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District in Buskerud, Norway
Photo: Randi Hausken from Bærum, Norway, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Ringerike is a district in Buskerud in the central lowlands of Eastern Norway. It's a popular tourist destination for day trips with Hadeland Glassverk as the biggest attraction. Visitors also come for recreation, bicycling and walking along marked routes in the woods, or skiing in winter. Hønefoss is the main town and a transport hub between eastern Norway and western Norway, between the eastern lowlands and inner valleys of Hallingdal and Valdres.
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Hadeland Glassworks
Hadeland Glassverk is Hadeland’s greatest draw – and one of Norway's most visited tourist attractions. At Hadeland Glassverk, founded in 1762, visitors can admire glass-blowers practicing their handicraft the same way as they did in the 1700s. The entire area is like a cosy village, with shops and activities for the whole family.
Kistefos Museum
The former Kistefos Wood Pulp Mill is today an industrial museum and the only intact Scandinavian wood pulp mill. Besides presenting an important chapter of Norwegian industrial history, the museum offers annual art exhibitions by both Norwegian and international artists. Unusual location in a small river gorge.
Veien Cultural Heritage Park
Veien Kulturminnepark is one of Eastern Norway's oldest graveyards from 900 BC to 500 AD. You see a rebuilt house, built after a model of how we thought the houses were built around year 0-200.
Ringerike's Museum is the regional museum for the municipalities of Hole and Ringerike in Buskerud county. Many exciting exhibitions and historical artefacts. You get a comprehensive insight in history and art history of the entire region. Also includes the county photo archive. Ringerikes Museum is important both locally and nationally.
Around 1807 Peder Anker built a transport system for timber upwards the river from Steinsfjorden to Storflåtan in Nordmarka with a height difference around 400 meters. You can also walk along the path of the old timber-transport system. Water power was used to pull timber uphill with a system of wheels and chains. A total of 12 steps or legs was needed, each steep included a water wheel. A daring and unusual piece of engineering at the time. The system was used until around 1850. Wheel house number 5 is reconstructed and can be visited.
Halvdanshaugen
It is claimed that one part of viking king Halvdan the Black is buried here. Halvdan’s mound is on the property of the farm Stein (do not walk into the field). On the farm you will also find ruins of a church from the middle ages (private property).
Bønsnes kirke
Medieval masonry church, restored from decay in the 18th century. The church which is situated close to Tyrifjorden was built around the twelfth century. According to the saga, St. Olav grew up in this area.
Hval kirke
Octagonal design characteristic for Norway and the period. Wood construction, 1862
Norderhov kirke
Medieval (1170) masonry church. Cruciform design, originally standard Norwegian single nave long church. Historically the most important church in Ringerike. Many ancient objects inside the church and on the graveyard.
Hotel in the town of Hønefoss
A smaller hotel in the town of Hønefoss
Large hotel at the shores of the lake beneath the big hill. Inhouse spa. Well suited for conferences.
Kleivstua hotel sits on top of a steep hill tall hill overlooking the Ringerike district. Unusual hotel (several small farm houses) with excellent panorama in a very peacful surrounding.
A former hostel, now offers several OK rooms in a nice, quiet location right next to the river and Schjongslunden Park.
Hønefoss is a transport hub for travel between Bergen, Hallingdal and Valdres and Oslo and other East Norway cities on the other.
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