Cityguide Molde

Seilet Hotel has become a major attraction in Molde. Located in The Town of Roses, it is perhaps the most complete and versatile culture and conference hotel in the northwest. Part of the building stretches out above the sea in Romsdalsfjorden and offers a marvellous view of the surrounding Romsdalsalpene mountains, centrally located next to Molde Stadium and at walking distance from the town centre. Kjell Kosberg is the architect who designed the hotel and on August 5th 2001, Princess Märtha Louise laid the first stone in the construction of the hotel and Bjørnsonhuset cultural centre. The following year, 80,000 cubic metres of land were poured into the sea, then 60 steel pipes were drilled 37 metres into the ground, meaning that a significant part of the hotel is actually supported by pillars in the sea. This is where Rica Seilet was built, and was completed one year after construction began. The building has 16 floors and contains 224 rooms, 15 meeting rooms, 2 bars and a restaurant. It was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik on October 11th 2002. Bjørnsonhuset, the adjacent cultural centre, opened at the same time. The hotel building has also provoked negative reactions, and encountered huge resistance in some parts of Molde before it was built. Believe it or not, Seilet was nominated in 2010 NRK's (the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) vote to determine Norway's ugliest building! The hotel's profile transformed in 2014 when Scandic Hotels bought the Rica chain. Outside the hotel is Bjørnson's square with cobblestones, cement blocks and several flower beds with about one thousand roses. Here you'll find a bust of Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister and member of parliament from Molde. He was the parliamentary leader for the Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti in Norwegian), and served two terms as Prime Minister in 1997-2000 and 2001-2005.

Kongebjørka (The Royal Birch) has become a part of Norwegian history. In April 1940, German occupation forces were hunting King Haakon VII. and Crown Prince Olav. They sought refuge in Molde where they stayed at Glomstua on the outskirts of town. The Government and the Queen, who had also fled with them, stayed in other locations in Molde. Rumours were circulating that the King was no longer functioning as Head of State. To debunk the rumours and calm tempers, they called for a member of the press, Per Bratland, who was then escorted blindfolded to Glomstua. The plan was to conduct an interview with the King and the Crown Prince, but the moment he arrived, the bomb alarm went off and the two Royals sought shelter under what is today called Kongebjørka. Bratland was able to take some photos, among which the iconic picture of King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav beneath the birch trees. Fredslunden (The Peace Grove) is an initiative based on the idea of freedom from oppression. It is located next to Kongebjørka and many oak trees have been planted here by advocates of human dignity and peace. The first to plant oak trees in Fredslunden were Africa's first winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Wole Soyinka from Nigeria, and the writer Yasal Kemar from Turkey.

Varden is a spectacular viewpoint located 407 metres above sea level. In the foreground, you can see the town of Molde in all its glory, then the fjord with its many islets and in the background, the famous Molde panorama named after the amazing panoramic view. The Molde panorama includes 222 mountain tops partially covered in snow, 87 of which are 1,000 metres above sea level. Varden is a 10-minute car drive or a 1-hour walk on a natural trail starting from downtown. You can either take the road or the trail which also includes The Green Corridor. Food and drinks can be purchased at the summit of Varden in Vardestova, but please check the link for opening hours.

Molde Domkirke (Molde Cathedral) was inaugurated in 1957 and has been the cathedral of the Diocese of Møre since 1983. One might say the church is lucky to still be standing. The two previous churches burnt to the ground. The only objects that were rescued were an old wooden cross and an altar called the Resurrection, made by painter and sculptor Axel Ender. Today the church has a double-naved basilica and a copper-clad tower rising like a gothic monument among the red rose gardens. The church is a long basilica built in stone and concrete. The nave is 65 metres long, 25 metres tall and can seat 900 people. The tower is independent with clockwork and chimes, and is 50 metres tall. The altarpiece was painted by Stinius Fredriksen.

The municipal administration for Molde is in Molde Rådhus (The Town Hall) in front of you. The construction was completed in 1966 and is the result of an architecture competition won by Paul Cappelen and Torbjørn Rodahl. The building is quite special and was nominated in the national competition for Construction of the Century. On the roof, there is a gorgeous rose garden, perhaps the most beautiful in town. The most convenient access is the church stairs to the right of the main entrance. Towards the end of the 19th century, the Norwegian fjords acquired an additional function — going from being mainly transportation routes, they became tourist attractions. The fjord, the Molde panorama and the idyllic town with wooden houses, lush gardens, parks and alleys turned Molde into the main fjord town in the western part of Norway. It was during this time that Molde got its nickname The Town of Roses. The economic impact of the fjord becoming a tourist attraction can be seen by the existence of two major hotels at the end of the 19th century, Grand and Alexandra, located on opposite sides of town. The German Emperor William II visited the town every year during his reign until World War I. He referred to Molde as "Nice of the North", and this reputation of course spread across Europe. And he wasn't the only one who visited the town in summer — this was when Molde started to become a destination for cruise ships.

Molde, also called The Town of Roses with its 26,000 inhabitants, is perhaps mostly known for its annual jazz festival and Molde Fotballklubb. The municipality is located on the northern side of Romsdalsfjorden and shares a border to the west with Aukra, to the north with Fræna and Gjemnes and to the east with Nesset. The municipality also includes the islands of Sekken, Veøya and Bolsøya, among others. Molde has a famous view towards Romsdalsalpene, known as the Molde panorama visible from Varden. Molde received formal trading rights in 1614, and was awarded township status in 1742. The town's centre was severely damaged in the bombings of April 1940 in which 285 buildings were completely destroyed. The town was rebuilt with trading posts along broad streets and is today the administrative centre of the county. It became the seat of the Diocese in 1983. Local industry includes shipyards and other construction activity, and a large factory of light fixtures. This is where you'll find Molde University College, Molde Hospital, the Romsdal Museum and a regional theatre. Molde has its own airport located in Årø to the east of the town and the harbour downtown is used by cruise ships and Hurtigruten, the Norwegian coastal express. The E39 road runs through the town and crosses the Molde fjord by ferry to Vestnes. The administration is in Rådhuset (The Town Hall) in the centre of the town. This is also where the large old Moldegård estate is located. The estate was probably the inspiration for Ibsen's masterpiece "Rosmersholm". Molde welcomes many tourists and is at its busiest during the jazz festival in the middle of July and the Bjørnson festival in September. Experience all this and a lot more by using HopperGuide.

Aker Stadion is a football stadium and home ground for Molde Football Club, MFK. The stadium is often referred to as Røkkeløkka, since it was a gift to the town from the business magnates Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten. Kjell Kosberg was the architect behind the building which was completed in 1998, and was nominated in the prestigious architecture competition FIABIs Prix d'Excellence in 1999 and won the Norwegian City Prize the same year. The installation cost 212 million NOK and houses a commercial space, a cafeteria and a restaurant. It was inaugurated on April 18th 1998. The arena has also hosted international fixtures. Molde Football Club's old home ground is today called Molde idrettspark (Molde Sports Park) and is used by the town's other football teams, and also for other sports. The stadium changed its name from Molde Stadion to Aker Stadion on May 3rd 2006, named after Kjell Inge Røkke's company involved in financing the installation. The name change was part of a relatively new trend in Norway — previously Aalesund's Color Line Stadion had been the only stadium in Tippeligaen named after a private company, a phenomenon which is spreading across Europe. At the moment of the name change, Aker announced a donation of six million NOK to a football hall at Årø in Molde, called Akerhallen. The municipality contributed with 3.5 million NOK and the plot of land. Molde Football Club (MFK) plays in Eliteserien (the Norwegian top division) and is one of two Norwegian teams to have played in Champions League. The Club won the Norwegian Premier League in 2011, 2012 and 2014. Furthermore, the club won The Norwegian Football Cup in 1994, 2005, 2013 and 2014 in addition to seven league silver medals. The Club was founded in 1911 and first went under the name of International. Today the organisation has 900 members and about 55 football teams. Tornekrattet is The club's primary independent supporter group.

