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Norway's oldest town Tønsberg is still relevant

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Travel Tips For Tønsberg

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Tønsberg possesses a lively art and culture environment that is really worth noting. In a few days in this area, you can see the amazing museum at Slottsfjell as well as the festival under the same name, and Viking ships from the real Viking ages. The astonishing surroundings of the Slottsfjell castle have a museum close to it. The area around here is all about the old history, the middle ages, and the ruins of the life back then in the old days.

The Slottsfjell mountain

The Slottsfjell mountain holds the remains of fortresses, ruins, and Viking things and has the biggest fortress remains in all of Scandinavia! Because of this significant place, they built a museum here, and they made the Castle of Slottsfjell pretty and presentable. In that museum, you get the taste of history and Viking history and what built Norway into the country that we have today. They often try to avoid talking about the raping and stealing of countries like France, the Netherlands, and England.

The Slottsfjell festival

If you like concerts, they have that up here. From 19. to 21. July 2018. Galantis and French Montana will be here, Alan Walker will be here with First aid kit. A little comedy is meshed into the program, too.

Slottsfjell Tønsberg fortress
Slottsfjell Tønsberg fortress
Slottsfjelltårnet, 3111 Tønsberg, Norge

The festival is outdoor of course

The reason for the festival is to create a huge music feast in the open landscape of this town that God has blessed according to priests in Norway. Music festivals usually are the most memorable when placed outside with a lot of space. Woodstock, Roskilde, and Slottsfjell are great examples of this. The concerts that take place inside are pretty much for seeing the artist who plays. Concerts outside let the body into a freer mode of expression according to new studies within the Norwegian science community, and it's easier to get your own goods into the area.

New discoveries about age

It was previously thought that Tønsberg became established around 1100 AD. Actually, it comes out that it's around 200 years older! The archaeologists in Norway who reports on this says it might be even earlier than this since it was a trading city already in 900 AD.

Fun people from Tønsberg:

Jahn Teigen the musical artist

Morten Ramm the comedian

'''Brygga'' in Tønsberg

When Tønsbergians talks about ''Brygga'' which is the famous harbour where nightlife and eating happens, they refer to the fact that Oslo people hang out here. The city is famous for this harbour to Norwegians.

The Oseberg viking ship

The town is very significant because of the Oseberg ship which is a Viking ship that was found in the ground in 1904. This is the ship from the Norwegian 20 krone. The ship is known as a national treasure that nobody dislikes. They took the ship to Oslo in the 20s and made it part of the Viking ship museum there. ''The Vikings in Norway'' is an article dedicated to facts like this one. The ship was rebuilt in the 20s and the central bank put it on the 20 Krone. Maybe not a coincidence... Although rediscovered in 1904, which is a moment more deserving of a price. A replica of the Oseberg ship stands in the Slottsfjell museum.

Slottsfjel museum
Slottsfjel museum
Farmannsveien 30, 3111 Tønsberg, Norge

Fun facts:

When the people who study ancient Viking culture says they are going on a journey through Norway, they are most interested in seeing stuff about Viking history, hence they go to Tønsberg and the Vestfold area.

Tønsberg is the central Viking place in Norway with Viking kings and queens and great Viking tradesmen.

The guy which people are referring to when it comes to the age of the city is the famous Norwegian Snorre Sturlason. He wrote a lot of poetry for the kings. His writings were in support of the kings and a lot about the mysterious Norse creatures like the Norse gods! In these writings, he mentions what is today Tønsberg. He wrote that Tønsberg existed as a trade city during king Harald Hårfagre of the early 900 AD. This was written in the years of 1220 AD.

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The author

Kai Bonsaksen

Kai Bonsaksen

I'm Kai from Norway. I always follow that little voice in my head that tells me to go and explore new places … and on itinari, I talk about the ones I know the best!

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