Historic sites in Ringsaker
The area around Steinsodden is rich in cultural heritage sites, reflecting Ringsaker’s significant role in Norwegian history. Follow the trails on the map and walk through history — from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. The area is relatively small, and some sites have detailed information signs. Enjoy your walk!
Ringsaker Church
This prestigious parish church is dedicated to St.Olav. Ringsaker Church is one of Norway’s most authentic and best-preserved medieval churches. It was built of limestone, with its oldest parts dating back to the first half of the 12th century.
Originally, the church was a Romanesque three-aisled basilica, but Gothic elements were added over time. The choir was expanded, and the church was given a cruciform plan when the transept was built. A sacristy, new vaults, and pointed Gothic windows were also added.
The church originally had a tower with a spire, but in the late 1500s, the spire was replaced by a tall steeple.
The altarpiece in the church is unique in Norway. It was produced in Antwerp in the early 1500s and contains a total of 127 carved wooden figures. Very few Catholic altarpieces have been preserved in their original medieval churches. Despite changes over the centuries, the altarpiece in Ringsaker Church has remained virtually unaltered for over 500 years.
The Medieval Limestone Quarry in Prestegårdsskogen
In the forested hillside just 400 meters north of Ringsaker Church lies the limestone quarry where stone blocks for the church were extracted. Among the trees and under the moss, you can still see the outlines of the quarry shafts in the landscape.
Mjøskastellet
The ruins of Norway’s largest known medieval tower, Mjøskastellet, are located on Steinsholmen in lake Mjøsa. The base of the structure covers 360 square meters, and the thick walls may have supported up to five stories. The first recorded mention of the castle and its fortifications appears in written sources from the 13th century. Håkon Håkonsson’s saga states: “He had a stone castle built in Mjøsa, on the islet by Ringsaker, with buildings inside.”
Mjøskastellet stands on land belonging to Stein Farm. Was this farm a royal guesthouse? According to Håkon Håkonsson’s saga, a banqueting hall and a guesthouse for the king and his men were built at Ringsaker. This guesthouse was likely situated near both the church and the royal fortress, strengthening the castle’s strategic role in controlling travel in the region.
Rock Carvings
At the outermost point of Steinsodden lies a large rock with 14 moose figures carved into it. These figures were created by hunter-gatherers during the Stone Age. Moose were an important resource, and such carvings had great mythological and cultural significance. These are the only known carvings with figurative motifs in the Hedmarken region.
Traces of Stone Age People
Several locations at Steinsodden show evidence of human activity during the Stone Age. Fire-cracked stones indicate food preparation. By heating stones in a fire, people could create a consistent heat source, allowing fish and meat to be roasted on glowing stones or boiled in stone-lined pits.
A Region worth defending
In turbulent times, when power struggles and territorial disputes were common, strategic vantage points and strong fortifications were essential. The hillforts at Stein and Domstuberget date back to the early Iron Age. Positioned on elevated ground, they provided views over both land and water and served as secure refuges when needed.
Archaeological findings confirm activity at the Stein hillfort around the year 1000 when Olaf Haraldsson (later St.Olav) fought against the petty kings of Opplandene. Though the fortifications have collapsed and become overgrown, you can still see the remaining brick walls at Stein.
Burial Mounds and Cairns
Burial sites in the form of mounds (earth) or cairns (stone) were commonly built during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Prominent families wanted their ancestors to remain visible in the landscape even after death.
Southeast of Ringsaker Church lies Sveinhaugen, a prominent burial mound with a diameter of 21 meters. Who was the Svein that gave his name to this farm and the mound? When the mound was excavated in 1909, no traces of a local king or nobleman were found. However, its size testifies to the wealth and power of the people who built it approximately 1400 years ago.
Out on Korgerstuodden and further north along the shores of lake Mjøsa, there are numerous Bronze Age burial cairns. Several of these cairns show signs of looting, with visible depressions and pits where grave robbers once dug.
Time periods
1. Stone Age in Norway (ca. 10000 – 1800 BC)
2. Bronze Age in Norway (ca. 1800 – 500 BC)
3. Iron Age in Norway (ca. 500 BC – 800 AD)
4. Viking Age in Norway (ca. 793 – 1066 AD)
- The Viking age began with Viking raids, starting with Lindisfarne (793 AD)
- and ended with the defeat of King Harald Hardråde at Stamford Bridge (1066 AD)
5. The Middle Ages in Norway began in the 11th century and ended with the Lutheran Reformation in 1536 AD
