The Old Skansen: Revitalization
Prediploma Studies Lyakhov Vyacheslav AHO, 2014
Contents
Introduction
3
The Site
4
Topic Description
6
The old Skansen: History of the site
8
The Site: Skansen. Areas
14
The Site: Skansen. Buildings
16
Protected and historical buildings in the Skansen Area
18
Interviews
30
Reference Projects
34
Desing Programme
38
Literature and References
39
Introduction Historical, Cultural and Architectural Heritage is a non-renewable resource. Once lost it can never be brought back again. That’s why it is very important to do our best in preserving and saving it. This doesn’t mean though that the heritage should be considered as a dead weight that is out of date, useless, just occupies some certain area, problematic and requiring. Not so long ago people started to realize the value of the historical heritage, and it was rather considered as a difficulty, the dead weigh and a barrier for modern urban development. Actually, heritage has a great potential and can bring certain benefits. Today culture heritage is already recognized as one of the aspects of citizens life quality improvement. If it can make our life, æsthetical feelings, everydays experience better, then it is a resource. Also to say, it is an inexhaustible resource, that means, that under a proper maintenance and treatment it might last almost forever and give its value (historical, cultural, æsthetical) to people for many generations.
Tromsø is comparativelly young city in northern Norway, and doesnt have that rich historical heritage, as some cities in Southern Europe or other Scandinavian cities have. The more valuable it makes the existing ones. Even though Tromsø is approximatelly 210 years old, some sites are rather old. One of such places in Tromsø is the old Skansen.
View towards the Tromsø Skansen from the side of Polar Museum
Tromsø, Tromsøya Island
The Site: Skansen
Aerial View of the Skansen area Skansen - is one of the oldest parts of Tromsø. We know that the Skansen Fortress was here at least in the XIII century, in 1250-s, during the reign of King Håkon Håkonssøn. After the Skansen lost its fortificational functions, it worked mostly as the Toll, the Customs place. The area was the main harbour of Tromsø, and most of the fishing activities, trades, boats maintances etc. used to happen here. Most of the City’s history it used to be the center for activities, something that defined the City Center, together with the Cathedral. These two - Skansen and Cathedral used to be the main landmarks, two pillars that defined City Center. As the area of the Cathedral was more like a cultural/religious place, the Skansen Area used to be more working-class place, more industrial zone. Even ourdays we can see the old Wharf in the site. It is quite out-of-date and is not being used much but for some older and smaller ships repair. Though, this wharf occupies quite a huge area in one of the most expensive parts of Tromsø. On the western side of the Skansen Site you can find mostly housings. And those houses are one of the oldest in Town as well. What made me interested in this place is the fact, that it is in a way concentration of touristical, historical and cultural sites in town, it is the old city center and ex-center of public and economical life, but these days for some reason it has lost these functions. But still there are some reasons to suggest, the Skansen area has a huge potential.
Topic Description
The Site: Skansen - The old fortress with toll, the block of old housing around it and the old shipyard and beach. The problem: Skansen is one of the most ancient areas of Tromsø, but it doesn’t reveal its potential as a touristic and a historical attraction, doesn’t work as a popular public space and even is slightly and slowly being destroyed by time. The Idea: To make the area more attractive as a historical park and public space for tourists, visitors and locals with the deepest respect of the historical and cultural values of this place. To reprogramm the site in a way, that it would become a more vital part of the City, a popular public space and concentration of cultural life, some kind of cultural park, or open-air museum that is not conserved behind the glass-wall, but remains the vital part of the city and public life. Historically, there were two main cores of Tromsø, and so to say, two city centers. One is well known our days and was located near the Domkirke. The another city center and core of activities was the Skansen area – where the main port used to be, the customs and the main shipyard. What is of interest is that these two areas have very much in common – both are assigned with some formal evidences of state power – the Cathedral and the Toll with a fortress. These two landmarks were the concentration points of city development: people tried to settle near one of those places. What is also interesting, that these two landmarks, these two symbols are approximately from the same age. But there is some line, after which similarities cease. Nowadays, when speaking about Tromsø city center, we mostly mean the area around the Cathedral and the Skansen area somehow doesn’t go to our mind. Even though in the past it would definitely be concerned as city center. Today even not so many tourists find their way to this place and it is in a way unnoticeable, and it deserves much a bigger role in the life of Tromsø, I believe. I think, that this place has a great potential for becoming something like a public space and a cultural recreational zone with a strong historical background. This area has one of the oldest houses in Tromsø, an old shipyard, the fortress, that is sometimes called the Akershus of Tromsø. And also one more interesting fact, this area has the only original coastline of the city center– a short stripe of a beach near Polar Museum. In addition to a museum that already exists there, this place has a big potential for becoming a tourist attraction, a place where people would gather and enjoy spending their time in atmosphere of ancient Tromsø city, surrounded by remains of different epochs with many different stories behind them.
