>> victoria at a glance facilities Stavanger city guide comfort upgrade <<
Victoria Hotel at a glance
p.4
General information Room service In case of emergency Stay in shape while travelling "Regular exercise reduces the risk of being affected by memory problems and dementia"
A landmark for 111 years Hotel facilities
p. 12
Banqueting Victoria Hotel conference Holmen Bar Big Horn Steak House Nero - fine Italian restaurant "Restaurant Nero chooses locally produced ingredients"
Stavanger
p. 24
Day and night in Stavanger Must haves from Stavanger Stunning Stavanger Snap Shots Local profile: Architect Tommie Wilhelmsen fighting jante in norwegian suburbia
Welcome to Valhalla Upgrade for more comfort
p. 36
dial Editor in Chief
Nyhetstjenester AS
Front desk Big Horn Steak House Holmen Bar Conference dept. Banqueting
dial 9 dial 191 dial 190 dial 180 dail 754
Writers/journalists
Lars Vedøy Kristin Kalgraff Støle
Victoria Hotel Skansegaten 1 4006 Stavanger Tlf: +47 51 86 70 00 Fax: +47 51 86 70 10 victoria@victoria-hotel.no
Editor
Jennifer HIDALGO
Art director
Ole-Jørn Borum
GUNNARSHAUG TRYKKERI
Cover photo
Terje Rakke Nordic Life AS Fjord Norway
2
We are in the fortunate position to host guests who are socially aware, so we must stay on our toes to provide contemporary services. Today a socially aware clientele demands accommodations with a green conscience. AS PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA, we aim at the highest standards within the hospitality sector. Therefore, Victoria Hotel has sought and been certified with the official Nordic Eco-label, the Swan. The Swan certification means changes in the way we operate our hotel. It also means we have great expectations of our suppliers to act in accordance with our standards. For example, we demand that all our laundry-service providers are environmentally certified. Suppliers involved in the renovation and expansion of our hotel must act in accordance with our expectations. Suppliers of cleaning products must provide environmentally labelled products, deliver dosage systems and even provide equipment we can clean without chemicals. The hotel also is continuing to make improvements. We will adjust our breakfast and lunch service to avoid the use of disposable items. The hotel also will improve waste-sorting for more efficient recycling. In some areas, we will even implement an organic-waste composter.. Furthermore, the magazine you are reading was printed on environmentally certified paper by an environmentally certified print shop. The Eco-label’s constantly evolving standards mean that only a small number of hotels will be able to hold onto their status as Swan-labelled. Given our location in the heart of a medieval town, and our status as a 111-year-old property, we have a big challenge ahead of us. But the first goal is achieved — to become Swan-labelled! Join us in caring for the environment: Respect the recycling instructions and use less water and electricity while staying with us. We promise to work hard to maintain our goal and stay eco-friendly for the next, greener era.
“As part of our environmental agenda, we aim at the highest standards within the hospitality sector. Therefore, Victoria Hotel has sought and been certified with the official Nordic Eco-label, the Swan.”
Catrine A. Vedøy Hotel Manager
Photo: Kjetil Myhre
3
Skulle alarmen gå ber vi deg om å:
IF the alarm sounds, please follow these steps:
• Ta med romnøkkelen, du kan bli tvunget tilbake • Forlat rommet, la dine eiendeler være igjen • Lukk døren bak deg • Ta deg ut en av hotellets utganger, i tillegg til hovedtrappene finnes det nødutganger i enden hav hver korridor • Assistér trengende • Bruk ikke heisen! • Møt opp og rpportér til møtepunktet foran hotellet
• Bring your room key. • Leave the room. Do not take your belongings. • Close the door as you leave. • Leave the building through one of the exits. In addition to the main stairs, there are emergency exits at the end of each corridor. • Assist those in need. • Do not use the elevator/lift! • Report to the meeting point in front of the hotel.
Vi ber deg også være oppmerksom på følgende:
Please also keep in mind:
Ved alarm vil ikke resepsjonen ha kapasitet til å besvare alle telefonsamtaler. Vi ber om at du ikke kontakter resepsjonen med mindre du er innesperret og/eller trenger assistanse til å komme deg ut.
During an alarm, do not phone the front desk unless you have returned to your room for safety reasons, and/or are disabled and need assistance. The front desk will not be able to handle calls from all rooms at the same time, thus hindering those in need of assistance.
Ved alarm vil alle branndører i korridorene lukkes Branndører er tunge metalldører designet til å tåle påkjenninger ved en eventuell brann. Disse dørene kan derfor virke tunge å åpne, men de vil likevell aldri være låste! Bruk kraft til å åpne døren og sørg for at ingenting hindrer døren i å lukke seg bak deg. Finn den nødutgangen som er nærmest deg. Det finnes en nødutgang i enden av hver korridor. Vi ber deg om å bruke et minutt på å lokalisere dem. Bruk aldri heisen i et nødtilfelle. Når du er trygt ute av bygningen ber vi om at du rapporterer til parkeringsplassen tvers over veien fra hotellets hovedinngang. En detaljert plan over din etasje finnes ved inngangen til hvert rom.
When the alarm sounds, all fire doors will automatically shut. These metal doors are designed to withstand fire and are heavy. They may seem hard to open but are never locked. Use extra force if necessary to open and exit. Shut the door behind you. Locate your nearest exit. There’s an exit at the end of each corridor. Please take a few minutes to locate them. Never use the elevator/lift during alarms. When you have left the building, please report to the emergency staff at the parking lot across the road from the hotel’s main entrance. A detailed plan of your floor is displayed by the entrance to your room.
South - Øvre Holmegate
Assembly point
North - Nedre Holmegate 4
MENU FROM 4 PM TO 11 PM Onion Soup with toast and fresh thyme
MENU FROM 7 AM TO 4 PM 89,-
Pasta Salad with bread
109,-
Buffalo Chicken Wings
135,-
Club Sandwich
89,-
Chef ’s Salad
125,-
Cold Plate with salmon and eggs
89,-
Grilled Fillet of Salmon
258,-
Omelette of the day
89,-
Beef Burger
189,-
Hot Dish of the day
149,-
T-Bone Steak (350 g.)
309,-
Mexican Pepper Steak
319,-
MENU FROM HOLMEN BAR
Crème Brûlée
109,-
(Open from 4 PM to 1 AM, closed on Sundays)
Chocolate Mousse
115,-
Draft Beer (0.4 l.)
70,-
Red wine Glass (15 cl.)
86,-
White wine Glass (15 cl.)
86,-
MENU FROM 11 PM TO 7 AM Pasta Salad
99,-
Moët & Chandon Champagne (70 cl.)
Sandwich of the day
89,-
Ballentine's Finest Whisky (4 cl.)
79,-
Braastad VSOP Cognac (4 cl.)
75,-
Gin and Tonic
97,-
Please note that we may be sold out of one or both options during the night.
