Located an hour south of Oslo, Fredrikstad is an ancient city replete with history. Its origins specifically harken back to the mid-16th century when Sweden and Norway were at war. Norway’s monarch at the time, King Frederik II, had grown dissatisfied with the dissolution of the Kalmar Union several decades prior and sought to restore it under his personal rule. Meanwhile, King Eric XIV of Sweden was weary of his rival, thus setting the stage for an armed conflict between the two countries. The Northern Seven Years’ War eventually erupted in 1563, pitting the Kingdom of Sweden against the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway and its allies. While most of the fighting occurred in southern Sweden, raids did spill over across the border into Norway. One such attack reached the Norwegian municipality of Sarpsborg along the banks for the Glomma in 1567. The Swedes subsequently burned the entire town to the ground, although many residents survived after being evacuated further down river to the coast. In the wake of the raid, the residents petitioned King Frederik II to rebuild their beloved community upon the site of their makeshift refuge. He agreed, believing the geography could offer much better protection. King Frederik II thus officially commissioned the city's recreation and had a ring of imposing fortifications built around the new settlement. However, the King had also overseen the creation of a sophisticated street grid behind the defenses, which were filled with many gorgeous Renaissance-inspired buildings.

To honor the King, the inhabitants decided to rename the city as “Fredrikstad” shortly after the final construction projects concluded in 1569. Fredrikstad quickly emerged as an incredibly prosperous center of trade, due to its proximity to the Glomma and the Skagerrak strait. Shipbuilding became one of the city’s most lucrative industries, as did the milling of timber. Many residents also earned the right to operate as merchants, too, who exchanged local agricultural products for specialized goods made elsewhere in Europe. Despite its great economic success, the city of Fredrikstad never lost its military identity. Indeed, the fortifications underwent periodic expansions over the next two centuries, with the most monumental work occurring after the Hannibal War. The Norwegian government specifically hired two Dutch engineers, Willem and Anthony Coucheron, to supervise the renovation, who constructed a stunning collection of defensive structures starting in 1663. Taking three years to complete, the Coucherons’ embattlements ultimately formed the nucleus of the mighty Fredrikstad Fortress. Their citadel safeguarded Fredrikstad for many generations, with the Østfold Regiment assigned to garrison the site permanently. Perhaps the fort’s most memorable moment transpired during the Great Northern War of the early 18th century. The Fredrikstad Fortress was specifically used by one of the conflict’s most famous commanders, admiral Peter Tordenskjord. In 1716, he left the base to lead an outnumbered flotilla of ships against a much larger Swedish fleet, which he managed to defeat at the Battle of Dynekilen.

In 1814, the city of Fredrikstad was besieged again by Sweden amid the greater Napoleonic Wars affecting Europe. Facing insurmountable odds, the commander of the Fredrikstad Fortress, Nils Christian Frederik Hals, chose to surrender the community in the hopes of sparring its inhabitants any suffering. (The move has since been hailed by contemporary scholars, who believe a decision to fight would have destroyed much of Fredrikstad’s historic downtown.) The city ceased functioning as a major citadel in the wake of the capitulation, although the Fredrikstad Fortress did continue to maintain a permanent garrison on-site. Life in Fredrikstad focused more on economics, which saw a revitalization of its historic timber and shipbuilding industries. New wealth flowed into the city, spawning development projects that expanded the settlement's size. This prosperous economic activity continued well into the 20th century as well, especially once a massive shipyard known as the “Fredrikstad Mekaniske Verksted” began to fully operate. Fredriskstad has since remained one of Norway’s most important metropolises, hosting all kinds of lucrative businesses like chemical refining and manufacturing. It is also among the country’s most culturally vibrant, with the city winning a national award citing its rich identity in 2017. Cultural heritage travelers in particular have enjoyed experiencing Fredrikstad’s past, as it is home to such renowned historical landmarks as the Gamlebyen, the Fredrikstad Domkirke, and the Fredrikstad Fortress. (Amazingly, the Fredrikstad Fortress officially stopped functioning as an active military installation in 2002!)

Johan Nils Hansen heavily relied upon prevailing Norwegian vernacular motifs to design the structure back during the early 19th century. Norwegian vernacular building themes—referred to colloquially as “byggeskikk”—specifically drew inspiration from generational construction techniques that harkened back centuries. Until the onset of the 20th century, most structures throughout Norway were agricultural in nature. They typically resided deep in the wilderness and made use of whatever resources were available. Norwegian families thus developed hardy log cabins that were tightly latched together with corner notches to protect against the elements. Those houses also featured rustic architectural designs inside, including open-hearth fireplaces and stone chimneys. However, a few communal structures spawned more eloquent designs, such as the iconic medieval “stave church.” Stave churches were typically designed using a type of wooden timber framing known as “post and lintel” construction, in which widely spaced vertical posts supported horizontal ones. Steeply pitched roofs reinforced by several intricately laid beams further characterized the overall design of the stave churches. Prominent dormers and steeple towers occasionally crowned the structures, too, in a manner reminiscent of more conventional Romanesque-style churches seen elsewhere throughout Europe. Great portals even guided visitors into the interior, which instilled a sense of awe with a variety of rich ornamentation connected to Norse iconography and the local alpine landscape. Some of the symbols employed drew upon ancient motifs centered around dragons and serpents. (Perhaps the greatest example of a surviving Norwegian stave church is the UNESCO-recognized Urnes Stave Church.)

However, the structure showcased some basic elements of Classical Revival architecture, too. Also known as “Neoclassical,” Classical Revival architecture itself is among the most common architectural forms seen throughout the world today. This wonderful architectural style first became popular in Paris, specifically among French architectural students that studied in Rome in the late 18th century. Upon their return, the architects began emulating aspects of earlier Baroque design aesthetics into their designs, before finally settling on Greco-Roman examples. Over time, the embrace of Greco-Roman architectural themes spread across the world, reaching destinations like Germany, Spain, Great Britain, and even Scandinavia. As with the equally popular Revivalist styles of the same period, Classical Revival architect found an audience for its more formal nature. It specifically relied on stylistic design elements that incorporated such structural components, like the symmetrical placement of doors and windows, as well as a front porch crowned with a classical pediment. Architects would also install a rounded front portico that possessed a balustraded flat roof. Pilasters and other sculptured ornamentations proliferated throughout the façade of the building, as well. Perhaps the most striking feature of buildings designed with Classical Revival-style architecture were massive columns that displayed some combination of Corinthian, Doric, or Ionic capitals. With its Greco-Roman temple-like form, Classical Revival-style architecture was considered most appropriate for municipal buildings like courthouses, libraries, and schools. But the form found its way into more commercial uses over time, such as banks, department stores, and of course, hotels. Examples of the form can be found throughout many major cities, including London, Paris, and New York City. Architects still rely on Classic Revival architecture when designing new buildings or renovating historic ones, making it among the most ubiquitous architectural styles in the world. 

Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway