Eidsvoll: Cultural history, Mjøsa and trails
Accommodation in Eidsvoll
Eidsvoll offers options for a stay with a variety of interests: its constitutional history leads to Eidsvoll Manor, while trails, lakes and winter activities offer further possibilities. A guided tour is required to visit Eidsvoll Manor; plan this activity accordingly.
Constitutional history and museums
The Norwegian Constitution was written and adopted at Eidsvoll Manor in 1814. The Eidsvoll 1814 Museum preserves the estate as national cultural heritage. The historic park at the Eidsvoll 1814 Constitution House is also free to visit. The cultural trail starts at the Old Eidsvoll Verk Bridge. This means you can consider a visit to the historic park and a walk along the cultural trail as separate activities, without confusing a guided visit to the Manor with an unguided stroll.
Eidsvoll bygdetun in Hammerstad showcases rural communities from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the same museum setting, Okkupasjonsmuseet focuses on the occupation and resistance in Eidsvoll during the Second World War. Visitors interested in more recent history will find a different focus there than at the bygdetun. Gullverket Museum displays all the equipment used in the laboratory and associated infrastructure during the last period of mining in Eidsvoll.
Eidsivatinget is also part of the area's long history: it was established on 17 June 1022 in Eid, now Eidsvoll. At the time, Eid had a strategic location as a hub for trade and transport. This historical context adds a much earlier chapter in local history to the account of the constitutional events of 1814.
Trails, winter activities and scenery
The Pilgrim Path through Eidsvoll is 35 kilometres long and passes various historic memorial sites and different types of natural landscape. A named shorter section, from Eidsvollsbygningen to Eidsvoll Church, is eight kilometres long. These two figures help you distinguish between the length of the entire path and the described section when planning your outings.
The municipality has many cross-country ski trails, some lit and some unlit, as well as marked hiking trails. At 698 metres, Skreikampen is the municipality's highest peak and lies along Mjøsa. The summit is considered a popular destination for winter hikes, and a cross-country ski trail winds through open mountain forest all the way to the top. Cross-country skiing and winter hiking are thus described as separate activities. The trail information refers to the route to the summit, not to conditions on any particular day.
There are many kilometres of suitable forest roads for cycling and running. Mjøstråkk is presented as a route divided into seven stages; the starting and ending points are in Eidsvoll and Minnesund.
At Mjøsa and in Minnesund
Mjøsa and Hurdalsjøen in Eidsvoll municipality offer swimming opportunities. At Hurdalsjøen, the Rødvika/Prestsand bathing area is accessible to people with mobility impairments. The two bathing areas there are child-friendly and have sandy beaches. This information gives visitors who are planning a day of swimming some practical guidance.
Eidsvoll has two guest piers: one by the old bridge, next to the outdoor restaurant there, and one by the new bridge, near the log-driving figure. Boaters have good access from Eidsvoll to Mjøsa and Vorma. The piers and waterways are useful points of reference for visitors interested in boating.
In Minnesund is Mjøssamlingene, a maritime museum about the history of boats and freight transport on Mjøsa. It displays warehouses, workshops and historic boats in their original surroundings. During the summer season, the buildings are open every Sunday with a guide or museum attendant. The Smaragdgruvene emerald mines are also in Minnesund, on Mjøsa: you can explore the mining area independently and search for emeralds. There is also a small museum; the walk from the car park to the mines is just under one kilometre.
Other places to visit include Carsten Ankers lysthus, a copy of the house Carsten Anker had built near Feiring Jernverk on Christenkollen. The lysthus is a destination with a magnificent view over Mjøsa. You can also include Dal when finding your way around the area.
For the broader travel overview: Akershus.
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