880,-
To order room service please dial 9.
Photo: Kjetil Myhre
5
AIRPORT TRANSFER can be booked to and from the hotel directly at www.victoria-hotel.no or at the front desk. The car takes up to 7 passengers and the price is NOK 350. AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS stops right outside the hotel and is an inexpensive and efficient alternative to taxies. The trip takes about 25 minutes. Contact the front desk for time table and prices or see www.flybussen.no. BIG HORN STEAKHOUSE is open Monday through Saturday from 4PM to 11PM and Sunday from 2PM to 10PM. See page 18 or http://www.bighorn.no. BREAKFAST is included in your room price Monday through Friday 6:30AM to 10AM Saturday 7AM to 11AM Sunday 8AM to 11AM Breakfast is served at Big Horn Steak House on the ground floor, but you also may have it brought to your room for an extra charge. CHECK OUT TIME is at noon, unless otherwise agreed. GOLF. Book tee time and pay your green fee at the front desk to play at Stavanger Golf Club, only 4km from the hotel. GYM. Our guests can work out for a charge at SATS gym. If you have a Rica Silver or Gold Card, you may exercise for free at SATS. Contact the front desk for more information or see http://www.sats.no. HOLMEN BAR is open from 4PM to 1:30AM Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Dial 190 to order room service from Holmen Bar. ICE DISPENSER is located by the elevator/lift on the third floor. INTERNET is wireless and free for all guests. Username and password should be displayed on your desk. Guest PC in the lobby is available free of charge. IRONING ROOM is located on the fifth floor. Make a right turn from the elevator and walk around the corner. LAUNDRY/DRY CLEANING is available Monday through Friday. Please hand in your laundry by the front desk by 9AM. Use the plastic bags in your closet, and fill in the form. 6
LOCK your door if you do not want to be disturbed by house keeping. MOBILE PHONE CHARGERS may be borrowed at the front desk. We have a small selection of chargers. RESTAURANT NERO is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7PM. Reservations at +47 51 55 21 19 or www.restaurant-nero.no. RICA is the largest hotel chain in Norway and Sweden, and has partner hotels in Denmark, Finland and Scotland. Get your Rica card today and enjoy member advantages. Read more about it at www.rica.no. ROOM SERVICE may be ordered 24 hours a day. The menu varies from breakfast/lunch and dinner to night snacks. See menu on page 5. TELEPHONE in your room can be used by pressing 0 for an outside line, and then by dialing any number within Norway. To get an international line, dial 000. If you need to activate dial tones to make selections during the conversation, dial *29# after the conversation begins. To reach another room, dial the room number. Other phone numbers: Front desk/room service Dial 9 Big Horn Steak House Dial 191 Holmen Bar Dial 190 Conference dept. Dial 180 Banquetting Dial 754
EMERGENCY NUMBERS FIRE Dial 0 110 POLICE Dial 0 112 AMBULANCE Dial 0 113 TOILETRIES may be purchased at the front desk. We have a wide selection. TURN-DOWN SERVICE may be prebooked and is available until 9PM. Extra charge is NOK 150. WAKE-UP CALL is booked at the front desk. WATER BOILER may be borrowed from the front desk. Free coffee and tea are available in the lobby.
Today, physical inactivity, smoking and obesity are bigger health risks than malnutrition, contaminated water and poor housing conditions. SPORTS PHYSICIANS AGREE Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine emphasizes the dangers of inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of death, behind only high blood pressure, smoking and high blood sugar. “Health risks on a global basis have changed radically. Malnutrition, contaminated water and poor housing conditions used to be the greatest health dangers. Today, physical inactivity, smoking and obesity dominate,” says Jill Taube, psychiatrist, and project manager for Physical Activity on Prescription. The project lets hospital staff prescribe physical activity in the same way as medicine. Not much effort needed Fortunately not much is required to reduce risk factors. The recommendation is at least 30 minutes of movement per day. You don’t have to workout very hard or for a long period of time. The most important thing is doing it on a regular basis. “Research also shows that having a few extra pounds isn’t as dangerous, as long as one is active. In other words, it is better to be active and curvy than thin and inactive. Being thin is in itself not a health factor,” Taube says. Physical activity also has a proven effect on conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast
and colon cancer, atherosclerosis, depression and even the cold. Yes, the cold. Did you know that exercise is one of the most effective means of protection against colds? Physical activity gives you both fewer and milder colds. A study examined exercise habits and sick days in 1,002 people during twelve autumn and winter weeks. Those who exercised more than five days a week had almost half as few sick days as those who only worked out more than once a week. Moreover, highly active participants reported 32 percent milder symptoms when they did get sick. HELPS YOUR MIND AS WELL But did you know that you also do your brain a favour when you stay active? Regular exercise reduces the risk of being affected by memory problems, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Yet another reason to get out of the hotel bed and in to the fitness centre! DAY PASS PRICES For guests at Victoria Hotel a day pass to SATS fitness centre is only NOK 100 per day. If you have Rica’s silver or gold card, or paid for a junior suite, you can exercise for free. The fitness centre is just a two-minute walk from the hotel. Ask at the reception desk for more information.
Fridays From 6 AM to 9 PM Saturdays From 9 AM to 6 PM Sundays From 10 AM to 8 PM
Photo: Yuri arcurs/crestock
OPEN Mondays to Thursdays From 6 AM to 10 PM
7
The Skansen Corporation’s new hotel establishment opened to the public on Saturday July 14 in the presence of over 100 prominently invited guests, such as town authorities, the Presidency, press, consuls of foreign powers and others. After getting a tour of the elegant and modern hotel, they gathered in the big, tall and tastefully decorated dining room, where glasses of champagne were raised to wish the best for the new establishment. The large size hotel with about 70 rooms is equipped with electric lights, central heating, lift, and whatever the present requires from a first-class hotel. Local article from 1900
Text: Hans martin underdal Photo: ukjent | Kjetil Myhre
FINALLY, STAVANGER GOT ITS LUXURY HOTEL! The town now could compete with Bergen and Christiania (Oslo) in the growing number of foreign visitors. This was long before the oil age, but Stavanger was still a town of strong growth. Behind the Skansen company were three optimistic men from Bergen with foresight: Johan Gustav Nielsen, a successful master mason; Waldemar Stoud Platou, master brewer and founder of the Hansa Brewery; and Hans Bonnevie Angell, a supreme court advocate. Both Platou and Angell were eager hikers and had been deeply involved in tourism issues in Bergen. The Skansen Corporation was created to exploit the company’s property in Stavanger. It was located in the middle of the strait between the mainland and a small island, surrounded by Bådegaten and Skansegaten. With mortgages on several properties, the men had borrowed NOK 250 000 to build the first luxury hotel in town. The building was erected by Nielsen. Architect Henry Bucher from Christiania had been commissioned to design the new hotel, which at the time was undoubtedly the largest and one of the most striking buildings in Stavanger. INDUSTRY, TRADE AND TOURISM It was probably no coincidence that the new hotel was built at Skansen. The 8
area was a gateway for traders who came by sea. On Skanse quay the import and export activity was high, and steamships were here to stay. Business flourished in Stavanger, and most residents had ties to trading and the main industry — canning. Stavanger was about to become one of the country’s leading industrial cities; but in terms of tourism, the situation was bleak. In 1887 Stavanger already had its own tourist association. The problem was that except for the Cathedral and Stavanger Museum, the town didn’t have much to show off. In the 1890s, the association held its first trips to the Lysefjord and launched the name Pulpit Rock for one of the overlooking mountain formations. The foundation was thus laid for what would eventually become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Scandinavia. To attract visitors, it also was necessary to have appealing hotel accommodations. Nielsen, Angell and Platou understood this. It was perhaps the main reason they built the magnificent Victoria Hotel. MORE OWNERS AND MORE TOURISTS The first decades of the hotel’s history were marked by a revolving door of owners, and even more directors. A man named Patterson, who was the first director, did not remain long at Victoria Hotel. In 1902 he left Stavanger and was replaced by Olof Persson — who also was the host at the Grand Ho-
Here one could find both a cigar boutique and a milk bar, and in 1905 the city opened its first permanent cinema, Victoria Cinemas.
