Happy TravellerWelcome to Kristiansund, a charming coastal municipality located in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. With its beautiful islands and unique natural harbor, Kristiansund is a hidden gem that offers a wide range of activities and attractions for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re looking to explore the city’s rich history, indulge in delicious local cuisine, or simply relax and soak up the stunning scenery, Kristiansund is the perfect destination for your next adventure.
General Information
Kristiansund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838, and today it has a population of 24,013. The town of Kristiansund is the administrative center of the municipality and is the major town for the whole Nordmøre region. Other notable settlements in the municipality include the villages of Kvalvåg, Rensvik, and Nedre Frei. The municipality is named after the town of Kristiansund, which was founded in 1742 by the Danish-Norwegian King Christian VI. The old name of the town/village was Fosna or Fosen, which means hiding place or hidden port. The municipality’s coat of arms features a silver or white river flowing from a cliff, with salmon jumping upwards on a blue background, possibly depicting the Lille Fosen waterfall near the town.
Top Attractions
Kristiansund is built on four main islands, with many smaller islands. The island of Nordlandet is the second largest island and the site of the local airport, Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget. Kirkelandet is third in size and is made up of two areas Kirkelandet and Gomalandet. The smallest island is Innlandet, while the largest island in the municipality is Frei, which was part of the old Frei Municipality merged into Kristiansund on 1 January 2008. One of the top attractions in Kristiansund is the deserted fishing village of Grip, which also holds the status of Norway’s smallest municipality. The island of Grip is a popular tourist attraction in the summer season due to its very special location and architecture. It is home to Grip Stave Church, the second smallest stave church of Norway, and Grip Lighthouse. Other attractions include the city’s many green parks and gardens, such as Langveien-park and Vanndamman-park, which are perfect for outings and jogging. Kristiansund also has a temperate oceanic climate, with cool-to-warm summers and mild winters, making it an ideal destination for outdoor activities all year round.
History
Archeological evidence exists of settlement in the area which is now Kristiansund from as early as 8000 BCE. During the Viking era, there were many battles around Kristiansund, including the Battle of Rastarkalv on the island of Frei, where the Norwegian King Håkon the Good fought against the Eirikssønnene group. The city’s clipfish production was also part of the reason why it was given town status as a kjøpstad in 1742. Today, Kristiansund is one of the most densely populated cities in Norway, having what is arguably the country’s most urban small city center due to the relatively small size of the islands on which it is built and the very constricted central harbor/town area of Kirkelandet.
Transport
Kristiansund is easily accessible by road and by ferry. The Sundbåt shuttle service is the world’s oldest motorized regular public transport system in continuous service, traveling between the islands with a capacity of a few tens of passengers. The road to Kristiansund from the mainland, Norwegian National Road 70, is connected to European route E39 by the bridge/tunnel system called Krifast. After passing through the underwater Freifjord Tunnel from the central part of Krifast, National Road 70 crosses Frei and enters Kristiansund over the Omsund Bridge onto Nordlandet. The Nordsund Bridge brings you to Kirkelandet, where you can explore