible along the banks.
We continue along the Prommenaden (walk), a 2.8km trail along Kristiansand’s waterfront. At the mouth of the river there is a park, Tengen, where we find our inner child and climb the large spider web, right to the top. The day is sunny and the views are expansive, I get a little thrill from being up here and looking around before we climb down and head back towards Gjestehavna (and Festningen) towards Tresse. Tresse is a larger park that boasts a play area and basketball court in summer and an ice skating rink in winter. Here we find swans dunking for food as well as the Christiansholm Fortress.
The fortress itself has a diameter of 35m, surrounded by 5m thick stone walls. The inner rotunda contains living quarters. In 1669 the site contained some 62 cannons. During its 200 years of military service, cannons were only fired once, in 1807, targeted at English battleships. Today the building is used as a function centre.
Built on the island between 1662 – 1672 the fortress was then connected to the mainland with a 100m long bridge. At the time the channel was so deep that even tall ships could anchor there. The channel was filled during the 19th Century.
We now loop back into the city centre to check out the Cathedral and town square where fruit, vegetable and flower markets are frequently held.
The Cathedral, Kristiansand Domkirke, was completed in 1885 although three previous churches are known to have existed here previously. The first recorded building was a small wooden church built in 1645 known as Trinity Church. In 1682 the town was appointed the seat of the diocese and Our Saviour’s Chuch was built and consecrated in 1696 but burnt down in 1734 after which another cathedral was built, only to burn down in the whole city fire (late 19th century).
It is a pretty cathedral and we pop inside for a pause and look at the interior. After sitting in the church we are finding it difficult to get up and realise that our legs are tiring and after 17,000 steps (give or take) we make our way back through the fish market and onto the ship. Before a well deserved dinner and a good nights’ sleep we stand on board and watch Norway’s shores fall away, headed towards Aarhus and back to Denmark.
Would I Return?
No. Kristiansand is a lovely town to have a few hours in to explore and enjoy the atmosphere. I would come back if I had friends to visit or another reason to bring me here. However, as a tourist destination there is little to return to.