tel, a smaller wooden hotel not far from Victoria. Persson managed both hotels until 1904. Andreas Jespersen then became manager, but his career as a director of the city’s luxury hotel was short-lived. In 1905 Persson was back at the helm. In 1906 a new man entered the field. Ferdinand Runge, 28, with a past as a porter, took over leadership of the city’s largest hotel. One year later, he purchased founder Johan Gustav Nielsen’s share of the Victoria Hotel for NOK 265 000. Later, he dissolved the ownership rights of another Stavanger citizen, Hans Nielsen. With Runge as sole owner and general manager, the hotel entered a stable period, a period that would last until 1917. Runge, as did his predecessors, rented out the hotel’s ground floor. Here one could find both a cigar boutique and a milk bar; and in 1905 the city received its first permanent cinema, Victoria Cinemas, also located on the hotel’s ground floor. But the most significant tenant, especially considering the hospitality business, was probably Bennett’s Travel Agency, which moved into a location with an entrance from the quay in 1915. The influx of tourists to Stavanger increased in the first fifteen years of the new century. The city’s tourist association worked hard. Brochures were printed and distributed to
all corners of the world. In 1912, the governor of Stavanger gave the green light to test drive “automobile routes.” This was important in order to make Stavanger and Ryfylke more accessible and interesting to visitors. Stavanger was off to a good start. Then came the war. When World War I started in the autumn of 1914, tourism stopped. In one week, hotels were drained and steamships and railroads carried few passengers. THE KING OF CANNING AND THE KONG OF HOTELS The war led to a resurgence in other parts of Stavanger’s business life. In particular, this applied to the shipping industry, shipyards and the canning industry, where Christian Bjelland was king. He wanted to incorporate the venerable Victoria Hotel in his real-estate empire. In 1916, Runge sold the hotel to manager Einar Meliung, who immediately resold it to Christian Bjelland & Co. The King of Canning needed to unite the administration of his extensive business activities under one roof and bought Victoria to find good company offices. But what to do with the hotel business? War and the resulting shortages in most areas were not exactly the best conditions for a profitable hotel operation. To make matters worse, Stavanger’s city council decided to deny hotels the ability to serve alcohol. Even light beer was prohibited. 9
Victoria Hotel has been a part of the harbour front and the identity of Stavanger for 111 years.
10
Native Stavanger men Torger Soma Iversen, Olaf Kvia and Thormod Vaaland took over hotel operations. But their optimism and enthusiasm did not help much against the war, rationing, fuel shortages, alcohol bans and poor occupancy rates. The new consortium would soon give up, and a full five years with new owners and new management followed.
headquarters out. After 45 years of ownership, Bjelland now sold his share to Viste Hotel AS, which then became master of the house.
In the 1960s, Viste Hotel AS expanded its business with a number of new restaurants in Stavanger, as well as a hotel in Hamburg, Germany. But in 1972 Christian W. Bjelland WAR AND PEACE In 1922 the hospitality king Axel Lund became chairman of the company and immediately sold appeared. Danish-born Axel Rosenkrantz de Lassen Lund the property at Viste Beach, most of the company’s restauis today regarded as a pioneer in hotel entrepreneurship in rants and its shares in Germany. He wanted to concentrate Norway. During his career, in addition to Victoria Hotel, he on Victoria Hotel, and the company name was changed to owned Viste Beach Hotel, Holms Hotel in Geilo and Strand the present Victoria Hotel AS. Heavy investments in new Fevik Hotels in Southern Norway. When he took over Vicprojects wore hard on finances, and the hotel was close to toria in 1922, it was a bankrupt and derelict hotel, and the bankruptcy. But Bjelland’s turnaround plan succeeded, and town was in turmoil with a crisis in the shipbuilding industhe company avoided going belly up. In 1974 Bjelland took try, mass unemployment, social unrest and alcohol bans. over majority shareholding in the company and owned twoThe new director would thirds of the shares. The rest quickly realize that it wasn’t were distributed among seveasy to operate hotels in Staeral shareholders, including vanger. A battle for liquor manager Rudolf Hodne who rights soon became a nightwas a blank slate, a virtual mare that would pursue him unknown in Stavanger’s The German occupation in all his years at the hotel. business community. At the from April 1940 put an general meeting in 1974, A bright spot was that tourist however, he was elected to effective halt to tourism. traffic increased. Better comthe board, and that same Victoria Hotel was almost munications and the openyear he succeeded Bjelland ing of the Stavanger airport as chairman. immediately requisitioned at Sola in 1938 created an by the Germans. optimistic view of the future. THE HODNE FAMILY AT But once again, war shook VICTORIA HOTEL Rudolf the world. The German ocHodne entered the hotel incupation in April 1940 put dustry while Stavanger took an effective halt to tourism. a serious step into the oil age. Victoria Hotel was almost After the first findings at the immediately requisitioned by the Germans. For Rogaland, Ekofisk field in 1969, it didn’t take long before the city was and perhaps especially for the hotel industry in Stavanger, the country’s uncrowned oil capital. This offered vast opporthe war led to one good thing: The Germans completed the tunities for the hotel industry, which Hodne knew how to Southern Railway, and finally the city had a train connecexploit. Together with his wife, Ellen Margrethe Smedvig, tion to the capital. In the years following the war the tourhe transformed the guesthouse at the docks into an elegant ism industry grew, but now Axel Lund was weary and tired and stylish hotel. To ensure development, he eventually took of running hotels in the city. After the war he was accused over the majority of shares in the company, and then exof being a traitor, and although the case was dismissed, the panded, modernized and renewed. In 1988 Rudolf Hodne’s charges took a heavy toll. Rumors circulated that Victoria son, Rolf Smedvig Hodne, assumed the director’s chair. In Hotel was not liquor-licensed while he was manager. In the anniversary year of 2000, the Hodne family and staff 1952 he gave up and Viste Hotel AS took over the contract could celebrate success in what had become a power centre with Christian Bjelland & Co AS for the hotel portion of the for the oil and energy industry in Europe. The celebration Victoria Quarter. was marked with a number of modernizations, the establishment of Holmen Bar and other major improvements. IMPROVEMENT AND MODERNIZATION The Viste And thankfully, the success is lasting. Hotel Corporation also owned Viste Strand Hotel. Behind the company were known Stavanger names, including diIn 2005, Rolf Hodne’s wife, Brit Hodne, took over as direcrector Christian W. Bjelland, who now had the unique positor while Rolf Hodne remained chairman of the company’s tion of both landlord and tenant. An extensive renovation board. Brit Hodne handled operations through the Capital and modernization plan was put into practice in the mid of Culture year 2008. Early in 2009, a young woman named 1950s and operations moved steadily ahead. Occupancy Catrine A. Vedøy was asked to take a seat at the director’s rates increased and gradually more of the ground floor tendesk after working at the organization since 2004. ants moved out, making room for new hotel facilities. Also, in 1961, Christian Bjelland & Co. decided to move their