Molde fengsel (Molde Prison) was built in 1865, and includes a court house on two floors, a connecting building on one floor and a concrete cell block also on two floors. The prison building itself consists of in total eight prison cells, one common cell and one cell for debt related crimes. After some time, a stable, a garage and a repair shop were built and a fence was set up around the estate. The buildings are very authentic, meaning Molde Prison is a very credible historic construction. It is also one of very few remaining buildings from before World War II.

This is the approximate location of Rasmussen's house where Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson lived while attending school in Molde. The house is believed to have been where the entrance of Hotel Alexandra is currently situated. To the right of the entrance there is a bust of Henrik Johan Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson. To the left is Henrik Johan Ibsen, he was a Norwegian playwright and poet. He has had a significant influence both nationally and internationally, and is considered the most frequently performed dramatist in the world after William Shakespeare. Ibsen is often referred to as the father of modern drama. His most well-known works are Brand, Peer Gynt, An Enemy of the People, Emperor and Galilean, A Doll's House, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts, The Wild Duck and Rosmersholm. Ibsen was born on March 20th 1828 in Skien and died on May 23rd 1906 in Oslo, called Kristiania at the time. To the right you will see Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson, Norwegian poet, participant in public debate, editor, public speaker and theatre figure. He has produced a vast array of peasant tales, drama, poetry, novels, articles, speeches and a huge amount of letters. As a poet and intellectual, Bjørnson acted in both a national and nordic spirit.

You are now in front of the building called Plassen, completed in 2012. This is the location for Møre og Romsdal's art centre, the regional theatre in Møre og Romsdal, known by the name Teateret Vårt, Molde Library and Kafe Kurt. Møre og Romsdal art centre was established in 1978 and is owned by the associations Bildende Kunstnere Møre og Romsdal and Norske kunsthåndverkere Midt-Norge. The art centre strives to present art of high quality to a broad audience and aims to fascinate, surprise and engage visitors. This is also where the administrative tasks related to sculpture and craft in the district can be found. Here, you will find a diversified exhibition from Norway and abroad, in addition to a wide collection of graphics, glass and ceramics for sale on the second floor. Teateret Vårt, located in the same building, was established in 1972 and is Norway's oldest regional theatre. It is based in Molde, but performs on tours across the whole county of Møre og Romsdal. The theatre organises between 250 and 300 performances each year. To the left of the entrance there is a nice and modern library. If you wish to eat something, or have a cup of coffee, we recommend Kafe Kurt — they serve cold and warm dishes, and a large selection of beverages. If you walk up the stairs on the southern side of the building, you will reach the roof where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the town, the fjord and the mountains in the background.

The Chateau, a building protected as cultural heritage, is a mansion with an amazing garden. The Chateau was built in 1918 as a house for the Consul Oscar Hanssen, designed by the architects Carl J. Moe and Sverre Pedersen. The garden was created right after this and was completed in 1920, designed and planned by town-gardener Marius Røhne. Following the death of Oscar Hanssen's widow in 1969, the municipality recovered the building and most of the plants in the garden were removed. The estate has been protected by the Directorate of Cultural Heritage since 2003, and the following year, the ownership was transferred from the municipality to the Romsdal Museum, which is now in charge of maintenance and rental of the building. In 2006, an anonymous donation of 3.5 million NOK was made to restore the entire estate, and the project was completed in 2009. The park is open to the public and has an outdoor exhibition about the garden's history and the family who lived here. Access to the garden is free, with a guided tour available upon reservation. Please check the link in the app. The Chateau garden in Molde is a unique green space right next to the town centre and is part of The Green Corridor, a trail starting in the Chateau garden continuing through town via the Reknes Park, the Romsdal Museum and all the way up to Varden.

(Photo: Romsdalsmuseet / Digitalt Museum, moldegaard.com) In front you now, you can see Moldegård. Originally, the estate was called Molde, supposedly from Norse "moldar", plural for "mold". Molde became the home of Captain Johan Fredrik von Beverlov, commander of the Romsdal military Company. He settled there and acquired the main farm, in approximately 1677. During his time, the suffix -gård (literally "farm") was used to differentiate between the growing town and the surrounding farms, including Reknes. Moldegård was the County Governor's house from 1705 to 1729, in addition to two short periods in the 1750s, and was supposedly the inspiration for Ibsen's 1886 drama Rosmersholm. The main farm house has been the property of the Møller family since 1789 and was registered in the cadastre of Bolsøy until the two municipalities were joined in 1964.

From the starting point at Storkaia, The Green Corridor is a great opportunity to experience cultural history and nature by following the trail from the fjord up to the Varden viewpoint. Varden is known for its wonderful panoramic view, and walking up is an experience in itself: the trail winds itself through parks, areas with historic buildings and nature. On this walk, you will pass Alexandra Park, the Chateau with its impressive garden, and then the Reknes Park and the Romsdal Museum. From there, you will reach Storliveien with the Storlia Nature Trail. The road goes up the hill, through old pine forest and clearings, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the view and have a rest. Along the way, there is information about nature and cultural history. The entire distance is 4.5 km long and takes you to Varden, 407 metres above sea level. Estimated time on foot is about one hour to reach the top, and slightly less on the way down. Indications with a blue symbol can be found from the corner of Quality Hotel Alexandra to Varden. On the way up, there are also signs indicating the remaining distance to the top.

You are now standing next to a bronze statue in memory of Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson, made by Hjalmar Hansen in 1957. Bjørnson was born on December 8th 1832 in Kvikne, north of Tynset, but about 5 years later, his family moved to Nesset municipality in Møre og Romsdal before he moved to Molde to attend school. He was a prominent Norwegian writer, participant in public debate, public speaker and theatre figure, and is considered one of The Four Greats — the most influential Norwegian writers in company with Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie and Alexander Kielland. The Parliament granted him a writer's salary in 1863, and in 1903 he became to first Norwegian writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. He is also known as the founder of The Riksmål Society — The Society for the Preservation of Traditional Standard Norwegian. Bjørnson died on April 26th 1910 in Paris.

You are now on Fossebrua bridge which is a part of Romsdalsgata leading the traffic across Moldeelva river. The Moldeelva river starts by the Moldevatnet lake next to the municipality border in the north, runs through the surrounding areas and the town centre before it ends its course in the fjord. On its way down, the river runs beneath several bridges. Right below Fjellbrua, a water dam turns this into a reserve source of drinking water for the town. In the 17th and 18th centuries, there were lumber mills along the river. In 1909 a small power station next to the river provided the town with electricity. A wool factory also benefited from the river. At the time of the reconstruction after the town fire of 1916, an islet in the river was removed.

You are now in Reknes Park, where you can see a bust of prose writer Alexander Lange Kielland, born on February 18th 1849 in Stavanger, he died on April 6th 1906 in Bergen. The bust was made by sculptor Peder Severin Krøyer in 1907, and was a gift from Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.

You are now in Alexandra Park, and in front of you, you can see the bust of Rasmus Rasmussen, Norwegian actor and theatre director. From 1887 to 1910, he was associated with Den National Scene (The National Theatre). From 1912 to 1914, he was Head of Det norske teatret (The Norwegian Theatre), and from 1916 to 1923, he was Head of Trondhjems Nationale Scene. Rasmussen was a character comedian with a genuine and popular style, and he also performed as a singer of folk music. Rasmus Rasmussen was born on November 4th 1862 in Molde, and died on July 17th 1932.