Design proposal: Departing from the heritage, propose some reprogramming of the area’s sites and reintroducing it to the public. Reconsidering pavements, public spaces, some recreational infrastructure (restaurants, bars). Revitalizing the old shipyard (as an option – ship and marinary museum, retro boats repair-dock station), bringing new functions to the old abandoned buildings that came to us from old times, but are not used that much nowadays. The rampart of the Skansen fortress is surrounded by road and experiences a constant erosion and is being slowly destroyed. This problem must be definitely solved. The traffic system could be revised, and this area might be considered as a pedestrian zone. In addition, one of the ideas could be to bring some other old buildings of Tromsø that correspond the epoch to create more artefacts to the Historical Public Space. The main products for the design would be: creating a master-plan of the area including reprogramming the existing buildings and sites for new functions, delivering some design of the physical surfaces of the area, creating a plan for small-scale urban infrastructure such as benches, vegetation, deckings and so on in order to create a lively, widely-used and attractive historical site, with high concentration of musums, attractions and so on. A cultural center, that would remain a vital part of the City.
The Wharf and old shipyard in Skansen The wharf is probably the biggest problematic in the site. It is not really economically sufficient, not modernized and its functions are not needed that much toay in this place. Apart from creating noize and polution, it also occupies a huge spot in the most expensive area of the town. There were many debates and ideas for what to do with it. Several projects are stil being discussed, like the one, that proposes to build around 35.000 sq.m of housing here. But maybe this place can play a better role as a public space/ship museum or a terminal for tourist. It may not be sufficient as a wharf but it belongs to coast and might remain connected to marinary.
The old Skansen 1100s-1400s
Conflicts and raids from Novgorod Republic. A need in protection and a fortress
1000-s
Can be from XI, vollgrav from Viking Age
Gunpower introduced, fall of Novgorod, Skansen loses its functions
1250-s Reliable evidence of Skansens existance in Tromsø
1478
Olaus Magnus puts 1539 Tromsø with a fortress to his map
Tromsø gets right for fish tradeing monopoly from Bergen. Economical life develops.
1789 1794
Tromsø being attacked by the British in Napoleonic Wars
1803
Tromsø gets city status from the King, building of Customs
Skansen considered to be built with a road acrss of it
1980-s
1900-s
Used as epidemic lasarete, school, retirement house
2003
Bуing restored after fire, Skansen is a museum
1000-s It is not completelly clear when Skansen was built or first appeared here. But there are some reasons to think, that it might be older than from 1200-s. Some people think, that it can be from 1000-s. The base of Skansen is pritty much a typical Viking Volgrav, like those that you can find in Denmark, Sweden (Trelleborg, Aggersborg in Løgstør, Lembeksborg in Sydslesvig. 1100s-1400s Those years the neccessity for protecting Tromsø was quite high: the borders were not formalized yet and quite many raids, conflicts and territorial claims happened between Norway and Novgorod Republic (Rus’). So thats why the Skansen and the Church were built (or enforced) here as symbols of Kings Power to define these lands as part of Norway. Those days Skansen was one of the things, that made Tromsø part of Norway. 1250-s From 1250-s we have some evidences that Skansen already existed. Norwegian King Håkon Håkonssøn built (or enforced/restored) the Skansen and the first Church - Sankta Maria close to Heathens. The Church and the fortress were supposed to symbolize King’s power and his right to these lands. Skansen showed that Tromsø is Norway. It is in a way official date of Skansens foundation. 1478 In 1478 Novgorod Republic (as the main potential threat to Tromsø) was annexed by Moscovian Russia, and ceased to exist as an independent state. Also by this time significent progress in fortification and military technics (such as gunpowder) were introduced, so Skansen loses its defence qualities and fortress functions. 1789 Before Bergen had the monopolly for fishtrade in the region. In 1789 Tromsø got right to trade by himself. This played an extremelly important role in city development. It opened new horizons for trading with neighbours and with the locals. 1794 This year the King gives Tromsø City Status and that date the Toll, the Customs building was built. ITs an important ate for Tromsø and Skansen as well. Since that the area becomes an international (toll) and trade center of the city. 1803 During Napoleonic Wars the British come to Tromsø and attackit from the sea. A short battle took place in Pølsehavna, near Skansen. The canons on the rampart are from those times. 1900-s Those years the Skansen and the Tollbud were used for many different purposes: as an epidemic lasarete for ill, as a school for children, as a retirement house for old people and so on. 1980-s Once it was seriously concidered to build a road in the area right across the Skansen. It was concidered as an out-of-date and useless structure, that just occupies certain area. It is hard to believe today, that there was a serious risk of destroying the ancient fortress in such a way. Hopefully, today we realize the value of such sites much better. 2003 That year a fire happened in the main building of Skansen. Luckilly, all the artefacts survived, and after restoring and repairing the building, it worked as a museum.
