At the foot of Slottsfjell, in the centre of Tønsberg, lies Slottsfjellsmuseet. It features exhibitions about the Middle Ages and the history of the city. The ruins of Tunsberghus are visible on Slottsfjellet. The museum, the hill and the ruins offer different ways to explore Tønsberg’s medieval past: as an exhibition topic, as visible remains and as part of the city’s history.
Churches and medieval landmarks
Tønsberg Cathedral was built in 1858 over the ruins of an 11th-century basilica dedicated to the Archdeacon St. Laurentius. Its building history thus brings together a 19th-century church and an older basilica that preceded it. The cathedral also contains furnishings from Lavranskyrka and the medieval Mariakirken. Their origins broaden the picture beyond the cathedral’s own history and bring two other historic churches into view.
Olavskirken represents a different form of medieval church architecture: it was Norway’s only round church, and its ruins remain today. They are in the city centre, opposite Tønsberg Library. The round church’s distinctive form offers a different perspective from the cathedral’s building history, which can be traced through its predecessor, the basilica.
Viking ships and city history
Norway’s fourth Viking ship is displayed in Slottsfjellsmuseet’s Vikinghall: the Klåstad merchant ship. It is the only preserved Viking ship displayed outside Oslo. Its classification as a merchant ship gives the exhibit a distinctive character within the city’s history. If this particular ship is what draws you to the museum, check the current exhibition details in advance.
Vikingodden at the quay in Tønsberg offers a different perspective. Replicas of the Oseberg and Klåstad ships, Saga Oseberg and Saga Farmann, can be seen there year-round, except when they are sailing. Unlike the museum, which displays the Klåstad merchant ship, Vikingodden is about named replicas at the quay.
Art, nature and further discoveries
Art offers another way to experience the city. The Haugar Art Museum features permanent and current art exhibitions. Throughout the year, it hosts a range of events and activities for people of all ages. As exhibitions and programmes change, it is worth checking the latest information if you have a specific date in mind.
The Ilene Nature Reserve is a Ramsar site and covers 90 hectares. If you would like to focus your visit more on activities, UT.no lists paddling tours in Tønsberg. Route availability and water conditions can vary; check both before planning a trip.
Vestfold also offers a different thematic perspective: Færder National Park is a distinctive archipelago landscape shaped by the immense ice masses of the Ice Age. The park covers 340 square kilometres of mainland, islands, reefs and seabed in Færder Municipality. The region’s range of attractions thus extends from Tønsberg’s churches, ruins and Viking ships to the expansive coastal landscape of Vestfold.
Discover more destinations: Tønsberg, Tolvsrød, Nøtterøy, Re, Hof, Andebu, Larvik, Svelvik.
For the broader travel overview: Vestfold.