The island Hjertøya is one of several attractive destinations on the fjord about ten minutes by boat from the city center of Molde. The island had permanent inhabitants between the 18th to the mid-20th century on its north side. This natural site also has significance in art history. Back in 1930 the German artist Kurt Schwitters came to the island for the first time. Later he rented a small stone cottage and spent his summers there during the 1930`s. Schwitters was one of the 20th century`s most groundbreaking artists. He was a painter, sculptor and poet merging all disciplines into an art movement called MERZ. The remains of the artist`s installation in Merzhytta (the stone cottage) on Hjertøya are now preserved and displayed in the Romsdalsmuseet. In 1948 it was decided to move the Romsdalsmuseet fishing department to Hjertøya. On various places on the Romsdal coast, houses were dismantled, transported to the island and rebuilt there. The Fisheries Museum opened as a department of the Romsdalsmuseet in 1953.

The Banehaug area takes its name from the ropewalk that was here in earlier times. The area was ideal for the ropemaking craft, a necessity in a coastal city. In Reperbana they produced strings and ropes. Molde Byes Vel (a voluntary association formed to maintain the recreational areas of Molde) had originally planned to make a park here but this plan was never realized. During the Second World War the Nazi occupants erected bunkers here. The owners of the Reperbana brought in ropeworkers for the production process, or they rented out the entire Reperbana with buildings and equipment. In 1802 the track itself was 64 ells long (about 40 metres). New owners came in and made the pitch bigger. In the end it was about 60 metres at its longest. It was also possible to manufacture ropes in the open, allowing for unlimited lengths to ropemaking. In an article in the Romsdalsmuseet`s 2002 Annual Book we can see that the first known ropemaker in Molde was named Jens Olsen Øye.

The Brunvoll quarter now consists of apartments and some business activity, but was until recently the location for the Brunvoll factory. The Brunvoll Bros.’ factory was founded on Harøya by the brothers Andreas and Anders Brunvoll. The workshop’s primary purpose was to repair and build motors for fishing vessels. Brunvoll also produced diesel engines and propellers. In 1918 production was moved to Molde when the brothers bought Engstrups Motorfabrikk, located at the ferry port. In 1965 Brunvoll Motorfabrikk delivered its first side propellers, also known as thrusters. This product’s technology would turn out to be the bright future of the company. Over the years, they have delivered thousands of advanced propeller systems to thousands of ships. Many Norwegian industrial companies chose to produce in low-cost countries, but Brunvoll has chosen to go against the flow and manufactures their products in Norway. In the period 2014-14 Brunvoll moved all their activities in Molde to Årø, by the airport, including a state-of-the-art competence centre. Brunvoll is among the largest private companies in Molde with about 330 employees in Molde. In addition, the company has facilities in Volda and Dalen.

Storkaia below Alexandra Park is where the first bomb fell during World War II. With approximately 3500 inhabitants, Molde was a very peaceful little city, but by 15 April 1940, just a few days after the German invasion, the first bomb went off. A bomber tried to hit the motorboat “Trygg” lying moored at the pier. Another bomber destroyed a harbor shed and left a huge hole in Storkaia. The bombing increased and by the end of April the entire city center of Molde was burning. The bombing went on for two weeks: in total around 300 bombs were dropped over the city and its surrounding areas. More than 200 buildings were destroyed. The king and the government escaped together with the Norwegian gold bars and a large amount of gold coins. There were dramatic times in Molde during those April days. Most of the gold reserves were taken on board the British cruise ship HMS “Glasgow” which was located just off Storkaia. The gold reserves were transported there from the other end of the city using the local ferries “Legona” and “Rovdehorn”. Due to the heavy bombing, the cruiser eventually had to escape from Molde with only a part of the valuable freight on board. The rest was secured in other ways. The gold transport had a great symbolic significance for the resistance struggle in Norway.

In this area around the “County House” former Reknes hospital was situated. It was a place where destitute people with leprosy were treated. The hospital was opened in 1716. After almost 180 years it was decided that the hospital should be closed and turned into a sanatorium for impoverished tuberculosis patients. The Reknes Sanatorium was established accomodating around 100 patients. This was the first of its kind in the country and the opening was a large celebratory event for the health sector in Norway. The sanatorium was located in an attractive building with beautiful views and a large garden, offering fresh air, exercise and nutritious food for healing and convalescing purposes. On the opposite side of the road stands an old white wooden house. It was built as a sanatorium in 1918 for treating adolescent tuberculosis patients. Due to the risk of infection, parents and children were not in contact with each other, which of course was difficult to cope with. A stay could last for several months. Fortunately, tuberculosis has since been vanquished in most parts of the world. Several children who lived there have revealed unsettling stories of coercion, punishment and intimidation. The children`s sanatorium was in operation until 1960.

The District of Molde Telecommunications company newspaper for area No.1, 1992, reports on «100 years of telephone in Molde». The first administration building was completed in 1923, yet another year passed until Molde Telecom moved in. Other tenants, however, were already operating; Posthuset (The Post Office) occupied the ground floor hence the building went under the name „Posthuset”. The first floor was entirely used by the Molde telegraph station, for its expediting services, including the counter, the department for long distance calls, department for local calls and a room for the message boys, or modern day courriers. The second floor housed the district court judge, the telegraph manager and his assistants, and last but not least, the offices of the Molde District Telecommunications. The third floor was used as housing for the telegraph manager and the regional leader.

The bust of the author Nini Roll Anker was made by the artist Hjalmar Hansen. Roll Anker lived from 1873 to 1942. The art work was unveiled in 1973 and has had a rather turbulent life so far. The bust has been exposed to theft and vandalism and was even toppled a few times. But Nini Roll Anker`s bust, true to her character, always recovers. She was a strong female figure in her time when women were not always taken seriously. Nevertheless, she became a significant author and was active in social causes making important strides in the promotion of women`s rights. She also released books under pseudonyms like Jo Nein and Kåre P. The Kåre P books received very good reviews and no one suspected a woman had written them. She was born into a bourgeois family of traders and government officials in Molde with close social connections to the royal family. Despite her attachment to the upper class, she was involved with the Socialist movement, the working classes and the fight for female equality. During the 200th anniversary celebrations of Norway’s constitution her name figured prominently as one of the 200 most important people from Romsdal. The list was made by the newspaper Romsdals Budstikke in 2014. In total, Nini Roll Anker wrote 28 books.

Kjell Magne Bondevik was born 3 September 1947 in Molde. Party leader, parliamentary representative, prime minister, foreign minister, church and education minister and more achievements are listed on his resume. He was also ordained as a priest in the Norwegian Church. He has been an active ambassador for Molde and the region. Naturally this statesman also proudly wears the scarf of the Molde Soccer Club to games. In the middle of a prime ministerial term, he once had to take a period of sick leave because of depression. He chose to reveal his condition and has received recognition and feedback from people in similar situations. Bondevik`s honest and constructive approach to mental health has opened doors encouraging others to seek help. In 1999 he received the Tabu Prize from the Mental Health Council. In 2004 Bondevik was awarded the Grand Cross of St.Olavs Order. He became the first prime minister in office who received this order in over 80 years. He has received similar orders from Guatemala, Estonia, Italy and Portugal. Bondevik has also been awarded honorary doctorates from several universities worldwide. One of the major Norwegian newspapers, Bergens Tidende, selected him as Politician of the Year in 1997. The following year, Kjell Magne Bondevik was proclaimed «Romsdaling of the Year» by the Molde`s daily newspaper Romsdals Budstikke.