The old Skansen Even though the Skansen is officially dated by the middle of XIII Century, some people still do believe that it comes right from the X century. So that it could be about 1000 years old. Bellow given some drawings from the article “1000-årsstedet Skansen gjennom tusen år”. This shows the structure of the fortress and an artist’s impression of how it could looked like. Today the fortress is a small rampart of a bit more than a human-height tall. It doesnt look like a reliable defence system anymore, but many years ago the walls were 4 meters tall, enforced with a wooden hedge of palisades and the whole fortreess was surrounded with a ditch. So in early middle ages this was a good enough fortification.
Section of Skansens primordial structure
Section Drawing by Kjell Lindberg
Drawing by Kjell Lindberg. Skansen probably was very dominant in the landscape and whole surroundings
Lemberksborgen, Denmark In its structure, shape and dimensions Skansen reminds a lot of a viking-are ringcastle. In comparison with a viking ringcastle Lemberksborgen in Denmark, one can see, that Skansen in a way belongs to the same School. Lembeksborgen is almost twice as big (circa 100 meter in diameter) and is dated by 960-s. Unfortunatelly there not so much research was happening of Skansen, and only two small-scale archeological digings. But there are some reasons to assume, that it might belong to Viking age and is around 1000-years old. Then the Skansens status (Tusen책rstedet Skansen) becomes literall.
Plan of Tromsø from 1875
Aerial View of Tromsø in 1952 As we can see from the City Plan of 1875, Skansen (as well as Domkirke) used to be the center of Town and the site from wich the Urban Development was concentrated around. We can see, that most of the houses and streets were in or around the “horseshoe” coastline, from Skansen to the Cathedral. Those days people prefered to live closer to the places where most of the city life used to happen. Most of the markets, fishing trade, exchanges, repairs and other activities were concentrated here. The transport was not developed well those days, so people obviously tried to settle as closer as possible. What I find interesting is that today Domkirke remains soome kind of a landmark for City Center, but Skansen somehow lost this status. While speaking about Tromsø Center, you would rarelly think about this place. The economical life of todays Norway and Tromsø has obviously changed, and people are not tight to the fisheries and trade in such a traditional way as earlier, but it is still a little bit strange, because in most European Cities historical part usually remains the city center, geographically, culturally, logistically or just somehow remains the logical core of the City. Skansen somehow falls out from such part of Tromsø’s Central life, it is not Tromsø’s Core anymore.
From the aerial foto taken by British Intelligence Services in 1952 it is noticable how many boats are concentrated in the area. It was taken the day when the King of Norway was visiting Tromsø, and the quantity of boats ofcourse is extraordinarily big, but it was big anyways, and was concentrated from Skansen (where the small boats shipyard still remains) to Domkirke.
The Site: Skansen Areas
Cultural and historical protected area The Skansen Area The Original Beach
Protected Areas in Skansen
In Skansen we have two main protected area, that together form one big portected area. The first, and the most important one is of course the rampart of Skansen. It is protected on National level and believed to be the most valuable artefact in the whole Troms Fylke. The protected area marked green on the map (at the left hand), and it is impossible to destroy it, or rebuild or anything else. It is under the responsibility of Riksantikvaren and is owned by State, not by Fylke.