11
12
In the heart of Stavanger, hidden from the younger generation, lies a regal gem, a place rich in history. Victoria Hotel is perfect for those who have something to celebrate and are looking for timeless class — and an array of planning options. Text: Stian Danielsen | Lars H. Vedøy Photo: Jonas Opsahl | Kjetil Myhre
LARGE CAPACITY It is the beginning of December and Christmas decorations adorn the great halls of Victoria Hotel, but Ann Margreth Bore, leader of Victoria Hotel’s banqueting department, is about to take down the decorations. “We’ll actually have two big weddings here tomorrow,” she says. The major wedding rushes are April through June and July through September, but the hotel has enough capacity for a full schedule of weddings yearround. The Banquet Hall and Victoria Hall hold up to 150 people, feature high ceilings, an abundance of natural light, and a warm atmosphere. For some, family celebrations and corporate parties at the Victoria Hotel are a tradition. “Our guests appreciate modern solutions with our focus on tradition. We often see children of couples who have had their reception at Victoria Hotel return to us to repeat the tradition,” Bore says. In fact, Victoria Hotel hosted a christening for a baby girl some time back — she was the fifth generation in her family to be christened at the hotel. With 111 years of experience, the hotel is full of traditions and knowledge. If you want grander surroundings you’ll have to use the royal residence at Ledaal.
She was the fifth generation in her family to be christened at Victoria Hotel.
FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS The hotel’s halls work equally well for small, intimate weddings as for larger parties up to 150 people. We often use scene changes, where guests are escorted to separate lounges while waiters quickly prepare for the next phase of the celebration. “Our guests appreciate the flow this gives the evening,” Bore says. The hotel’s cuisine is renowned for offering classic dishes with a modern cut. The head chef ’s philosophy is to use real ingredients, from local suppliers when possible, to create contemporary cuisine with a classic appeal.
13
Victoria Hotel conferencing gives guests the right location to conduct business with the most contemporary amenities.
14
Make no mistake about it, our meeting facilities meet the high-tech standards one expects from a modern conference hotel. At Victoria, however, it’s the packaging that makes us unique. The hotel has two beautifully decorated halls and several smaller meeting rooms, each of which has a unique history. Text: Lars H. Vedøy Photo: Kjetil Myhre / Bitmap
THE GRAND BANQUET HALL, for example, is one of the oldest venues in Stavanger. The room oozes history from the skirtings to the stucco moldings covering the ceiling above. The hall was restored in 2009 and is our largest venue. The hall is well suited for all types of events, and has several adjoining lounges that also can be used. High-tech equipment, such as a mirrored reflection projector and a built-in induction loop, has been discretely installed to preserve the authentic features of the historic location. Our second biggest venue, Victoria Hall, was once a banking facility. With its classical interior, it represented the affluence that prevailed in Stavanger after the advent of the canning industry in the late 1800s. Here you’ll see particularly high ceilings, large bay windows, and rich natural light. Victoria Hall is our most popular hall and has an official atmosphere. If you have something important to discuss, Victoria Hall is the place to be. It is situated in the southeast corner of the hotel, and is actually part of a building older than the hotel itself. This building was originally a bank. One has to see the structure from the outside to truly appreciate the classical Renaissance architecture. The bank was erected in yellow brick featuring portals, ornately carved bay windows and details in granite. Particularly noticeable are the two Mercury medallions on the facade.
Venues with capacity Banquet Hall
Seats 80 persons in classroom set-up, 180 in cinema set-up
Victoria Hall
Seats 120 persons in classroom set-up, 180 in cinema set-up
Hvelvet
Seats 40 persons in classroom set-up, 50 in cinema set-up
Lensmannskontoret
Seats 30 persons in classroom set-up, 40 in cinema set-up
Styrerommet
Seats 20 persons in classroom set-up, 30 in cinema set-up
On the ground floor of the bank building we also have two smaller meeting rooms. The Vault, formerly the office of the bank manager himself, recently has been redecorated. Yet, the room has an interior that reflects its rich history, with two authentic vaults and built-in furniture. Our stately boardroom is furnished with fittings taken from the captain’s cabin of a vintage English cruise liner. The fine wooden panels give the room an exclusive ambience. THE NEW MEAT Forget pastries and waffles, Offer your participants something to help them capture the essence of your message! It’s easy to resort to a piece of chocolate cake when trying to recharge your energy after a long session with lectures and courses, and it works well — for a while.
Victoria Hotel Conference Booking Office Hours Mon - Fri 08:00 to 16:00 Conference Manager Ann Margreth Bore dial 180 (or call +47 51 86 71 80) e-mail amb@victoria-hotel.no
Carbohydrates provide a quick pick-me-up. The problem is that the effect is short-lived. The trick is to find the right balance. You need carbohydrates that keep you satisfied longer. The answer is fruits and vegetables. As an added benefit, healthy foods such as fruit, broccoli and cabbage reduce aging of the brain by 40 percent, according to researchers.
Victoria Hotel Conference Host dial 754
15
16
Other bars in Norway can boast as much as they like about being the best, but we have the trophy to prove it! Text: Lars H. Vedøy Photo: Kjetil Myhre
THE MAN BEHIND THE TROPHY, 25-year-old Thomas Frafjord, can wear his medal with pride and call himself a genuine champion after winning the 2009 Norwegian Cocktail Mixing Championships. There were as many as three contestants from Holmen Bar in the finals held in Oslo, so we are confident in guaranteeing our guests the highest quality. If a genuine Norwegian champion doesn’t do the trick, we can also boast the greatest selection of whiskies in the area, and an excellent choice of cognac. And on Thursday evenings you can dance to a salsa beat when everyone from experts to novices can enjoy Latin rhythms, arranged by SalsaNor, late into the evening.