Business manager Oscar Hanssen moved to Molde after the clothing factory he worked for in Ålesund was destroyed in 1904. But it was not the last time he experienced a fire. His own fine men`s clothing store Superb in the Leth building also became a victim to flames in the Molde city fire of 1916. Within a year, Hanssen had rebuilt Superb. The men`s wear was produced under the brand name Superb and was mainly sewn by young unmarried women who came from places in and around the city. Until the 1960`s this was the largest workplace for women in Molde. It is reported that Superb was an exemplary place to work. The pay was fair as were the conditions for work and the employees shared a community spirit. During the war, Superb was extremely valuable for other reasons. For a few days at the end of April 1940, Norges Bank`s (Bank of Norway) gold bars were hidden in the basement. King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav and some members of the government also stayed in the city in those days, hiding from the Nazis. Just after the gold bars were moved, Hanssen would once again have to bear the sight of his factory being destroyed by fire. This time in connection with the great bombing of Molde. Hanssen, who was a resilient fellow, quickly reconstructed the factory during the following summer. It was in operation until the 1970`s. Cheap imports and high prices at home made many of the clothing factories unprofitable over time. Today the building is used by several public departments.

In the spring of 1946, it was suggested by many of Aandahl‘s friends to erect a memorial in memory of flight lieutenant Fridtjof Aandahl. Fridtjof was born and raised in Molde. He was an outdoor man from an early age. His family`s lodge at Skaret served as a perfect base for fishing trips, hikes and later hunting trips as he grew older. On such a hunting trip in 1935, together with his brother Erik, both fell through the ice. Loaded down with skis, rifle and backpacks made it difficult for them to climb back out of the ice-cold water. But they did. This ability to survive would prove to be important for his service during the war. During the battle of Northern Norway, in mid-April 1940, he was a top fighter pilot. In the legendary Fokker Fellowships, also referred to as „Flying coffins», he fought important aerial battles in Norway. When Fridtjof and 19 other Norwegian pilots were on their way to England on board the troop carrier „Czobry“, the ship was attacked in Vestfjorden outside Røst. Flight lieutenant Fridtjof Aandahl was struck by flying shrapnel in the neck and died instantly.

A storm was blowing from the southwest on a Friday night, 21 January 1916. Back then, Molde`s houses stood close to each other and were mostly made of wood. In the evening, a fire was reported in the Romsdalen Ullvarefabrikk, which was quickly put out. Soon after, there was a message about a new fire in Gørvelbrygga, which the fire department was also able to control. When the fire hit Molde Trælastlager, however, a disaster ensued. The intense heat from the fire spread from house to house eastward. It did not take long before it crossed the river, and finally a good part of the city was in flames. Despite the stubborn efforts of volunteers and the fire department, 100 buildings were destroyed by the fire. One third of the city center was burned to the ground. Over night the city was full of homeless citizens who only owned the clothes they were wearing. Although many felt hard hit by this catastrophic fire, the people of Molde built a new and modern city, this time in stone. Probably a wise thing to do when it comes to fire safety.

Herdebrei means “wide shoulder” - was a very young king in Norway from 1159 until he died at 15 years of age. After his father Sigurd and his uncle Øystein Haraldsson were killed by the third brother Inge Krokrygg (Inge Hookback), young Håkon was proclaimed king at the Øretinget in 1159, by the followers of Sigurd and Øystein. With Håkon as king they continued a bitter fight against Inge Krokrygg. In the end, young Håkon Herdebrei`s army was victorious and he was celebrated as king at Øretinget. He was too young though for the great task given. Håkon is referred to as a handsome man, tall and athletic with broad shoulders. Near Veøy and Sekken, Håkon had to fight in a dramatic naval battle that determined his fate. It was a violent engagement; in the confusion, Håkon saved himself on board… a wrong ship. There he was killed against promises to the contrary. For Erling Skakke (Erling the Lopsided) it was very convenient that the rival to his son Magnus was thus removed. Håkon`s body was first taken on shore in Romsdalen and buried there, according to Snorre`s Saga. Later the body was transported to Kaupangen in Trøndelag and buried in the stone wall in the Church of Christ. In modern times monuments were erected at Sekken and Veøy, in memory of the dramatic battle. Every year at Sekken, the «Herdebreimarsjen», a commemorative walk, is arranged in memory of Håkon Herdebrei.

This park is not particularly large, but well known amongst jazz fans worldwide as a music venue for the Molde Jazz Festival. The park is indeed so tiny that the author Arild Stavrum described it as "the world's smallest park, with its three trees". It has been a park area ever since the establishment of Molde`s first tourist hotel in 1883. The park features some of the same diversity as the city’s larger gardens that have inspired Molde’s byname “City of Roses”. It was the garden architect Njål Bele who in 1954 designed the park and it is mostly his design we still see today.

In his poem "Til Molde" Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson uses the term "The City of Flowers" and "Houses between Gardens", alluding to Molde`s climate for cultivating a large variety of plants and flowers. The city indeed had many gardens and parks filled with plants normally only found in Southern Europe’s warmer climate. Both small private gardens in residential areas and larger gardens and public parks in commercial areas reflected great botanical variety. The gardens formerly belonging to the governmental residences of county officials were famous for their floral displays of spectacular rose varieties. The climate in Molde still provides good growing conditions and is favorable for plants and flowers in general. Although roses are not typical for Norway, Molde Municipality sets out approximately a thousand rose plants around the city every year. You can find them on the roof of the town hall, east and west of the cathedral, at the entrance to the large parking garage, and in some of the roundabouts in the city.

This is a bronze sculpture made by Ragnild Butenschøn. Together with the statue made by Nina Due, Jazzgutten (The Jazz Boy), at the bottom of the square, Rosepiken symbolizes Molde as the City of Roses and Jazz. The statue is a gift to Molde from the owners of the former Høvding Clothing Factory, Gotlib and Benedicte Moe. The Rose Girl was unveiled on 9 October 1971. There is often a lot of play and fun among children and young people in the square around Rosepiken.

The square in Molde is a meeting place for concerts, markets and activites. The artwork ‘togetherness’ by the Swedish artist Jacob Dahkgren was picked out in an architecture competition. It is installed with a small chute that runs water down into a small pool. The turquoise sculpture inspires us to be together, many children enjoy climbing on the sculpture and playing in the water. In just a short space of time the sculpture has become the signature of Molde, at the same time as challenging us. There will certainly be some people who wonder what an earth it is, in the way that all art that does not flow is able to provoke a reaction. But the reaction from most people is positive, and they think it is exciting. People can see everthing from worms and snakes to signs and writing.

Alongside its function as a courthouse, the building served other purposes. For over 100 years this was Molde`s town hall until 1966 when a new town hall was erected in Molde. The courtroom was previously referred to as Rådstua. The building’s old-fashioned construction with heavy set and flammable timber walls limit the building’s functionality. It is probably not particularly useful as a prison, either. The old landmark`s traditional style has been preserved and it is today used by a non-profit art school and for civil ceremonies.

The sculptor Nina Due created the bronze figure Jazzgutten (The Jazz Boy). This sculpture was given to Molde on the 250th anniversary of the city in 1992, a work of art supporting the claim that Molde is the Jazz capital of Norway. What was intended to be a universal representation of jazz musicians has caused much controversy among locals. As everywhere, art here too is a matter of subjective opinion. For example, some have opined that this metal saxophonist is too athletic to be a typical jazz musician. Jazz fans will politely indulge all discussion and are of course delighted by this monument to music.