The next protected area is the original beach, the old coatline that remained here and is visible (marked blue in the map and is shown in the picture below). Most of Tromsø’s coast line is a filled land and stands either on poles and concrete plates, or is a ground filling. But here we have a tiny spot of natural and original coast line. This beach is protected and belongs to Troms Fylke. As far, as the both protected areas are located near the Polar Museum and Skansen, together these cultural sites create one bigger cultural site, that can be treated as a good recreational/cultural resource. Then it seems reasonable, that they were united into one common continous protected area (shown as hatch on the map).
The Natural beach. View from Polar Museum towards Skansen
The Site: Skansen Buildings
Cultural and historical protected area
Buildings protected by Heritage Law. Conservation Proected buildings Buildings in the future protection list
Protected Buildings in Skansen
As far as the area for the project is not limited by only the fortress rampart, but takes in mind the whole block around it, it makes sence to explore a little bit what kind of buildings do we have. Skansen area is known to be the concentration of the oldest buildings in town. Of course many (or so to say, most) of the buildings have protected statuses. Buildings, wich have protected status are shown on the map at left. The reason of such concentration of historical buildings is not only the fact, that it is one of the most ancient sites in Tromsø, but it was also a place, where they moved the old buildings from other parts of the city. Even in many people’s perception Skansen remains protected village to move the oldest buildings to. But today we can look at this fact in a different prospective. Such a high concentration of historical and beautifull buildings makes this area even more valuable and opens us a new horizon. These old buildings are living artefacts for the cultural park and open-museum in our site. And they are already on their place. So I believe, that these buildings could be again concidered as a high cultural resource for our site, that will help us to reveal the potential of the area.
The oldest building in Tromsø, the Skansen Toll
Protected and historical Buildings In Skansen Area
Søndre Tollbugate, 1
Name: Aagaard-gården Built in: 1836 Now: Tromsø Athenæum The first electrified house in Tromsø. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Skippergata, 11
Name: Meyergården /Møllergården Built in: 1800-s Now: Private House, Cafe The first oldest fully preserved garden in Tromsø from 1820. Has only original native species of plants, that grew in the early 1800s. Protection: Protected by Heritage Law, only conservation
Nordre Tollbugate, 1 Name: Nordre Tollbugata 1A Built in: 1896 Now: Residential Was moved here from Prestenggata 12 in 1996. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Nordre Tollbugate, 1
Built in: 1820 Was moved here from Hansjordnesgata 22. Some people think that actually it is the oldest building in Tromsø and is dated from 1760. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Nordre Tollbugate, 3 Name: Storstadg책rden Built in: 1840 Now: Residential Was moved here from Storgata 122. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Vollgrava, 3 Name: Miljøhuset Built in: 1843 Now: Det lille kulturhuset Was moved here from Grønnegata 14. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Skansegata, 2
Name: Maskinhus Now: Abandonned This was a machinehouse, where the engine that dragged the boats to the Wharf was operating. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Skansegata, 1
Name: Vinsjus, Kontor, Tomannsbolig Built in: 1850 This was a wharfmasters office, house for the Customer Officer. The Adress Skansegata 1 relates to the building and the shipyard itself. The buildng has protecting status, the shipyard itself doesnt. Protection: Building listed in the future protection list
Skippergata, 19
Name: Delikatesse Built in: 1880 Now: Delicates meat store Was built and is still used as a slaughtery and delicatess store. Nowadays the slaughtery is removed from the building, but refrigerators and the store still remain here. Protection: Protected, Listed Building
Skippergata, 17 Name: Bürstua Built in: 2010 (Rebuilt) Now: Delicates meat store Here was the typography where Knut Hamsun’s first book was printed. Protection: Protected by Heritage Law, only conservation
Knut Hamsun
Søndre Tollbugata, 8 Name: Tollbuden Built in: 1794 Now: Museum, Polar Museum Office This is officially the oldest building in Tromsø. The Toll, that appeared here in 1794 in the ancient fortress site. Since those times it has changed lots of different functions. Today its museum inside. Protection: Both buildings and Skansen are protected by Heritage Law, only conservation.
Søndre Tollbugata, 11 Name: Polarmuseet, Tollbrygga Built in: 1839, 1833 Now: Polar Museum, Polar Museums Office The blue building also functioned as the Toll. Inside some old and very interesting interiors preserved. Today its only used by a couple of people from the Polarmuseum administration. Protection: Both buildings are protected by Heritage Law, only conservation.
