Travel to Haugesund - Norway - Europe - Culture

Haugesund - Culture

It is the base for a large herring fleet and has fish canneries but the town also engages in aluminium processing and textile weaving. Haugesund is served by the Bergen-Stavanger hydrofoil ferry. Just north of the town is Harald's Hill, where Harald I Fairhair, first king of all Norway, supposedly is buried. The site is commemorated by a monument, erected at the millenary celebration (1872) of Harald's final victory in the Battle of Hafrsfjord.

The Haugesund museum, which houses a collection of local antiquities is also worth a visit as well as the present St. Olav stone church that was built about 1250 by King Håkon Håkonsson and dedicated to St. Olav.

About 75 meters south of Haraldshaugen stands a smaller mound, Krosshaugen, surmounted by a stone cross from the early days of Christianity in Norway, around the year AD 1000. This marks the site of an ancient meeting place of early Christian believers, who faced a dark world of pagan gods and trolls.

August is a busy month in Haugesund, particularly for those in the hotel and restaurant branch. Over the 31 days, locals and visitors come to town for the Sea Fishing festival, the Sildajazz festival, the Norwegian Film Festival, the Sildabord (the world's longest table set in the streets with a delicious herring buffet), and the traditional Viking boat festival - and these are only a few of the events taking place in August! August is a great month for the shrimp and fish market sellers who set up their stalls along the quay every day. Many arrive in Haugesund in their own boats, and the quay is often so busy that you can walk over the boats from Smedasundet to the island of Risøy.

Many of the houses on the charming island of Risøy have survived from days of old, and in recent years many have been restored and refurbished. This may not be a major tourist attraction, but you can really travel some 40 to 50 years back in time when you take a stroll around the island's peaceful streets.

The idea of setting up a national monument was mooted in the late 1860's and won nation wide acclaim. By the tenth centenary celebration in 1872 of Norway's unification the monument had been completed and was unveiled by Prince Oscar, later King Oscar II, with great ceremony.

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