And what about the best drink in Norway? It’s called “Frapple” and gets its name from its creator, Frafjord, and an apple. It’s a sour-sweet treat, a bright green drink with the distinctive flavour of green apples. It’s made of Bacardi Big Apple, apple liqueur and Blue Curacao, apple juice, freshlysqueezed lime juice and a little egg white. The ingredients are mixed in a shaker and poured into an ice-cold cocktail glass decorated with a bit of apple on the rim.
HOLMEN BAR OPEN Mondays to Saturdays From 4 PM to 1 AM Serves free soup for all hotel guests from 4 PM Mon - Thu
17
18
BIG horn steak house Informal atmosphere, professional service and tender, juicy steaks. Text: Lars H. Vedøy Photo: big horn
big horn steak house OPEN Mondays to Saturdays From 4 PM to 11 PM SundaYs From 2 PM to 10 PM
BIG HORN STEAK HOUSE is inspired by American barbeque and prides itself in holding onto a genuine steak house custom with its traditional and informal atmosphere, professional service and tender, juicy steaks. The concept is simple but maintains quality service and products at affordable prices. Fast delivery and an informal and relaxed attitude is the hallmark of our waiters who value customer satisfaction. Please stop by to see our generous menu and reserve a table. You may also make reservations by dialing 192 during hours of operation, or book online at www. bighorn.no.
19
20
It could be the entrance to an up-scale gentlemen’s club in Paris or a refurbished petit boutique hotel in Stockholm, but the southeast-corner entrance of Victoria Hotel opens to an intimate gourmet restaurant in the basement — Restaurant Nero. It’s easy to feel that you are about to have an underground experience as you descend the arched, purple-carpeted stairway. Text: Lars H. Vedøy Photo: Hung Ngo
RESTAURANT NERO OPEN Tuesdays to Saturdays From 7 PM For booking see www.restaurant-nero.no or call +47 51 55 21 19
THE INTERIOR IS HOT, almost sultry, but with rare, feminine Italian furniture and dark art. Our party of three is ushered to the table closest to the open kitchen, with great views of the hectic milieu inside. We are welcomed by a swift waiter serving Prosecco Superiore as he sums up the evening’s menu. We decide to go for the whole package. NOK 695 is an excellent price for six dishes. Our waiter quickly returns with a smooth and creamy appetizer — smoked cod soup with rye bread chips and two different kinds of peas. What a good start! Besides the main dining room, Restaurant Nero has an intimate chambre séparée that seats 14 people. It also has a kitchen corner with a bar and a few tables. On this particular Tuesday night the restaurant was close to fully booked. The waiter is back, now with a bottle of Fritsch Grüner Veltliner 2009 — it seems more fish is under way! Indeed it is. The first dish is salmon pastrami in chilli oil with Avruga and trout caviar, fennel, egg cream, radish, and dill gel. This is a well-balanced dish, salty but sweet, spicy but smooth. The Austrian white had a lot of tastes to handle, but it managed well. >>
21
RESTAURANT NERO OPENED IN LATE 2008 and was an Italian-inspired kitchen. Today, head chef and part-owner Cato Ødegaard says, “We are inspired by international cuisine, and the Italian idea is much less present. Still there are a few hints of Italy — but it will be up to you to find them.” Ødegaard grins as he leaps back into the kitchen to aid his crafty crew. A bordeaux glass is placed in front of us, and into it goes Domaine de la Solitude, Sauvignon-Semillon 2008, leaving us at a loss to remember what the next item on the menu will be. It’s a pan-fried lamb sweetbread with Brussels sprouts, pine nuts, gremolata foam, Parmesan chips and soft polenta. I guess this Italian hint was fairly subtle. I assumed this would be my personal favourite of the evening. Minutes go by fast when the company is good, and dining at Restaurant Nero is not for those in haste. Make sure to set aside the whole evening for a culinary experience that engages the mind as well. For us it has been worth it so far. As our waiter poured us a glass of perfectly tempered Tedeschi Valpolicella 2008, we were convinced the evening would continue in the same manner. More fish was on the plate. Today’s catch was hake with spinach, Jerusalem artichoke chips and a rich tomato and red-wine based lentil sauce. Heavenly. A new favourite! The kitchen corner where we spent our evening worked as a busy, yet quiet hub between the buzzing main dining room and the organized chaos of the kitchen. Here we could solve world problems while having a distant gaze at all the food carried by on busy feet, and cleanse our palates with Mojito granitée.
22
“READY FOR MORE?” The question is followed by some Barbera d’Alba, 2007, from Schiavenza. It seems Italian wine still stands strong here at Restaurant Nero. On the plate we found a tender breast of duck with crispy duck-leg confit, pear, celery and a cherry and foie gras sauce. “Finally someone found a reasonable use for foie gras,” one in our company utters — showing his distaste of foie gras, yet approving of tonight’s sauce. Restaurant Nero chooses locally produced ingredients when available, head chef Ødegaard explains on yet another brief visit. The Stavanger Region has a cluster of great producers, ranging from lamb and pork to hand-massaged ham, and seafood such as sea urchins, halibut, lobster and shrimp. The area also supplies fresh vegetables, herbs and dairy products. Together these producers make Stavanger one of the most exciting culinary regions of Northern Europe, and with restaurants like Nero, one does not have to travel far to experience it.
“Finally, someone found a reasonable use for foie gras.”
It’s time for the smaller wine glasses, and in them we get Melsheimer, Riesling Kabinett 2007. The cheese plate, consisting of a single type of cheese, reveals a creamy BrillatSavarin, served with apple compote and fruit bread with nuts.
with This, he organized the first molecular gastronomy workshop attended by chefs, scientists and food writers in Erice, Sicily. The result is a wide range of new cooking methods, giving guests small, or big, surprises in the form of taste or consistency.
Local ingredients aside, Ødegaard has to look farther north for ingredients for the next bite: Norwegian specialty cloudberries served as bouillon with yoghurt gluco. We all agree that the concept of a pre-dessert is ingenious in itself, but when created using molecular gastronomy, one is in for a few surprises.
More surprises were in store for us, because dessert was white chocolate mousse and pineapple sorbet served with cracking candy and passion fruit marshmallows. Someone has opened the goodie bag, and it’s only Tuesday! Along with the dessert we got Domäne Wachau 2000, Terrassen Beerenauslese — yet another Austrian.
THE TERM MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY was coined in 1988 by the late Nicholas Kurti, a renowned low-temperature physicist from Oxford University, and Hervé This — probably the only person in the world with a Ph.D. in molecular gastronomy. Kurti became interested in applying his scientific knowledge in the kitchen after he retired. Together
LEAVING Restaurant Nero close to midnight, we couldn’t help having a reluctant feeling of despair over the fact that they don’t serve breakfast.