Here, at the socalled «People`s House» – a meeting place often used by worker’s organizations - you will find a bust in honor of the mason, parlamentarian, Odelstings-president and agricultural minister Olav Oksvik (1887 – 1958). His training as a mason helped him to rebuild Ålesund after the catastrophic fire in 1904. Later he married and settled in Molde. This also became the base for his political engagement. He was in his time considered the leader of the Romsdal and Sunnmøre worker`s movement. In the 1930`s Olav Oksvik was, along with the upcoming prime minister Johan Nygaardsvold, involved in developing a policy for a democratically minded socialist movement. During World War II Olav was arrested at Sjøholt. In a dramatic escape he managed to get away from the occupants’ police forces and eventually became an important figure in Norway’s administration after the war. The bust, made by Hjalmar Hansen, was completed in 1965. An annual ceremony is held here every 1 May.

Here, not far from where the newspaper Romsdals Budstikke once had its premises, you find the bust of author and editor Kjell Steinsvik. In 1936 he released the novel «Unge mennesker» (Young people). This was also the year he started as editor and later became publisher at Romsdals Budstikke. Steinsvik was a very active editor, who engaged his readers by allowing the newspaper to serve as an open forum for ideas and intellectual exchange. He served as editor from 1936 to 1954. During the war, in 1943, as publisher, he was replaced by a person connected to the Nasjonal Samling (Norway`s Nazi party). During this period Steinsvik was attacked and beaten up after publishing an article the occupants found insulting – an article which Steinsvik refused to retract. He was reinstituted as editor in 1945. In the 1950`s he also became an entrepreneur eventually founding Hustadmarmor, the largest, most innovative company in its niche worldwide. Its manufacturing process is based on lime and used mostly in the production of paper. Steinsvik hereby started an industry which is currently leading in its field and has created additional jobs for local shipping companies.

Reknesparken is Molde`s largest park and the first public park that was established in the city. Originally belonging to the Reknes farm, the area around Rekneshaugen was a field until 1873, rarely visited by locals. One morning in 1873, some boys started a campfire at Rekneshaugen, and it grew into a forest fire. Only a few big pines survived. After the fire people began to go up to Rekneshaugen and discovered the most stunning panoramic view of Molde. This was the start of Reknesparken which was completed in 1884. The park was later donated by Margaretha Dahl to the Molde Municipality. In the park you will find a bust of Governor Alexander Kielland. It was made by Peder Severin Krøyer and unveiled in 1907. You will also find a pavilion and an amphitheater in these beautiful surroundings.

The herring fish played an important role for the local population. When herring took over as the main industry, it was fished on the coast and transported to the city for processing. Here, along the fjord, there emerged rows of seaside sheds, small houses and production companies. The buildings were tightly sealed, producing among other things, cod liver oil, salt herring, stockfish and dried fish. These small factories were situated just above the main street, behind them were the residential buildings with their famous gardens. Some of the fish products were traded in the region but most were exported overseas to Norway`s traditional trading partners Holland, Germany, France and England – the same countries that had previously bought timber from Norway.

Sleipner was a destroyer launched from the Navy`s main yard in Horten on 7 May 1936. The destroyer, with Ernst Ullring as captain, was engaged in battle in the Romsdalsfjorden in 1940. It also escorted troops through the fjord during April 1940 and acted in defence of Molde`s air space, fighting daily against the German Luftwaffe. At one point, during an hourlong attack by 12 aircraft, effective maneuvering and accurate shooting saved the ship from major damage. Lack of ammunition and the need for repair after naval battle in the Romsdalsfjord was the reason why Sleipner had to withdraw from Norwegian waters. It crossed the North Sea and came to Lerwick on Shetland 26 April 1940. Sleipner was employed steadily during its lifetime. When it finally broke up, it had been in operation for 1400 days. In 1948, it was rebuilt as a frigate and became known as the KNM Sleipner. In 1959 it was sold and scrapped.

One of the most important foundations for Molde`s growth into an industrial city was the timber trade. The countries around the North Sea had a great need for timber and large ships came to Molde to purchase it. In the areas along the Fannefjorden there was a lot of virgin pine. The timber was cut and transported down to the shoreline. The warehouse and trade center Molde Fiære took shape towards the end of the 1500`s. The area around the estuary became an important storage area for wood, and Moldeelva (the Molde river) laid the foundation for sawmills along the river. For some of the inhabitants the trade with wood led to great wealth. Timber was traded for goods brought in by the woodcarriers from the continent. The products included furniture, ceramics, tin, brass, cheese, wine, spices, spirits, textiles and much more. The whole of Romsdal flourished during this period, which is often referred to as the «Hollendertiden» because Holland was the dominant trading partner. As the areas around Molde were increasingly clearcut, forest resources dwindled. The herring fish then took over as the main protagonist of industry in Molde.

The water blowing whale in the city's coat of arms alludes to a fortuitous legend. 1739 was a catastrophic year for the farmers in Romsdal county and food supplies in winter were depleted. City records recount that it was an "extremely cruel winter“. In April 1740, the county governor warned about a high risk of famine. In the summer he announced that "an incredible number of cattle are diseased or dead”. Most of the agricultural land no longer yielded any grain and less than half of the land was sown. In August winter had already begun. Cold, frost and deep snow marked the landscape and Denmark was asked to provide grain at a reasonable price. These dire conditions lasted for three consecutive years, and the grain that came from Denmark was not enough to keep famine away. What prevented further catastrophe was the herring fish: exceptionally good fishing at the time kept the local people from starving. The locals believed that it was the whale that had driven herring into the fjords. Usually, the whales remained 100-120 km from shore. Thus, the Molde coat of arms alludes both to salvation from famine and is the symbol of happiness and prosperity for the city.

Træffhuset is located here, opposite the Romsdal Museum and Reknesbanen. Within the large structure you will find three modern multi-purpose halls, Molde Arena 1 and 2 and Rekneshallen. The Molde arenas are used for handball championships and any number of different sport competitions with seating of up to 2000 spectators. In addition to the main viewing areas, there is an indoor climbing wall, a dance hall, a banquet hall, a meeting room, a snack bar and a sauna. Træffhuset is an excellent venue for sports events, business meetings and social and cultural events. It is also used for annual meetings, conventions and conferences.

This big cottage in the hilly recreational area Moldemarka north of Molde was originally set up by the Grand Hotel in 1898. Inspired hotel developers wanted to give their guests a special experience in connection with staying at the hotel. Thus, Storlihytta was built, and became a popular destination for guests fond of nature. Not only "regular" travelers stayed there. The German Emperor Wilhelm II as well as his cousin, the Prince of Wales were regular visitors before the outbreak of WWI. Norsk Folkehjelp, a Norwegian aid organization, later owned the cottage for some time and contributed to a comprehensive renovation before the ownership was transferred to the Molde Byes Vel oranisation in 2008. Storlihytta is a wonderful old cottage with a lovely view of Molde. The traditional house is now owned by the tourist association and has been made wheel chair accessible although assistance is recommended for the steeper incline. Even if you bring young tourists in the pram, the hike is now quite feasible.

The petroglyphs found on Bjørset are estimated to be six to seven millenia old. A bit of a mystery surrounds them. The rock art here was carved onto two slab stones - on one of the stones it is easy to recognize the depiction of an animal, probably a large sea animal; on the other stone there are geometric figures that the experts are not quite sure about. These mysterious rock carvings were first discovered in 1937 whilst blasting stone off the Storvika fields on Bjørset. The petroglyphs lay in what was previously a shoreline later covered by clay. The discovery was quite a sensation but eventually the historic stones were practically forgotten. Both historians and conservators hope the site will become more accessible in future but this will depend on the landowners and their willingness to facilitate public access.

