Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HAUGELANDET & RYFYLKE
North and east of Stavanger lies a region of low-lying hills and relatively flat coastal inlets
andislandsthatarereminiscentofthenorthernScottishisles.Haugesundistheregionalcap-
ital.
Haugesund
POP 34,100
The North Sea port of Haugesund lies well off the beaten routes. You probably wouldn't
come here for its own sake, but the town has a lively waterfront restaurant strip and some
excellent festivals. Ryanair flies here, so this may be your entry point into Norway. There
are also some worthwhile sights on Karmøy island, south of town.
The area around Haugesund carries huge historical significance forNorwegians. It was in
thenearbyHafrsfjordthatthedecisivebattletookplacein872andNorwaywasfirstunified.
As such, the area bills itself as 'Norway's Birthplace'.
Sights
Haugesund has retained many of its historical buildings, with the highlights including the
Rådhus
(town hall). About 75m south is the
Krosshaugen
mound and stone cross, erected
in celebration of Christian gatherings around 1000.
Haraldshaugen
, the burial site of Viking King Harald Hårfagre, who died of plague at
Avaldsnes on nearby Karmøy, is 1.5km north of Haugesund. The obelisk, erected in 1872,
commemorates the decisive 872 battle.
Bizarrely, Haugesund claims to be the ancestral home of Marilyn Monroe, whose father,
a local baker, emigrated to the USA. A
monument
on the quay, next to the Rica Maritim
Hotel, commemorates the 30th anniversary of her death.
Tours
History buffs and lovers of all things Viking can sign up at the tourist office for the nine-
hour
Viking Trail tour ( 52 01 08 30; adult/child Nkr800/200)
. It takes in four Viking
sights around Haugelandet and includes transport and a light lunch.
