Stokke (Photo: )
Norway’s rich history dates to the last ice age some 10,000 years ago. In Stokke, 68 miles south of Oslo, commemorations mark events as ancient as Viking explorations and newer happenings less than a hundred years ago. The best weather for outdoor explorations in Stokke runs from late-June to early-August, as warm temperatures and green landscapes greet visitors.
Remembered primarily as fierce pirates, Vikings were also shrewd traders who left their Scandinavian homelands and traveled throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Viking graves dating from 500 to 1000 A.D. are visible along Road 303 between Melsomvik and Tonsberg; the largest burial ground is found at Skjersnes, with 11 additional graves near the Melsom School. Buried in the 10th century and discovered in the twentieth, the “Grimestad Treasure” is now on display at the University of Oslo, 67 miles from Stokke.
By the 16th century, Melsom was already an established seaport welcoming foreign ships to Norway. In the late 19th century, naval bases were established here; the bases were important to the negotiations for independence from Sweden in 1905. Watch for the old miller’s house and reconstructed mill along Road 303 near the Melsom Forest. Home of the Melsom Agricultural School (vilbli.no), the forest has a nature trail with interpretive information on nearby historical sites as well as information on the woods and animals that live there.
Walking trails along the coastline in Sandefjord include a 15 mile stretch of trail that passes the ruins of German fortresses built in World War II.
Christianity was embraced in Norway in 997, but an additional 200 years passed before worship of the Norse gods ended; Catholicism gave way to Lutheran beliefs in the 16th century. Churches in Norway are built so that the entrance is on the west side of the building and the altar faces east.
The oldest house of worship near Stokke is the Skjee Church, an active Lutheran congregation. Built of stone during the 12th century, the church’s altarpiece was painted around 1770 and is attributed to artist Jacob Lindgard. The pulpit was constructed in 1608. The walls in the nave and chancel of the Amadal Church, built in 1882, are made of timber. Slightly newer is the the brick-built Stokke Church which dates to 1886. One of the largest churches in Vestfold County, it can seat 600 parishioners.
Located in the southeastern part of the country, Stokke is on the route from Mandal to Oslo. Oslo International Airport (osl.no/) is serviced by Avis, Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt Bilutleie car rental agencies. Sandefjord Airport (torp.no), a municipal airport operated by Vestfold County and the communities of Stokke and Sandefjord, is a ten-minute drive from town. Allow just under two hours for train service from Oslo to Stokke aboard trains operated by the Norwegian State Railways (nsb.no).
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