Interviews
During my researches of Skansen I’ve talked to several people, who were envolved in works with Skansen or just know a lot about it. One of such persons was Erling Steenstrup, who is Rådgiver Kulturminner og bygningsvern in Tromsø Kommunna. Among all interviewees I got the biggest support and help from Erling Steenstrup. He provided me lots of data like a data base with listed buildings in Tromsø, map with protection areas, map of buildings ownerships , old maps of Tromsø and old aerial fotos, and so on. I had three meetings with mr. Steenstrup in the Kommunna (on one of those meetings there also was Bodil Ruud, who is a Regulering/ Planlegger, planner in the city development department in Kommunna). Those metings were extremelly helpfull and got me lots of input. Also they really welcomed me with the project and were (and still are) interested in it, because they find the problem and the site very relevant and actuell.
Information that I got from Interviews with Erling Steenstrup:
- Skansen area has the oldest buildings in Tromsø - Skansen fortress is believed to be from 1230-1250s and is somekind of Akershus of Tromsø. - Tourist buses and snow machines drive to the museum around the fortress and cause its destruction and errosion (of the rampart). - A couple of decades ago there were plans for building a road right across the Skansen. It was not concidered for having a big value, but was concidered to be a barrier for car traffic. - Today the skansen is still being erroded, but recently some works for enforcing the rampart with special materials and technologies are taking place. - The Skansen area has a large potential but it doesnt reveal - In the mind of people the area is still and old protected village to move old buildings into Existing problems for the Area: - Car Traffic (Should be pedestrian zone) - Very high prices for real estate in the area - Lack of some proper maintanence plan - Lack of competent restoration and maintenance specialists
Erling Steenstrup also recommended me to get in contact with people from an organization Gamlebyen Skansen (http://www.gamlebyenskansen.no/). So I got in touch with them and Tom Willeng Strøm kindly agreed to meet with me. He also gave me a great support and we found our quite common vision of the problem and the value of the site. Tom was quite curious and interested in my project and was open to give me support, for example he might help me arranging a meeting with Riksantikvaren in Oslo, when im there the next time. I think I will keep in touch with Tom further while doing my project, and by this time I shared all the information I had and maps I did and got from him the following information.
Information that I got from Interviews with Tom Willeng Strøm:
- Skansen acould be older than from 1200-s - First the Skansen was a Volgrav with a water ditch around the fortress - In 1803 Tromsø was attacked during Napoleonic wars. The British sieged Pølsehavna (a bit further north from Skansen) - Tom proposed to make a big sign in the area with map and information about Skansen. - The wharf is a problematic site. There were some plans for building residential housing. But the authorities allowed to built only 1/3 of the built area that the developer first planned. This was reduced in trems of hight regulations in Tromsø Center. But for developer building such area is economically insufficient. So the question remains - It would be very nice to build a ship/wharf maritime museum in the area - There are no real maritime museum in Norway - It would be nice to make the whole coastline from the Center to Skansen pedestrian and accessible. To make a small pedestrian bridge near the Polar museum. - The shore and sea bottom near the old shipyard has been totally cleaned recently. But the land in the wharf still remains quite poluted and the polution spreads down to sea with rains.
Another person for interview was Knut Hansvold. Knut is a City guide and he knows alot about the History of Tromsø. I was attending to the guideing courses and he was my teacher. Basically he was the first person I’ve learnt from about Skansen. After the courses ended I still sometimes ask Knut for consultancy or advice, as he is a competent reference in the historical side of Tromsø.
Information that I got from Interviews with Knut Hansvold:
- Before 1789 Bergen had a trade monopoly in these lands, wich they used to exploid the North - In 1788 a free trade was declared, and the Toll was built to administer the new trade and taxes. - The fortress was needed here because of the raids from Novgorod Republic and their claims of this land. - It is strange, but there has not been much archeological excavation or research of the fortress. Few excavations, though happened and an arrowhead (either Swedish or Russian) was found. - In those centuries there was a both-sided competition and agression: Novgorodi Russians and Karels raided the lands in Tromsø and Finnmark, and Norwegians also raided up to the White Sea coast. - Those years the countries borders were not officially settled and fixed, so this lands (what is today Northern Norway, mostly Troms and Finnmark) was sometimes under control of Novgorod Republic, sometimes by the King of Norway. Due to hold these lands as part of Norway, the King built the Domkirke and a fortress as symbols of his power and Norwegian Crown. - In 1478 Moscowian Russia annexed Novgorod Republic Russia and little bit later Denmark annexed Norway, so there was an end for the conflict.