The fishery museum is located in Hjertøya, a 10-minute boat ride from the centre of Molde. You can catch the boat in the summer season from the Torget. The museum enjoys a sheltered and scenic location in an east facing bay. Hjertøya is the largest of the Molde islands and is owned by Molde municipality. The island is covered in woodland, with beaches and sheltered coves. There are many opportunities to bathe and enjoy the outdoors on the island. The Molde archipelago was owned by Moldegård up until 1903. Hjertøya (derived from the man’s name Gjert) was home to a croft belonging to the farm, and people lived here right up until the 1950s. The fishery department of the Romsdal museum was established on Hjertøya in 1948. The fishery museum has a unique collection of 15 old buildings from the Romsdal coast. In addition, there is a boat hall with an interesting collection of vessels. The museum has been constructed as a small fishing village with amongst other things a cod liver oil plant, fishermen’s cottages, engineering workshops, and residential dwellings. Demonstrating daily home and work life during the long fishing season is the central theme in the presentation of the museum.

A part of the old farming area Furuli/Holmarka is a tourist attraction nowadays. It forms a department of the Romsdal Museum. Horses, sheep, rabbits, cats and chickens are kept in the barn. The old farmhouse and yard are privately owned and are not part of the tour. This is the last small working farm with agricultural land still in use near the center of town in Molde. Over the years, various structures were built and added to Furuli. The first barn burned down and the second one replacing it was destroyed by fire bombs during the war in April 1940. Ten years later, an adjacent outhouse was converted into a playhouse. The farm was not very large with its five acres of land. All the hay had to be harvested by hand using a scythe. The farm did not own a horse, so the large carriage had to be pulled by hand. Sometimes a horse was rented in order to complete the chore of getting everything stored in the barn. When, in April 1940, several bombs fell on the property, only the barn was destroyed. During the war, a large German camp was set up just east of Furuli in the adjacent forest area. Barbed wire fences were set up reaching onto the cultivated soil. This created problems for the farmer and resulted in his reducing the number of animals kept on the farm. New paths for animals were needed for them to reach their grazing fields. Romsdalsmuseet's Friends, an organization of museum volunteers, is responsible for the operation of Holmarka. They take care of the livestock all year round, train the horses there now and will happily arrange for a privat tour. In association with another group of volunteers, Moldemarka's Friends, benches and a bonfire site at Holmarka Panorama were installed. There is now also a bridge over the stream.

The Romsdal coast consists of the Midsund, Sandøy Aukra and Fræna municipalities. Midsund and Sandøy are pure island municipalities. Sandøy is now a part of Ålesund municipality but has a department at the Romsdal museum. Names such as Ona, Bjørnsund and Bud may sound familiar as Hustadvika, which is a notoriously dangerous stretch of sea lies just beyond them. The houses at the fishery museum come from different places along the Romsdal coast. A sea house, fisherman’s cottage, house with a storeroom, salting shed, and outside toilet come from Sandøy municipality, there is a net shed from Midsund municipality, whilst the engineering workshop, another net shed and the school are from Aukra municipality, there is also another fisherman’s cottage from Hustadvika municipality. The boat hall was built here at the museum and is an exhibition space for the fishery museum’s unique collection of boats, more of which can be found at Bud coastal museum. The boat building houses the tools of one of Romsdal’s many boat builders. The fishery museum is built in the form of a fishing village, and when you wander around you can imagine how most of the fishing villages along the coast here would have had the same sort of houses and functions. The last house, Påskhella, is a stately residential building from the Jakob farm on Sandøya and was moved to the museum at the end of the 1970s. The name of the house has nothing to do with ‘Påske’ which means Easter, but probably came about from the large number of pors (bayberry) bushes that grew in the original area that the house was located in.

When you stand in the bay on Hjertøya next to Påskhella and look northeast the houses on Hjertøyplassen lie in a row. Hjertøyplassen along with the houses here are owned by Molde municipality. It is believed that Hjertøyplassen became the croft of Moldegård around 1765 and was used as such right up until 1903. After that the building was used as the residence of the forestry guard up until 1939 when Molde municipality bought the Molde islands from the state. After that supervisors from the municipality lived here up until the 1950s. The Molde islands have long been used as a valuable natural resource in terms of; forestry, agriculture, grazing land, fishing, egg and bird catching and also as a natural breeding ground for oysters. To this day, wild sheep graze on the island, and you may well meet the flock if you dare to take a round tour of the island or follow the nature trail which is connected to the fishery museum. During the summer months the friends of Hjertøya run a café at weekends in the yellow house, and the Romsdal museum make available part of their barn for an exhibition about Kurt Schwitters who spent many summers on the island. To get here, you need a boat. In the summer this is a scheduled boat from the Torg quay in Molde.

Gotfred Lie, whom the park is named after, was a prominent businessman in Norway at the turn of the last century. He was born in Molde in 1856 and was a trained engineer. Lie held many public offices and in 1927 became a knight of the order of St. Olav, in recognition of his support to scientific research at the University of Oslo. Lie created many legacies, several of which benefited the city of Molde. He owned the area that the park is in today and gifted it to the town on the condition that it remained a park. It was the city engineer Ingvar Findal who had the idea for the round pond. Many thought that it was an unheard-of luxury, and the pond was ironically called “the Ingvarske sea” by locals. The bronze duck sculpture was created by Skule Waksvik and was bought by the municipality of Molde in 1958. In the park you can also find a bust of the author Ninni Roll Anker by Hjalmar Hansen from 1973. In 1978 the park was restored by the city gardener Peter Nyland to the state that it remains in today. Today, the municipality and the rose committee are working on the development of the park. When you stroll through the park or sit yourself down on a bench you will notice the subtle sound of running water from the river and the scent of the roses, a smell which many associate with the old city before it was bombed during the war.

The old Alexandra Hotel which was bought by Peder Hanevold in 1883 was developed in the Swiss style and was an attraction in itself, in addition to the rose garden which was laid out by the director. The old Alexandra Park was a very beautiful garden with roses everywhere, firstly, “Molde roses” and later grafted roses which were collected from afar. Hanevold was a skilled rose grower, and with paths of pink shell sand, gazebos with creepers, all surrounded by beautiful rose beds, the park was “the most beautiful of all”. In April 1940 the old Alexandra Hotel was bombed, the new hotel was built after the war and has been expanded in several stages. In 1954 the new garden layout was created by the garden architect Njål Bele and was much as we see it today. In the park, you can find, among other things, the beautiful sculpture “Mother with a little boy” by the sculptor Emma Matthiasen. Funds collected by the Rose committee have provided the opportunity to plant many roses once again. One of the best times to enjoy the park is when the Molde Jazz festival is being held, the park is used as a venue throughout the whole of the festival week. From Alexandra Park, it’s possible to walk further through the “green corridor” to Chateauhagen.

The first half of the 1800s was considered as a pioneer time for tourism in Norway. The first tourist boat arrived in Molde as early as 1851. Norway was an exotic destination and the beautiful Vestland coast soon became a favourite tourist destination. Rekneshaugen originally belonged to Reknes Farm but was loaned out for a small fee to the Molde city company in 1883 for their free use. The park was completed in 1884 after the planting of various types of trees, paths, lawns, and benches. The view from Rekneshaugen became an obligatory favourite tourist destination for everyone visiting Molde. Before the vegetation on and around the mount was burnt in 1873, the area was considered uncultivated land and was rarely used. After the fire, the view was rediscovered, and in 1887 the city company set up the music pavilion at Rekneshaugen to the delight of tourists and locals. There was also a granite post erected with direction markers pointing out the mountain tops in the Molde panorama. In 1937 the whole area was given to the city of Molde by Margretha Dahl as a park. Reknespark is modelled on an English country garden, with inspiration taken from the classic idyllic cultural landscape with winding paths, clusters of trees and an undulating landscape. The walk through Reknespark up to the pavilion takes you a step closer to the field boundary, through the Romsdal museum and Holmarka.