23
EXCITING ENTERTAINMENT, EXCELLENT BARS/NIGHTCLUBS, DINING Text: Lars H. Vedøy
DINING
BARS/NIGHTCLUBS
ENTERTAINMENT
d1 BIG HORN: If you like it big, and if you like it grilled, then you should take in your dinner at Big Horn Steak House. This casual “meatery” offers generous portions and a warm atmosphere.
B1 HOLMEN BAR: Other bars can boast as much as they like about being the best, but Holmen Bar has the trophy to prove it. Pop in for an award-winning drink or two.
e1 ROGALAND TEATER: Every year, the Rogaland Teater presents approximately 12 productions in four different venues: Hovedscenen, Intimscene, Kjellerteatret and Teaterhallen.
Photo: Kjetil Myhre
Photo: Emile Ashley
B2 BØKER & BØRST: Ironically named “Books & Booze” this intimate get-together offers neither. What it does have, however, is great company, cozy surroundings and a charming atmosphere whether you are meeting up with friends or having drinks with a date.
e2 Stavanger cinema: The local cinema
d4 THAI CUISINE: Thai restaurant with great
B3 BAR BACHE: Cozy neighbourhood bar with a great selection of brandy.
e4 VAUX GALLERI: Small art gallery with local
d5 HELT RÅTT: Sushi on a conveyor belt, retro
B4 BROREMANN BAR: Intimate cocktail bar with monthly art exhibitions.
e5 GALLERI SULT: Larger art gallery.
d2 restaurant nero: Fine international cuisine with hints of Italy. See article on page 20. d3 Gaffel karaffel: Restaurant with appetizers or full à la carte — you choose. Add a generous selection of wines and casual service and you have a pleasant evening ahead. service and genuine oriental flavours. interior and great drinks.
d6 INDIAN TANDOORI: Family restaurant with
stylish interior and great cooking.
d7 BØLGEN & MOI: Full service brasserie with modern international à la carte menu. Great seasonal ingredients at unique location. d8 HALL TOLL: The old packhouse across the
street from Victoria Hotel has become an eatery with a good mix between casual and formal.
d9 CITY BRASSERI: Old wooden herring saltery
e3 GAFFEL KARAFFEL: Local scene with shows and small concerts. contributors.
B5 HALL TOLL: Bar and nightclub with high ceilings and high party factor, great outdoor section for those long summer nights. B6 CARDINAL: The greatest selection of beers in the region — very popular with locals. B7 STING: Bar and nightclub with art deco style, art exhibitions and gay-friendly environment.
B5 d8
with all audiences.
B8 MAMI: Gay bar and café in trendy area.
d10 HARRY PEPPER: Tex-Mex and great drinks,
lates as “the office,” claims to be the best place in town for overtime. Intimate, with fireplace.
B4
d6
d1
B8 HOT: Newly reopened gay bar, still popular
converted into a casual but trendy restaurant with artsy interior. with amusing cartoonish interior.
with a great selection of movies, both domestic and international.
e5 S2
VICTORIA HOTEL
B1 d2
B3
B9 KONTORET: This bar, with a name that trans-
great DJ’s.
d4
B8
e4 B2 c1
B7 s3
B10 ARKIVET: Small but popular nightclub with
24
e3d3 d10
d9 L6
L8 B8
e1 L7
d5 B6 B9
c6
B10
e2 C5 S4 C9
GOOD COFFEE, GREAT LUNCHES, SIGHTS WORTH SEEING SIGHTSEEING
CAFES
lunch places
S1 Norwegian Petroleum Museum: Explores how oil and gas are created, discovered and produced. Also provides information on uses, technological advances and petroleum’s influence on society.
c1 Sjokoladepiken: Homemade chocolates of all sorts and good coffee. Why not try some passionate dark chocolate truffles with raspberry and chilli along with a ristretto?
L1 RESEPT: Go vegan for lunch and discover how delicious food can taste without a trace of animal ingredients.
S2 OLD STAVANGER: Comprises 173 wooden buildings from the turn of the 18th century. Most of them are small white cottages. Stavanger has received several awards for its efforts to preserve Old Stavanger.
c2 STEAM KAFFEBAR: Taking pride in perfect blends and personal service, this busy caffeine hub is a daily must for many locals; also serves the famous “cinnamon-in-the-curves-bun” for a sugar rush on the go.
L2 OSTEHUSET: Great deli with large selection and busy atmosphere.
S3 THE VALBERG TOWER: Completed in 1853 and is Stavanger’s former observation tower. It was used as permanent lodging for watchmen, who always kept an eye open for fires.
c3 AMY’S COFFEEBAR: Nice hideaway coffee shop with a cozy backyard.
Photo: Herbjørn Tjeltveit
S4 NORWEGIAN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: A
great place for children to explore the past and present of toys; fun for adults as well.
c4 LE CAFÉ FRANÇAIS: Satisfy your need for French pastries and coffee here. c5 CHOCO BOCO: Busy coffee and pastry passthrough by the cinema. c6 NEWSMAN: Get inspired by news reports from events around the globe in this newsroomstyle café and bar.
S1
d7
L1
L10
C3
C10
L4
L4 DÉJÀ VU: Nice deli in busy, exclusive mall. Great place to sit and people-watch. L5 AKROPOLIS: Greek restaurant with reasonably priced lunches. L6 NB SØRENSEN: A Stavanger institution with generous lunch dishes and friendly atmosphere. L7 SJØHUSET SKAGEN: Harbour-front restaurant serving lunch.
c7 GODT BRØD: Bakery with busy atmosphere and home made ice cream.
L8 PHILEAS FOGG: Travel the world in 80 days while lunching at this fun, American-type eatery.
c8 WAYNE'S COFFEE: Coffee and pastries in a busy shopping mall. Has a play-corner for children, diaper-changing facilities and is one of the few cafés open on Sundays.
L9 BEVAREMEGVEL: Informal and friendly restaurant and bar with lunch menu.
c9 KULT.KAFEEN: Café and bar at the cultural centre, open every day.
C4
L3 FOOD STORY: Eat lunch while learning about where your food came from and how it was produced. Eco-conscious cuisine and good coffee.
L10 NAREE THAI: Thai restaurant with friendly service and friendly prices.
c10 KAFÉ ANKERET: Nice little café with large outdoor area.
L5
c7
L2
c2 c8
L3
25
MAKE SURE TO BRING HOME AT LEAST ONE OF THESE STAVANGER ICONS
Text: Lars H. Vedøy
SARDINES
WHEAT BEER
Chocoläo
King Oscar Sardines and Victoria Hotel go way back. For nearly half a century the headquarters for the Bjelland Canning Corporation was located on the second floor of Victoria Hotel. Actually, at the turn of the last century, canning was the oil of Stavanger industry, making the city an industrial hub in Scandinavia.
