Up to 1,000 people can pack into the church, although I was the only visitor on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The striking color was chosen in his 1960s, when an investigation of the church revealed that it was originally painted in light green.Ĭonsidering Grimstad’s diminutive size, the size of the church is astonishing. Not only is it tall, but it’s located on a hill, so it can be seen from many parts of town.īuilt in 1881, the wooden church is painted bright green with contrasting ocher décor in yellow and red. In fact, Hamsun won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1920 for his book Growing Soil. Although not well known internationally, Knut Hamsund is another of his important figures in Norwegian literature. Ibsen wasn’t the only writer to call Grimstad home. The former pharmacy building is now the Ibsen Museum, which hosts guided tours in the summer. Ibsen’s legacy is celebrated in and around Grimstad. He wrote his first play “Catiline” while working in town and wrote many poems dedicated to local girls! Ibsen sculpture outside the Ibsen Museum in Grimstad. I’m a playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) grew up in Sjoen and got a job as an apothecary’s assistant in Grimstad. “The town developed erratically in this way, coping with the effects of fires, albeit devastating like most other wooden towns, so even today the winding, mostly narrow streets between houses can find it.” Ibsen’s Legacy Along narrow alleys that gradually turned into streets. The town was mostly built, with houses scattered here and there like a village by the sea. “As you can imagine, the first public roads were in a relatively primitive state.
Local historian Halfdan Gundersen’s words are best used to describe the somewhat chaotic layout of central Grimstad. Thanks to the wonders of Google, we were able to learn more about these interesting routes. Most are marked as ‘snarvei’, which means shortcut in Norwegian. The first thing you notice is the number of stairs that dot the central area.
It’s easy to get lost among alleys and countless white wooden buildings, but it’s a very small place, so you won’t get lost for long! Grimstad alleys and stairs The pedestrian street in the compact town center is a great place for a stroll. But on a summer’s day, it’s very difficult not to get sidetracked! Grimstad has plenty of harbor views, alleys and steps to explore. From the main central shopping center Odden, via the harbor and central shopping area, the church is less than 15 minutes away. Once in Grimstad, the best way to get to know the town is simply by walking around. Unlike the express train from Oslo, the local bus stops in central Grimstad. However, from Kristiansand it’s only a 35 minute drive or about an hour by local bus.