Hovedøya Abbey Ruins

Oslo, Norway

Hovedøya Abbey was a Cistercian founded on 18 May 1147 by monks from Kirkstead Abbey in England on Hovedøya island, and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Edmund. A church dedicated to Edmund already stood on the island, and the monks took this over as the abbey church, modifying it to meet Cistercian requirements. The rest of the monastery follow a modified Cistercian building plan, to take into account a small local hill. The church itself is built in Romanesque style; the rest of the monastery was presumably Gothic. During the medieval period the abbey was one of the richest institutions in Norway, holding over 400 properties, including a fishery and timber yards.

Political turmoil during the succession to the throne of Denmark-Norway led to the end of the monastery. The abbot, having supported the Protestant King Christian II, possibly in a bid to gain support in the face of the coming Reformation, came into conflict with the commandant of Akershus Fortress, Mogens Gyllenstierne, who ironically had supported the Roman Catholic Prince Frederick I. In 1532 the abbot was thrown into prison for his political involvements, and the abbey was looted and then set ablaze, thus ending 400 years of monastic activity at Hovedøya. Any hope the order might have had in restoring the rich abbey was dashed 4 years later, when the Reformation swept over Denmark-Norway.

The site was later used as a quarry for stone for Akershus Castle. The remaining ruins are nevertheless among the most complete of a medieval Norwegian monastery.

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Address

Hovedøya, Oslo, Norway
See all sites in Oslo

Details

Founded: 1147
Category: Religious sites in Norway

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

T (9 months ago)
Beautiful ruins on a very quiet, peaceful island away from the city bustle. Reachable with the B1 ferry which is included in public transport tickets.
Dylan Schell (12 months ago)
Old ruins of a monastery dating back to the 12th century. It is open to the public and completely free to explore. There are signs illustrating the interesting history of the monastery. Definitely worth a visit if you are on the island.
Andrea Brennan (2 years ago)
Very peaceful. Impressive to walk in a special place with such a long history. Would be fun for children. Bring some veggies for the friendly goats! Walk upwards a bit and you get great views of the sea and see old cannons.
Elizabeth Hadden (2 years ago)
Enchanting ruins with info on how the structures used to look. This is just the ruins and during the off-season it appears the cafe is closed so plan accordingly. The ruins are fascinating to explore and well worth the public ferry ride from the barge if you’re into history.
Loren Bjurling (3 years ago)
Great visit if exploring ruins is your thing. Just a short ferry trip from Akke Brygge.
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