09 August 2011

Day 9 Fossesholm

Fossesholm, Norway


Fossesholm is the wealthy farm and homestead where Petranella and her sister originated. This farm has been through many many owners but it began primarily as a timber and lumber mill, next to the Drammenselva river itself!


We took a tour through this beautiful farm but were unable to take any pictures as the wallpaper and furniture are SO old that light could potentially destroy what is remaining today. The art on the inside walls was so unusual and outrageous when it was painted in the 1400s. And though it was faded, we could only imagine just how vivid it once was.

Scenes from everything from hunting English style, to floating goods and lumber down the river, to proposing to a woman via a birds nest (to say yes all she must do is open her apron and accept it, then the man may go ask her parents for her hand) and many many other images depicting outdoor scenes that in the winter the people living in the house (for the wealthy rarely went outdoors in bad weather) could see all the time. How I wish we could have taken photographs!! The interior floors also are painted to resemble Italian marble and are still in great condition as of today.



Komgsberg, Norway
Then cousin Rune took us to Kongsberg and the silver mining museum,


Where I really really wanted to climb some ladders!!!! Very interesting museum where they mined silver, gold and gems and for a long time made the bulk of money used while the king of Norway and Denmark Christian IV, reigned(the silver here was especially valuable and some very large pieces have been found to date)


Here also were mineral deposits and stones that would be a geologists dream.....

Then off to more family activities, attempting to speak Norsk(I think it's getting easier, at least to understand though I still cannot pronounce...) and attempting to tell them that I am diabetic, which another member of the family has type 2 so they had a "special" sugar free cake available!!!

Heading to Flam on the railroad tomorrow!

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Location:Fossesholm, Norway

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