Refreshing Norwegian wheat beer based on medieval Belgian traditions is perfect for summer evenings, sardines and innocent flirts. It’s unfiltered and naturally foggy — like Scandinavian life in the summer. Get it at any mid-size or large supermarket.
Dark chocolate truffles with salt dried cod (yes, the fish!) and oranges.
Be sure to pick up some canned Norwegian sardines, and check out this and other great recipes at www.kingoscar.com.
www.lervig.no
A challenging and playful combination is offered by the chocolaterie Sjokoladepiken, a short walk from Victoria Hotel. The taste is dominated first by salty and dried cod before a hint of chocolate and orange take over and invite your taste buds into a soft, sweet finish. Perfect as the apéritif for an evening when seafood is on the menu.
www.sjokoladepiken.no
sardine and avocado sandwich Ingredients King Oscar Sardines in Olive Oil, drained Baguette or bread roll Avocado slices Red onion slices Basil leaves Dijon mustard Guacamole dip (optional)
LOCAL jazz WITH ENGLISH LYRICS
Preparation Cut baguette piece or bread roll in half. Spread halves with mustard and/or guacamole dip. Arrange sardines, avocado, onion, and basil leaves on one half. Cover with the second half. Enjoy! Royal hints Try this recipe with King Oscar Sardines in Dijon Mustard, and for the daring at heart, try it using a pumpkin-seed roll.
randi tytingvåg Harmonious and stylish from the edge. Randi Tytingvåg has full control of her vocal instrument and sings both with warm presence and great authority. Her music is coloured with a saucy blend of genres: a mix of jazz, cabaret and gospel.
26
cecilie melli
aksel
SHIT
The award-winning designer Cecilie Melli from Stavanger combines contemporary perfection and vintage sophistication, giving Scandinavian quality design a continental look. Editors and stylists love Cecilie Melli for her luxurious and extravagant look. Customers love Cecilie Melli for her elegant dresses and classic earrings.
Built strawng: The AKSEL® chair is a true classic in wood and straw with strong roots in Norwegian homes. It’s very comfortable, easy to move, and has an intuitive simplicity. The chair can withstand a lot of use and be passed down from generation to generation. Apart from a few improvements in 1960, thousands of this very same chair have been sold every year.
SHIT® is a brand with great designs, good product solutions and top-notch quality with roots from rough street-skateboarding in Stavanger and influences and collaborations from all over the world. Besides skating equipment, the company has developed its own style and produces hot garments worn by skaters, snowboarders and surfers as well as street fashionistas and celebrities throughout the world.
Cecilie Melli collections are made of exclusive materials like silk, lace and Swarovski in the designer’s soft and edgy signature colour palette.
www.aksel.no
www.shittm.com
www.ceciliemelli.com
LOCAL SERENITY IN ENGLISH
LOCAL hard rock in norwegian
local feel good in norwegian
thomas dybdahl
skambankt
fordrekord
Multi award-winning Thomas Dybdahl is one of the most talented singer-songwriters to emerge from the Norwegian music scene in recent years and is preparing to spread his irresistibly serene and intimate sound to the rest of the world.
Skambankt is a Norwegian rock band playing a mixture of classic rock’n’roll, punk and hard rock in the tradition of bands like Motörhead, AC/DC, the Ramones and Iron Maiden. The lyrics are in Norwegian. The first album contains revolutionary lyrics in which the real spirit of punk comes alive again. The band’s message is against the state, against the system, against corruption, capitalism, monitoring, and religious fanaticism. To put it short: against everything — but with brains.
Stavanger/Haugesund band FORDREKORD received critical acclaim in local and national media for the debut 'Perler fra Svin'. FORDREKORD’s style of rock is influenced by jazz and hip-hop, it makes you want to get out to the nearest dance floor. Norwegian lyrics revolving around the art of life and passion, supported by catchy energetic melodies. The single 'Kyss Meg (Kiss Me) is widely played on Stavanger radio.
We recommend Waiting for That One Clear Moment, his fifth regular studio album from 2010, featuring Morten J. Olsen as co-producer and Susanne Sundfør and Clara Uchima as guest vocalists.
27
1
2
3
4
1. Panorama of down town Stavanger
In the background, the bridge to hundvåg is visible in front of the ryfylke alps on a crisp and cristal clear autumn afternoon. (Photo: Kjetil Myhre)
2. THE PULPIT ROCK
The pultpit rock can be quite a happening place on a summers day (Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life/Region Stavanger)
3. OLD STAVANGER
A strawl in residential old town stavanger is like having a peeking hole into history (Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life AS/Fjord Norway)
4. THE BEACHES at JÆREN
MILES OF SILKY DESSERTED BEACHES WITH TURQUoIS CLEAR WATERS AND A FEW SERFERS. this is the beach at hellestø (Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life/Region Stavanger)
5. KJERAGBOLTEN
STAY STILL! There's no guarantee that this rock bolt, jammed between two cliffs raging 1000 meters above the fjord, will stay there forever. (Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life AS/Fjord Norway)
5
The history of young and skillful artist Tommie Wilhelmsen starts in the narrow streets of down town Stavanger. Text: Lars H. Vedøy Photo: Nils Petter Dale
30
31
Villa at Høvik, Oslo Being born and raised in Stavanger, Tommie Wilhelmsen likes challenging traditional Scandinavian architecture. He willingly admits his struggle to see things as most architects do. Despite this, and his young age, the thirtysomething Wilhelmsen has become a well-known architect, enjoying prominence among his national and international colleagues.
mus. Wilhelmsen sees the building almost as a peeking hole to a larger world.
A towering lazy L And peeking is probably all many of us dare to do at what is Wilhelmsen’s most accredited work so far, the outlook post at Aurland. (Picture page 30). Shaped like a lazy L towering 640 meters over Aurland by the Sognefjord, the outlook post was designed with colleague Todd Saunders. Norwegian culture has a It sparked an abnormally view of the manmade as a loud debate in the local municipality. A supporter comnecessary evil in God’s pared this spectacular piece nature. Norwegians of artistry to ingenious, yet suicidal Russian poetry. expect architecture to But it also was criticized for have minimal impact on tampering with the work of God himself. The outlook natural surroundings. post was only supposed to be a tool for viewing the surrounding nature, not to be an attraction in itself.
