«It smells so good here.» That’s often the first thing visitors say when they arrive at
Vikingodden these days. «That’s because we do good work,» we reply with a smile.
By Eivind Luthen
Of course, it’s the scent of tar they’re talking about, along with the fragrance of freshly split oak. Right now, the smell is particularly strong—it’s boat maintenance season, after all. And not just any boat maintenance; this is none other than Saga Oseberg being prepared for a new season on the water. Every weekend for about a month, volunteers work tirelessly scraping, tarring, and painting. Our Ukrainian friends from the Andrimne catering group are always present, faithfully serving hot food and drinks to hungry workers.
HUNGRY VOLUNTEERS: After a busy day of volunteering, a hot meal is always
welcome. Our Ukrainian helpers from the Andrimne catering group never fail us. (Photo:
Andrimne)
A Permanent Viking Shipyard
Vikingodden has operated as a shipyard for the past 15 years and, apart from the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, is the only Viking shipyard in the world in continuous operation. Here, archaeological replicas of Vestfold’s three Viking ships—Oseberg, Klåstad, and Gokstad—are built. The first two have long since taken to the waves, while the third is about halfway completed in the yard. Two smaller boats have also been built here: Kristinaskipet and a replica of one of the three færings found alongside the Gokstad ship.
From time to time, the shipyard also works on repairing other vessels, whether it’s a smaller Viking boat, the Arctic schooner Berntine, or a beautiful ketch, to name a few.
VIKING SHIP BUILDERS: Lead builder Jan Vogt Knutsen and volunteers Bjørn-Ove
and trainee Niklas Normann from Re Upper Secondary School in action at Norway’s only
permanent Viking shipyard. (Photo: Håvard Solerød)
A Creative Hub
Vikingodden is a place of creativity—it’s not just ships that are built here. Replicas of the Oseberg wagon and bed, barrels, tent poles, long tables, rowers’ chests, oars, shields, and other items from Vestfold’s rich Viking heritage have been crafted here. Blacksmith Kristoffer Holmvik contributes his expertise, forging thousands of nails and other essential components. Hinges, chisels, hooks, and jewelry are also made in the forge. Kristoffer, a friendly and outgoing craftsman, is always happy to talk about his trade—he even completed his apprenticeship and certification with us.
The forge, textile workshop, and open boat shed are all grindbygg structures built by our own boatbuilders and many volunteers. The same goes for the impressive forge and timber building at our Hesteskoen branch in Sandefjord, as well as the forge at Midgard Viking Center in Borre. Last summer, these boatbuilders also constructed much of the beautiful new pier area, where additional workshops and boathouses will be built—when funding allows.
Open Year-Round
Work continues at Vikingodden throughout the year—and visitors come year-round as well. The ships are hauled ashore, and plank by plank, the new vessel under construction takes shape. The entire area is open—there are no fences, no guards. But boatbuilders Jan Vogt Knutsen, Bård Kjelsrud, Egil Sagerøy, and our apprentice Emil Dahl work outdoors in all kinds of weather. (Though they don’t hide their excitement for the day when the planned workshop building is finally completed.)
VOLUNTEERS from many countries come to work at Vikingodden for shorter or longer
periods. The two alongside Jan Vogt Knutsen are both from the Netherlands. (Photo: Einar
Chr. Erlingsen)
CATERING: Food is prepared by our Ukrainian friends. (Photo: Andrimne)
Even in winter, visitors stop by. On any given day, Americans, Germans, Britons, Danes, Swedes, Ukrainians, Estonians, Poles, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Icelanders may turn up. There’s plenty of photographing and discussion. The Chinese visitors draw parallels to their dragon boats, while the Danes—having built many Viking ship replicas themselves—are among the most interested.
In short, Vikingodden is something truly unique: an informal meeting place for locals and visitors alike, an authentic shipyard showcasing the best of Norwegian Viking culture. Where else can you find something like this?