Bærum

Bærum municipality has approximately 108.150 inhabitants and covers a area of 192,3 km2. Farming and forestry have always been important for settling and employment in Bærum. Large shoppingcentres and specialist shops draw people from a large area to Bærum. The main attractions are the Henie Onstad Art Centre, Bærums Verk Centre, Haslum Church, Tanum Church, lime kilns at Slependen and Ringi, the Lommedalsbanen (railway line) and the Samvirke Museum.

Agriculture has always been one of the most important industries in Bærum. But in the 1860s, a new era began: Technical developments, particularly the steam ship, paved paved the way for new opportunities. Fishing and Horticulture compered with agriculture as the most important activity because products could now be quickly transported by steam ship to the market.

The word Bærum means "mountainous area" - the old name for the community (Bergheim) means a community with many mountains and ridges. The area was first settled during the late ice age, and when the ice melted the soil was rich and yielded good harvests. Under the Kolsåstoppen mountain "rock carvings" (helleristninger) have been found. The rock carvings figures of ships etc. dating from 1,500 BC - the Bronze age. On the Kalvøya, an island just outside Sandvika, archealogists have found traces of settlements from the Bronze and Iron age.

The most important motorways and main roads to and from the whole of Norway go through Akershus. Travelers by train, coach, car and boat to and from the area around Oslo have to pass through Akershus. There is a very good public transport system carrying large numbers of passengers between Akershus and the surrounding area daily, facilitating travel around the county. This provides an alternative to the big city, whether it's for just an afternoon trip or a longer stay. You can get to all parts of Akershus within one hour from the centre of Oslo. The most modern airport in Europe lies in Akershus Oslo International Airport Gardermoen.

HENIE-ONSTAD ART CENTER

The Henie-Onstad Art Center has the largest collection in Norway of international modern art, and is one of the most popular museums in Norway. In addition to art exhibitions, the museum is a thriving activity center for music, dance, theatre, film and literature. Cafe / restaurant with award-winning cuisine named (Bølgen & Moi). Gallery shop and library.

The Henie-Onstad Art Center is a donation from the famous Norwegian figure skater, Sonja Henie, and her shipowner husband, Niels Onstad. A room in the gallery displays all the awards, prizes and trophies tha Sonja Henie won during her career as a figure skater.

The Henie-Onstad Art Center is surrounded by an international sculpture park. The focal point is work by Arnold Haukeland, who was a pioneer of modern Norwegian sculpture, and who lived in Bærum for most of his life. The Henie-Onstad collection comprises more than 7.000 works and includes Picasso, Matisse, Beuys and Christo.

BÆRUMS VERK

Picturesque countryside and buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries form the backdrop to Bærums Verk. This old iron works from 1610 is one of the most distinctive shopping and handicraft centres in Norway. A iron ore was found in Bærum in 1603, and the iron foundry Bærums Verk was established. This foundry would become an important contributor to the Norwegian economy in the next centuries. Peder Anker was one of the owners, and after his death his son in law, count Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg, inherited the foundry. It stayed in his family until 1902 when the Løvenskiold family acquired it. Other important industries in the community included factories that produced iron nails, and a powder and cellulose factory at the Lysaker river (Lysakerelva).

ARTISTS

In addition to the factories, several Norwegian artists lived in Bærum: the Norwegian painters Fritz Thaulow, Christian Skredsvig, Harriet Backer, Kitty Kielland and Otto Sinding all lived in this community. Perhaps best known is the so-called Lysakerkretsen (the Lysaker group) which included Eilif Pettersen, Gerhardt Munthe and Erik Werenskiold. The arctic explorer Fridtjof Nansen also belonged to this group. The summer of 1886 is perhaps the most important time period for this artistic community. The Fleskum-summer was a unique time period in Norwegian artistic history: six of the most important artists in Norway spent that summer on the farm Fleskum in Bærum.

CLAUDE MONET

The famous French impressionist came to Norway in the winter of 1895 to capture the mood of the cold winter light. He lived at Bjørnegård in Sandvika, a boarding house much loved by artists. Monet painted several scenes from the surrounding area: legend has it that he borrowed Fritz Thaulow´s bearskin when he stood out in the snow and painted! He liked painting Kolsåstoppen as a subject, but probably his best known work from this period is Sandvika village in snow. The painting features Løkke bridge, which was cast in Bærums Verk in 1837 and still stands to this day in Sandvika.

GOLF

Bærum Golfclub is a golf course with 18 holes and a variation of difficulties. The course is an open forrestcourt. Drivingrange and ProShop.

Ballerud Golfclub is a golf course with 9 holes and a variation of difficulties.

Bærum Golfcenter is a place where you can simulate a game of golf.

Haga Golfclub is a training course with 9 holes and a variation of difficulties.

Lommedalen Golfclub is a golf course with 9 holes and a variation of difficulties.