As a childhood ritual, Wilhelmsen's family went to the market every Saturday to buy crabs and vegetables. But Wilhelmsen was more drawn to construction sites and new buildings being erected around town, one of which was the new centre of culture and arts, completed in 1987. “Stavanger Cultural Centre is probably my favourite building in Stavanger," Wilhelmsen says. It was designed by the architects Lund and Slåtto. The building is not stunningly beautiful, but it has a very clear concept and structure. It works great as a large modern building between the old-style wooden houses. It is one of the few buildings in Stavanger that has managed to maintain the feeling of an outdoor street walkway while actually being inside. Aside from visual arts and other creative projects, the building also houses a library and cinema, and is a magical place for adventures. Here Wilhelmsen saw his first Coen brothers movie, discovered director Robert Altman, borrowed his first Vesaas book and read his first Italian Do32
God-given wow-factor. This is where the thoughts of Wilhelmsen collide with national traditions. “Norwegian culture has a view of the manmade as a necessary evil in God’s nature,” he writes. Norwegians expect architecture to have minimal impact on natural surroundings. The idea that architecture has the potential to magnify nature is almost absent in thought.” But as Wilhelmsen challenges the foundation of Scandinavian architectural thought, he also shows his respect. The construction builds an outlook to something; and never has the view been more spectacular
Cabin at Rennesøy, close to Stavanger than from the sudden descending tip of this bridge to nowhere – or everywhere, if you wish. And standing on the edge, the construction — just as planned — adds nothing but depth to the experience of the scenery. Taking the piece out of context, however, with the construction as a framework, it enhances the wilderness, the depth and the Godgiven wow-factor of nature.
Fighting Jante To Wilhelmsen, however, it seems this was never the intent. His thoughts of conveyor-belt homes scattered around the majority of Norwegian suburban lots were not exactly overwhelmingly positive. “There’s something democratically ugly and beautiful with Norwegian suburbia,” he reflects. - “Everybody has approximately the same size lots — or small, is the word. All have the same starting point. It is the 'Jante law' put into practice. Your house should not Taking the piece out of be any better or bigger than context, however, with the your neighbour's. In this tyranny of democracy and Norconstruction as a framewegian building, it is a great work, it enhances the task to create a new backfor life, an attempt to wilderness, the depth and the ground develop difference and diverGod-given wow-factor sity. It is not easy, but a good task.” of nature.
Pressing on Obviously, the Aurland municipality did not regret approving construction of the outlook post, as it now is one of the biggest landmarks and tourist attractions of the region. The last time Wilhelmsen enjoyed his observation post, he was at bit surprised by the number of visitors spending a few minutes at the post before pressing on. He experienced it as a big contrast to what he is accustomed to: drawing dynamic dwellings for families who will live there for 40 years, maybe more, maybe less. That’s how most of his days go by, creating difference and diversity for Norwegians, or those who can afford to pay for his creative services. Because having the name Tommie Wilhelmsen stamped on your new house plans is not an experience meant for just anyone. Constructing the unique seldom is done on minuscule budgets.
Wilhelmsen has recently taken on a quite unorthodox challenge. He was requested by a local contractor to draw a cluster of houses on a field, and he also was challenged to move in! The mid-size to fairly large family homes reflect his early work. When completed, the neighbourhood will be a lively oasis of pleasing, yet modest, white minimalistic wooden properties. They will have beech hedge gardens and an urban -countryside feel. An atypical Norwegian neighbourhood, one might say.
33
This is a more brutal, bloody and exciting exhibition than we are used to. Creating an exhibition about beads was much less scary. Siv Kristoffersen, curator of the Valhalla exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Stavanger.
Text: Kristin Støle Kalgraff Photo: Terje Tveit
The spring and summer exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology is about weapons of the past. The symbolism behind every single weapon and the myths surrounding battles and warriors are shown in a new light. Made with war, death and burial in mind, these swords and daggers are presented in a different yet challenging context. BRUTAL SUBJECT MATTER “What I like best is to make harmless and beautiful exhibits, such as the pearl exhibition,” says archaeologist Siv Kristoffersen, shuddering at the thought of creating a presentation about weapons. The material’s dramatic bent has been thought-provoking for the archaeologist. “We want to tell a tale about the brutality and the drama that took place without praising heroes. We also think it is important to present difficult but current topics. Exhibited swords have most likely been used in combat, and may have been buried as a trophy with a fallen warrior. This is clearly communicated throughout the exhibition. “When we show in what context weapons have been used, we believe it will be easier for the audience to see and understand the background of mythology, and the link between it and the prehistoric society’s understanding of war,” Kristoffersen says. Her goal is for the audience to experience the exhibition on several levels. The public will have an immediate experience through the objects, which are also brought to life in a dramatic film with relatively explicit scenes. VIOLENT IDEOLOGY Today, the weapons industry is one of the largest and most profitable in the world, and throughout history the best of our society’s technological achievements have been invested in weapons. This can be seen through several thousand years of Stone Age flint daggers, Bronze Age swords, the Iron Age’s efficient yet decorated weapons — and our modern arms race. “Honour is a central concept in understanding the importance of battles and violence in Viking society. Honour and
34
To Valhalla:
Exhibition at the Museum of Archaeology Opens April 3rd Experience weapons of the past and warrior ideology of the Stone, Bronze and Viking Age. Learn more about Odin’s place — Valhalla — where in Norse mythology, slain warriors dwelled.
revenge were closely linked. This is a major difference between our time and the Viking Age, but there are certain similarities,” Kristoffersen says. “The framework for understanding is to be found in ideology. It is complicated to communicate this correctly in an exhibition. We have tried to present the unvarnished violence and put it in contrast to the notion of Viking Valhalla. Myths about Valhalla and the concept of honour are part of the ideology that gave violence its legitimacy.” AN ENGAGING EXHIBITION “To Valhalla” is an exhibition that will fascinate audiences. Unique swords and daggers will be on display, with vivid light — and sound — effects. Professionals with different backgrounds have contributed to the exhibition’s conservation, design, communication, photography and documentation of archaeological material. “Conservators found materials to be exhibited, prepared iron swords and daggers, and in the process they discovered several unique details. The blacksmith made racks for each sword, since many of them are in pieces. A lot of resources go into a comprehensive exhibition like this,” says Kristoffersen, excited to show her audience a new and surprising presentation of ancient warriors.
35
A hot bath, a soft bathrobe, fluffy slippers and a hot cup of tea. Upgrade to the comfort level you deserve today! Use the list below to find differences in room accommodations.
STANDARD superior DeluxE junior suite Free bottled water (Imsdal brand) Mini bar LCD TV Telephone One arm-chair Two arm-chairs Large pillows Body lotion Bath salt (for rooms with bath tub) Seating area Bath-robe Slippers Vanity kit Beauty products Water boiler for tea and coffee Separate or partly separate bedroom Complimentary turn-down upon request Free day pass to the gym (SATS) Additions to the standard room price in NOK
-
250,-
400,-
650,-
Standard rate in NOK for one occupant
2.060,-
2.310,-
2.460,-
2.710,-
Standard rate in NOK for two occupants
2.310,-
2.560,-
2.710,-
2.960,-
Extra bed addition
200,-
200,-
200,-
200,-
Crib addition
100,-
100,-
100,-
100,-