If you head into the fjord along “Fannestranden” beach you will encounter a large area just inside the small boat harbour which once held the famous Retiro-park and the country estate of the consul, the ‘Klippfisk King’ Christian Johnsen from Kristiansund. The Retiro villa had a fantastic garden. The Retiro park was constructed by the Consul in the 1870s, inspired by a visit to Retiroparken in Madrid. He decided that as soon as he was rich enough, he would build his own Retiro Park. On one of his trips to Italy he strayed into a private park, from which he was chased out of. At that point he made the decision that when he built his own Retiro Park, it would be open to the public, but only on Sundays. The plans for the park were drawn up by the County gardener in North Trondheim County Edv.T Thoresen and it was the gardener Knud H Jakobsen who was responsible for the maintenance of the park. In total there were four gardeners working to keep the park in order. In the park there were around 3 kms of raked paths, three lakes of which Atlanterhavet was the largest. There were several islands on it, one with a cabin on, as well as rowing boats, swans and running water. There were benches and tables placed around the park and statues in the garden and the park. Christian Johnsen was very interested in gardens and there were many exotic plants and trees in the garden, including palm trees. The park was characteristic of the garden fashion of the time with circling gravel paths and overlaid beds. The garden and the park were a real delight, widely renowned and were open to the public every Sunday. During the hurricane of 1991 the remaining parts of the park and garden were destroyed, and the area appears today as a wilderness. Today the area is owned by Molde municipality and a private developer who have to date not developed the area. In 2021 the association “The friends of Retiroparken” was established, and in cooperation with private and municipal support the ambition is to make the area accessible once again for all.

Large parts of the old western parts of the centre were burnt down after intensive bombing by the German forces during the April of 1940. The eastern part had already been destroyed during the town fire of January 1916, but for the most part that had already been rebuilt before the war. The charming tourist town, with winding streets, wooden houses and abundant flower gardens behind picket fences was a thing of the past. Even while the bombing was taking place the town engineer Dørum was in contact with the town planner Sverre Pedersen in Trondheim. Dørum had started surveying the burnt areas in the town and had sent a draft of a new town plan to Pedersen, who led the work on ‘Brente Steders Regulering (BSR)’. It was BSR who worked on the planning of the rebuilding of Molde and other Norwegian cities throughout the war. Pedersen had already worked with the Molde town planners before the war, including on the planning of Alexandria Park. The new reconstruction plan consisted of mainly three-story buildings build of brick and concrete in the town centre. During the first years of rebuilding weight was given to traditional building methods with amongst other things gabled rooves inspiring the designs - but in combination with features of functionality. The Royal supply and reconstruction department had a lot to consider. There were towns that needed rebuilding across most of Norway, but the war still cast its shadow in terms of restrictions on building materials. In the initial post war years, cement was freely available on the market, whereas wood, steel and other necessary materials were still in short supply. All of these were important building materials in the rebuilding of Molde.

There are very few remaining buildings that are a reminder of old Molde. But one of them is “The Smitt house” in Sandvegen 4. The building was designed by the Bergen architect Gerhard Fischer, the plans list it as, “Villa Dr. Smitt” with the year 1911. Anton Elias Smitt was employed as a Doctor at Amts hospital in 1909. The villa has the unmistakeable characteristics of the building style in Bergen at the end of the 18th century. Villa Dr. Smitt has a nearly untouched exterior but has been used for many different purposes. Smitt lived in the house for only four years before he sold it on. After the war the house was rented out, amongst other things it was used as a priests’ home for part of the year. Today the house is owned by the county of Møre and Romsdal and has in recent years been used for various cultural purposes including as an arts centre. In Molde town centre there are several interesting buildings which bear the stamp of the early post war architecture. In old Molde Myrabakken was called Sadelmagerbakken after the Saddle maker Hans.P Ørstadhagen who lived at the bottom of the hill. It ran from Storgata to the large ‘ myra’ (which means bog) up on the flat, hence the name “Myrabakken”. Before the war there were only residential houses at the top of Myrabakken whilst in the lower part there was plenty of activity with craftsmen and traders going about their business. At that time the street was full of small idyllic houses with fragrant gardens. The post war functional houses with gabled rooves still remain. Nr.8. E.K Hansens printworks, is today protected as a typical example of a post-war combination build combining a business and residential house. Before the war Myrabakken was steeper, as Storgara was raised after the war. For those of you with an interest in architecture we would recommend taking a trip to Molde Cathedral which was completed in 1957. The church was designed by Finn Bry and is a great example of Norwegian Church architecture after the Second World War, where the functionality of the 30s is also visible.

Sekken is the largest of the innermost islands in the Romsdal fjord it is visible when you arrive by plane into Molde airport, or when you arrive here by train from Åndalsnes or by car from the direction of Molde, or if you come along the coast from the south and take the ferry from Vestnes, with the view out towards the Romsdal alps. Actually, regardless of how you are travelling or where you are coming from, Sekken is waiting to greet you. It is said amongst locals that when you first come to Sekken, whether as a tourist or looking for somewhere to live – you will think to yourself: Sekken what a wonderful place! The last part of the journey to get to Sekken is on the charming ferry “Vågsøy” which runs nearly non stop from the centre of Molde. Passengers travel for free and you can also take a bike with you free of charge! The ferry also has plenty of space for cars. Whilst large windows in the saloon and lots of space on the upper deck allow you to make the most of the exotic fjord landscape. The bus from Sekken ferry hire corresponds with most of the ferry arrivals from early morning to afternoon. Check out “travel like the locals” for tickets. The bus journey takes you along the naturally beautiful road from the ferry quay on Sekkenes, past monuments that tell you about Håkon Herdebrei (King Haakon II Sigurdsson, 1147 – 7.July 1162) and the historic battle of Sekken, church and youth centre. It continues about half way around the island, where it soon arrives at the Samsen convenience store, school and kindergarden and after that the Sekken museum, where you can learn about the rich history of the island. If you continue further with the bus, you will arrive at the largest strawberry producer in Romsdal and then continue further to Vesadstranda. At that point you have made it halfway around the island and from there you can cycle, walk or drive further as the bus route terminates here. On all corners of the island there are marked hiking routes which guide you through the beautiful and interesting natural landscape. You can walk many miles on forestry roads and paths climbing from 0 to 304 metres over sea level with everything from wild untouched forests to rest places with views out over the fjord and the mountains. Sekken offers both peaceful and inspiring experiences and the islanders will welcome you with open arms!

