Culture of Lillehammer. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Besides sports facilities of the Olympic level, Lillehammer is attractive for a variety of cultural and historical attractions. Here you can plan an exciting excursion program. The Lillehammer Art Museum located in the city center is one of the largest and most interesting in Norway. It has gathered a collection of works by famous Norwegian artists. Visitors will have a chance to see paintings from Hans Gude, Erik Werenskiold, and Eilif Peterssen. This museum houses the world's largest collection of Edvard Munch's works. The cultural center occupies a very large modern building, which in itself is an important architectural monument. Part of the building is allocated for temporary exhibitions, themed programs of various specifics are often held in the museum. Museum guests will have the opportunity to visit a unique gift shop that sells works of local artisans.

On the outskirts of the city, you will find the unique ethnographic museum Maihaugen. The cultural facility recreates an old Norwegian village, the vast territory of which has over 200 old houses that were built in different periods. Here you can see traditional fishing huts and homes of wealthy farmers, as well as several historic churches. Each house stores a collection of interesting historical exhibits such as old national costumes, musical instruments, and folk art objects.

In summer, the museum regularly hosts beautiful holidays dedicated to traditional culture. Historical reenactments are carried out here along with vivid parades of national costumes, musical and dance performances. The open-air ethnographic museum is located in an incredibly beautiful natural area, so lovers of pristine nature will surely appreciate the tour. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

One of the most unusual cultural centers in Lillehammer is the Norsk Kjoretoyhistorisk Museum. It houses a unique collection of old cars, among which there are 19th-century vehicles. The most valuable exhibits are a steam car released in 1901 and one of the first electric cars in the world assembled back in 1917. Visitors are allowed to get behind the wheel of some vintage cars, as well as try out some vehicles in action. Many tourists visit the museum not only to admire its antique cars but also to make spectacular memorable pictures.

The city has preserved many old religious buildings, and the oldest one is the Lillehammer Church. Built in the 13th century, this stave church is one of the few buildings of this kind in the world, which has somehow managed to remain perfectly preserved after hundreds of years. The wonderful church is still active and striking with its impressive scale. A historic cemetery near the church is now of great cultural value for the city.

Lillehammer has also preserved several picturesque old streets ideal for walking and admiring the old architecture. One of the most beautiful is Storgata Street demonstrating unique 18th-century buildings. Here you can also see beautiful wooden houses that haven't been changed at all over the past 200 years. Today, many historic houses are occupied by popular museums, restaurants, and craft shops, and on Storgata Street, you will see a number of symbolic monuments.

A vivid 18th-century architectural monument is Sor-Fron Kirke, a church located in the immediate vicinity of the city amidst beautiful natural landscapes. The construction of the church was completed in 1787. According to historical data, the very first church was built in its place about 500 years earlier. Over time, the old wooden church became dilapidated so it was decided to build a new stone cathedral on its site. It has delighted visitors with its scale and skillful decoration for over 200 years. The main hall of the church can accommodate up to 750 parishioners at a time. Some elements of decoration that can be seen in the cathedral today have been preserved from the former church, including a beautiful pulpit. The best Norwegian artists worked on the cathedral's decoration, wonderful 200 years old altar paintings have been preserved as well.

The Norwegian Olympic Museum is a landmark cultural center for the city. The opening of the Olympic Museum took place in 1997. It is dedicated to the Winter Olympic Games, which Lillehammer hosted in 1994. The museum houses a very interesting collection of thematic exhibits. All of them are about the history of the Olympic Games, the age of some exhibits presented here is more than a thousand years. In total, the museum stores more than 7,000 valuable items.