Tyrifjorden

We are now travelling along the beautiful and magical Tyrifjorden, Norway’s fifth biggest lake. Many years ago this area was covered in 2 to 3 thousand metres of thick ice and when the ice age ended Tyrifjord became part of the sea. But when the huge ice masses began to disappear the landscape began to rise and eventually over time Tyrifjorden became an isolated lake. Around Tyrifjorden you can still find many signs from the time the fjord was a part of the sea. In 1906 the famous fossil the ‘giant sea scorpion’ was excavated, it measures an impressive 70cms and is estimated at around 420 million years old. At that time this area would have been next to the South Pole, 100 million years later it was on the equator. On a piece of land protruding into the lake is Bønsnes church. Saint Olav was born in the area and many legends link him to this church. He played a key role in introducing christianity to Norway and was canonized after his death in battle in Stiklestad in the year 1030. On the 22nd July 2011 Tyrifjorden experienced Norway’s darkest ever peacetime event. After a bomb was detonated in the government district of Oslo, here on the idyllic island of Utøya 564 young people attending a youth camp were subjected to the worst terror attack in Norwegian history. 77 people lost their lives that day and every year a memorial service is held to remember them.