Rosendal is a locality along the shores of the fjord Hardangerfjorden. It is the administrative center for Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland County in Western Norway. However, this area was once a part of the traditional district of Sunnhordland within Hordaland County. The population is around 800 inhabitants and they live under the watchful eyes of the mountains Skålafjell, Melderskin, and Malmangernuten. It is also home to the smallest castle in Scandinavia.
Rosendal is also a place where we are lucky to have old friends. Friends that we hope to visit more in the future.
A Short History of Rosendal
A lot of the history in Rosendal seems to be connected with the Barony. It was completed in 1665 after the wedding of the Norwegian lady Karen Mowat and the Danish nobleman Ludvig Rosenkrantz. The barony came under the ownership of the Rosenkrone Family in 1745 and remained with them up until it was given as a gift to the University of Oslo.
The settlement that lived here built their parish church already in the 13th century. They lived as farmers, an occupation that today has been replaced by tourism, trade, and other services.
Things to Do and See
Much of Rosendal is focused on outdoor activities such as hiking in the surrounding mountains. There is also the fjord, with a marina in the center of the locality.
Barony Rosendal
Barony Rosendal, or Baroniet Rosendal in Norwegian, is by many considered to be the smallest castle in Scandinavia. This manor house has a history stretching back to the 1650s. The manor house is surrounded by a large park and garden, which usually requires an admission price to be paid prior to entry.
Hattebergfossen
A walking trail leads visitors from the Barony Rosendal to the waterfall of Hattebergfossen. With a fall of 45 meters, the hike to the fall is worth it and something many visitors to Rosendal do. The path to the falls has been updated, making it easy to reach the top.
Steinparken
Steinparken, or the stone park, is a park with both stone sculptures as well as outdoor activities for kids and adults. In the end, it is the geology and landscape that is in focus. The park acts as an exhibition center for the Folgefonna National Park.
Gurine – The Hardangerjakt
Gurine is an impressive ship that has its own space in the center of Rosendal. It is a Hardangerjakt, a sailingship. It was built in Rosendal in 1875 and has since traveled a lot before returning to Rosendal in 2011.
Kvinnherad Church
Kvinnherad Church is a stone church that was built in the mid-13th century. It was the parish church for Kvinnherad Parish and is today a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway.
Hardangerfjorden
Rosendal is on the shores Hardangerfjorden. Covering a distance of 180 kilometers, this is the second-longest fjord in Norway. Its depth is also impressive with the deepest point reaching 852 meters. Hardangerfjorden connects Rosendal with the Atlantic Ocean and for a long time, it was the main way to reach the area.
Melderskin (1426 m)
Melderskin is a fairly high mountain to the east. It reaches a height of 1426 meters above the sea. The view from the top should include the ocean, the nearby fjords, even more mountains, and even the Folgefonna Glacier. Hiking to the top is according to online sources expected to take around 4 hours. Melderskin is described as “The Queen Among The Hordaland Mountains”.
Malmangernuten (889 m)
Malmangernuten is the mountain to the southeast of Rosendal and it reaches a height of 889 meters above the sea. There are hiking trails to the top and a hike is according to online sources expected to take around four hours to the top and back.
Skålafjellet (501 m)
Skålafjell, also known as Sjethaug, is one of the smaller mountains and can be found to the north of Rosendal. It also offers one of the easier hikes according to online sources with about an hour of walking to reach Skjethaug. at around 290 meters of altitude.
How to Get to Rosendal
- Flights: Bergen Airport (BGO) is 89 kilometers to the north. It offers both domestic and international flights.
- Car: Rosendal is on Road 48 north of Husnes and with Bergen and Odda to the north along connecting roads.
The driving distance from 5 major Norwegian cities, according to Google Maps:
- Oslo – 391 kilometers (6 h 11 min)
- Bergen – 119 kilometers (2 h 23 min)
- Trondheim – 692 kilometers (10 h 36 min)
- Narvik – 1585 kilometers (24 h)
- Kirkenes – 2154 kilometers (30 h)
Find out more about other destinations in Norway by visiting our page Exploring Norway
Looks Beautiful! So much great information for trip planning.