The battle of Sekken was one of the battles that took place in the civil war era, when the Kingship of Norway was being fought over. In the period before the battle of Sekken, Håkon Herdebrei and Magnus Erlingsson were the royal contenders. Magnus was the son of Erling Skakke and Kristin, who was the Royal daughter of Sigurd Jorsalfare (King of Norway from 1103-1130). Håkon Herdebrei on the other hand was the son of Sigurd Munn, who himself was the son of Harald Gille, brother of Sigurd Jorsalfare. It appears that they were second cousins. In the spring of 1162 Håkon prepared himself to go up against Erling Skakke, who was in Bergen with a large army. Håkon was sailing south towards the islands where Ålesund stands today when a rowing boat came from the land with a message that a fleet was approaching from the south. Håkon Herdebrei and his army were taken by surprise and didn’t get time to organise themselves against the attack. Erling Skakke’s fleet was big, and Håkon Herdebrei chose to seek refuge in the market town on Veøya, in the hope of finding help there. But due to the hasty order to retreat to Veøya the army were not distributed evenly between the ships. Erling’s fleet began a pursuit and tried to overtake Herdebrei’s fleet in the fjords right up until Romsdal fjord. Erling Skakke and his men had 21 ships, whilst Håkon’s men had 14. The sea battle that ensued was very unusual: usually the warships grouped together in links of four, often close to land. But at Sekken the warring parties lowered their sails and masts before they rowed towards each other. The ships collided side on which was unusual because usually during a sea battle one wants to avoid exposing the side of the ship to enemy attack. It was decided that the army would gather and attack the remaining ships that had not yet been cleared from Håkon’s fleet. Under army command Erling’s men rowed towards the ships. Erling Skakke wanted to annihilate the enemy army now that their Royal subject had been captured. Under circumstances that are unclear Håkon Herdebrei was killed despite the promises of the commanders and Erling Skakke. According to the saga it was not known how the young king, at only 15 years old, obtained the wound that killed him. Whether it was intentional, or an accident is unknown. But it was very convenient for Erling that his son’s rival was out of the picture. It is not known how many took part in the sea battle but based on modern historians’ knowledge of the type of ship and their normal crew size it is estimated that Erling Skakke’s army was made up of around 2000 – 2200 men.

Hjertøya is the largest island of the Molde archipelago which consist of several small islands and islets in the fjord just south of Molde. Colloquially, they are known as the islets or «Moldivene». Hjertøya is owned by Molde municipality. The island is wooded, with beaches and sheltered bays. There are many good opportunities for enjoying the outdoors and bathing. There is a shuttle boat on a fixed route during the summer – a 10-minute boat ride from the centre of Molde. On Hjertøya you can follow the path through the whole island out to Hjertøytangen, a very pleasant walk where you can stroll through the “ hundred metre wood” before reaching Tangen itself. And on a sunny summer day, Hjertøya is Molde’s top bathing and recreational paradise. It is nice to take a picnic basket with you, BBQ and sunbathe, jump into the water from the jumping tower, or enjoy a coffee from the café run by the friends of Hjertoya. The story of how Hjertøya became a public domain, is actually that of a small coup: Hjertøya and the Molde islands were owned by the large Moldegård farm who had a permanent settlement here from the 1700s right until the 1950s with a croft on the north side of the bay. Hjertøya and the other islands in Molde could have become the playground of the rich, but that never came to pass. In 1903 Moldegård sold the Molde islands to the Norwegian state. But after three decades of forestry work on the largest islands the state forestry service wanted to sell the islands. The mayor of Molde and the governor of the school Edvard Sivertsen Nås came to hear of this and so started the secret operation. In 1938 he wrote a secret letter to forest manager Per Bragstad of the state forestry service to ask if it was possible for the municipality to take over the islands. The letter was not made public and Nås wrote that the municipality intended to continue the forestry work. But the mayor was probably not completely honest about his intentions. Throughout 1939, new secret meetings took place between the municipality and the state. But Nås feared one thing, that this would be reported in the local newspaper, the Romsdal Budstikke, and consequently rich ‘Moldonians’ would see this as an opportunity to acquire great leisure properties. Nås therefore contacted the editor Kjell Steinsvik, and they came to an agreement, no newspaper coverage until the deal was finalised. On the 24th May the mayor advised the board that the Norwegian forestry service and ministry of agriculture would sell the islands to Molde municipality for the sum of 30 000 Kroner. The board were in agreement and a committee was set up to negotiate the conditions. The newspaper continued their silence. It was not until the 8th of June 1939 that they wrote about it in the newspaper, and then with glowing praise for the chairman who had sealed the deal and agreed a payment plan over 10 years in appropriate instalments. The town council also enthusiastically backed the proposal, although in reality the deal had already been done before they had their say. It seems probable that the Outdoor department of Oslo municipality were asleep when the islands were put up for sale, as on the 13th of June a unanimous municipality vote allowed the mayor to seal the deal. Mayor Nås had cited forestry as the main reason for the purchase, at least to the seller, but in reality, it was the consideration of the outdoor life, outdoor parks and the city’s population that were his main motives. So, thanks to an energetic mayor and an editor who allowed himself to be silenced – for the sum of 30.000 kroner Molde’s population can today enjoy the outdoor life on Hjertøya.

The town of Molde grew around the Molde River between the large farms of Molde and Reknes, and most of it was based on the wood trade to Holland. Then the Herring fleet began to come to Molde and the harbour became an important place for the unloading of herring. For the first 200 years of the town’s history Molde seafront was extremely important for business in the town. Towards the end of the 19th century another function came in to play, in addition to the traditional businesses of timber and herrings. Molde became a tourist attraction. Molde was an idyllic small town with wooden houses, abundant gardens, parks, and avenues, but the town turned its back on the fjord in many ways. Although, the town square was still a place where the residents of Molde could enjoy the sea front, and there was also a fish market. The best time to wander along the seafront in Molde in times gone by, was when the herring boats came in. The fishing boats created their own wharf outside Molde’s seafront. There the boats stood side by side along the whole of the seafront. They were packed in so tightly that you could walk from one deck to another along the whole of the quay. After the war, Molde had to be reconstructed, and a new town plan was made. In the post-war era Storgata became the town’s parade street, and the sea front in many ways the backyard. Many places down by the sea were closed off with fences, and the quayside was a place where work was carried out. In recent times there has been much discussion about how the town can be turned towards the sea again, and in 2017 Molde municipality voted to build a new square and seafront. The square was to be an open meeting place for concerts, markets and activities. In addition to housing cafes and restuarants with outdoor seating areas. Steps were added in at the water’s edge so that you could take a dip off the pier or dip your toes into the sea on a warm summer’s day. With the creation of the harbour promenade the town has again turned to activities by the sea. There are seating areas and a square with flowers and artwork so that the Rose city can be seen with a new splendour and once again be a beautiful town. Molde is one of Norway’s best preserved reconstructed towns and they also take care to preserve that cultural heritage. The new sea front has made Molde more green and environmentally friendly, with playgrounds, a sauna and a small city beach. The new harbour promenade is a delight, for tourists, visitors, and the town’s inhabitants. Here you can take a walk along the new sea front , enjoy a bite to eat or take a boat out to one of the islands in the Romsdal Fjord.

Ever since Molde was a dress making town, where people came to spend the money that they had saved from Lofoton fishing on a new wardrobe from one of the town’s businesses, Molde became a trading centre in the region. Today, the town has two large shopping centres Moldetorget and AMFI Roseby which have long opening house and a broad variety of goods. The centres are usually open until around 8pm each day in the week and until 6pm on Saturdays and are closed on a Sunday. Car dealerships are gathered in «Car Town» in Årødalen just east of the centre of Molde, you can also find several sailing and fishing stores both in the centre, close to Roseby and on Bolsønes. MoldeTorget is a modern, elegant and intimate centre located in the centre of Molde and is home to over 30 different shops and eateries. The centre occupies the area between Storgata, Fjordgata and Hamnegata, within a short distance of the bus stop, ferry, and boat quay. At AMFI Roseby you will find over 90 shops, and around a thousand free parking spaces. There is a varied mix of shops with both national and international chains, as well as the town’s Vinmonopol, and interior and electronic stores. Storgata in Molde is a unique shopping street with an abundance of shops and traders. There is plenty of parking in Molde Parking Tunnel, you can drive in on the North side of Molde cathedral and wander out by the town hall in the centre of the town. They are actively working to preserve a habitable, vibrant and functional town centre, where you can shop, enjoy a good meal and enjoy entertainment. There are markets and arrangements taking place throughout the year, so there is always a lot of activity, events, and good offers.