Building/cultural environment Arkiver

The childhood home of Thor Heyerdahl

Thor Heyerdahl's childhood home
Thor Heyerdahl was a scientist and explorer, and became world famous for his expeditions with Kon-Tiki, Ra and Tigris. Heyerdahl grew up in Steingata 7 and from his room he had an inspiring view to the sea.

Guided tours available to the public
The house is open to the public from mid June to mid August for guided tours. This is arranged by Larvik Historielag.

Larvik city council made Thor Heyerdahl honorary citizen of the town Larvik in 1971, and for his 75th birthday a monument of stone specie "Larvikite", was made. You can view the statue at idyllic Tollerodden. In 2007, five years after Thor Heyerdahl passed away, Larvik city council bought his family home in Steingata 7.

Famous adventurer
Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) was an archaeologist, an author and an adventurer. He is regarded the most famous person ever to come from Larvik. Already as a youngster he was interested in nature, animals and science. He developed a passion for Polynesia when he got in touch with a friend in Oslo, who had lots of literature on this Pacific island.

He studied zoology at the university of Oslo, but he also took major interest in related subjects like biology and anthropology and other topics that had to do with the Pacific region.

Thor Heyerdahl was originally buried on the family estate in Italy in 2002. In the summer of 2024, the urn was transported home to his new burial place at Larvik church.

Thor Heyerdah had three major expeditions:

The Kon-Tiki expedtion in 1947 tried to prove Heyerdahl's theory about Polynesia having been settled from South America in contrast to from Asia. He pointed to vegetation, ocean currents and tropical winds as his argumention, and he meant local oral tradition supported this views.

The Ra expeditions in 1969 and 1970 tried to link the South America Indian tribes together with old African and Middle East civilzations.

The Tigris expedition in 1977. Through the expedtion with Tigris, Thor Heyerdahl wanted to test eventual coummunication between pre-historic civilizations either side of the continents. The reason for travelling to the Bay of Persia and the Indian Ocean was to show the Egpt and Mesopotamia could have had inter-continental business relations several thoursand years ago.

Thor Heyerdahl writings
Thor Heyerdahl wrote quite a few books and articles, and he led several archaeological excavations in Peru, in the Maldives and at the island of Tenerife.

Thor Heyerdahl documentaries
Heyerdahl is the producer of documentaries Kon-Tiki (1950), Galapagos (1955), Aku-Aku (1960) and Ra (1972).

Kon-Tiki the movie
The Oscar nominatd movie Kon-Tiki (2012) gave new awareness to Thor Heyerdahl's adventures and discoveries.

The house can be booked
Stavern and Larvik Event organizes meetings and dinner for groups all year.
The house enebles events up to 30 people. Happenings with concerts and barbeque may be arranged in the wonderful garden for up to 70 persons. There are three lovely bedrooms in the house.

Krutthuset, Stavern

The need for two gunpowder towers was revealed in report of the year 1756. Part of the reason was said to be the risk of placing a thousand barrels of gunpowder in one place, and secondly that other sites able to host a tower of that size were unsuitable of other reasons.
A proposal showing a gunpowder tower with a vault was sent over, but the board did not approve of this. The condition was that the attic needed to have a wooden floor resting on a tier of joists, making it possible to cover with a thick layer of horsemuck as isolation against bombardment.

The gunpowder tower was also used as prison for a period of time.

Today the building functions as suitable space for galleries and expositions.

Fredriksvern verft

The original name was Fredriksvern Verft, named after king Frederik V. who reigned at that time.

Fredriksvern has played an important part in the development of Stavern as well as in Norwegian maritime history during the years, and the place has probably been a harbour since ancient times.

During the winter of 1748-49 king Frederik V. of Denmark-Norway ordered construction of a shipyard and a drydock in Norway, and in 1750 the first Norwegian naval base was constructed.

The naval station had strong fortification, moats and many buildings. Outside the moats Norway's first garrrison church was built. This rococo mastepiece was completed in 1756.

The commanding officer's lodge from 1751, the guardroom, two forges, the smith's house, a magazine, two provisional storehouses, the barge shed, the galley sheds and the gunpowder house are all still present at the former naval base, and many tourists travel to Stavern each and every year to experience these historical buildings.

Fredriksvern became the main base for the Royal Norwegian Navy when Norway and Denmark split in 1814, and continued to be an important naval base – it remained active as an air force academy until 2002.

There are several art galleries and small museums here, and the area offers exciting activities all year round.

Tønsberg Coast Culture Centre

Tønsberg Coastal Culture Center is located by the Canal in Tønsberg, and was established in 1991. Both buildings and boats can be rented out for groups and events.

The Coast Culture Centre includes the quayside, vessels worthy of preservation, slip, shipyard for the restoration of vessels, smithy and foundry, motor repair yard, sail maker's workshop and rigging workshop.

The Coast Culture Centre is also the home port for the Arctic sailing ship "Havnøy".

The shanty choir was started in 2003, and usually practices at Riggerloftet on Monday evenings from 18-20.45.

Oseberghaugen – Royal mound

In 1904 archaeological excavations were carried out here, and the ship that hid a massive artifact discovery from the Viking era was revealed. The 21.5 meters long Oseberg ship turned out to be the grave of an eminent woman, perhaps a queen, dating back to 834 AD. The ship was filled with gifts for the journey to the kingdom of death. The Oseberg carriage, five beautifully carved animal headstones, four sleds, beds, chests and looms.
A maid servant was chosen to follow the womans journey to the afterlife and was found buried with the elderly gueen.

It was long assumed that this was the grave of Queen Åsa, grandmother of Harald Hårfagre. Hence the name Oseberg. Newer technology however allowed historians in 1992 to date the burial to around 834 and implies that it was in fact Queen Alvhild, first wife of King Gudrød, who was buried there.

The Oseberg Hill was opened again in autumn 2007 and the women's skeletons secured. The oldest was have been closer to 80 years old. The other woman is somewhat younger. Both belonged to the "upper class", but none of them seems have been Queen Åsa herself, as previously predicted.

The burial mound, 40 meters in diameter, was restored in 1947.

There is a cultural trail along Vellebekken to the grave.

A copy of the Oseberg ship's beautifully carved bow can be seen at The Slottsfjell Museum. The original ship with its contents is exhibited at the Viking Museum in Oslo. Another complete copy of the ship can be seen at the harbour of Tønsberg.