Old Electricity Line Pole It is forbidden to use these ourdays (in terms of safety) but here it stands for memory. In this area was the first house in Tromsø with electricity: Søndre Tollbugate, 1.
Cannons from Napoleonic Wars. Unfortunatelly they didnt help against British. After the war Norway was ceded to Sweden.
Reference Projects
Norsk Folkemuseum, Oslo, Norway Folkemuseum in Olso I find one of the most lucky examples of how an open-air museum should look like. It totally brings you to the atmosphere of the past and gives a nice vintage coasiness while walking along his old little streets and seeking into its authentically furnished houses and flats. The main difference in strategies between Folkemuseum and Skansen is that in Skansen we are not planning to make a conservated museum. So it should become a closed area with ticket-entrance, but should remain a vital part of the town, with free access, with things happening there by themselves, with people’s initiative. But the way how they managed to introduce the atmosphere from the past in Folkemuseum is a reference to our project.
Reference Task: To bring the atmosphere of an old town and the vintage coasiness of 18-19 century Tromsø to Skansen area, without conservating it as a limited access museum.
Nyhavn, København, Denmark Nyhavn is one of the best public spaces in Copenhagen, and Copenhagen is renowned to be one of the best cities in public space organizing, urbanism and landscape design. Nyhavn is extremelly popular recreation place for both tourists and locals, with many restaurants, bars and cafes. Some people hang out in the area right in their boats. It is a great example of converting a historical area into a well-working public space without destroying it or even interventing it’s architectural image with new structures and buildings. One more thing (in addition to historicity) that is common for Skansen and Nyhavn - the harbour. Today Skansen Harbour is nearly abandonned and really industrial, but theres definitielly a potential hiding in it.
Reference Task: To make a popular and well-functioning public space in the historical area and harbour without comiting much intervention (or rebuilding) in the historical site.
Kulturhavn Kronborg, Kronborg, Denmark Kulturhavn Kronborg is a famous project for redesigning the area around the old Kronborg Castle in Denmark. On hand this example is really not suitable for Skansen: The Scale is totally different. On other hand, it has lots of similarities: an old fortress, historical area, a harbour. And the result for Kromborg: a great transformation the site into a public space with a high responsibility for the historical value and image of the site. Something in the same vein I would like to see (or better - do) in Tromsø Skansen area.
Reference Task: To make a transformation of the industrial area into public space with the deep respect to image of historical place.
Retro Car festival in Tromsø, Skansen If such an event is supposed to take place in Tromsø, then where else if not in Skansen? This is already a sign for Skansen potential as a public space with a historical background and entourage. Just need some improvement and effort.
Design Programme
In this project Im aiming to revitalize the Skansen area, that got into some identity crisys. Its lost its functions as fortress/toll/industrial zone and didnt get a new one. The fact that it is situated in the city center and has the deepest historical background and oldest historical buildings, gives this area a huge potential. In addition the site has great natural and climatical conditions, it is well wind-sheltered, sun exposed and faces the waterfront.
So my task in this project is to make the area a nice public space with high concentration of cultural sites and museums, an open historical park, which will be a vital part of citylife, open to people, but would keep (and improve) an image and atmosphere of old Tromsø.
Final products to be delivered by the project:
- To create a master plan for reprogramming functions of the buildings and sites in the area - To propose some redesign of the physical surfaces of the sites, pavements, roads, vegetation - To creat new functions to the site, to make it more lively, attractive and cnoncentration of cultural life. Among such functions can be: Maritime Museum; Farmer ecomarket, where people could buy and sell home-grown vegetables, fish etc.; historical park infrastructure; - To design information shields and touristic infrastructure (infobooth) about the history of the area, buildings and the fortress.
Literature and References In this project I have been using different sources of literature, books, articles and projects. It is a bit strange, but there are no literature about Skansens that has been translated into English. Then more interesting and challenging it becomes reading (and translating) it.
So in this work I have been using the following sources:
1000-årsstedet Skansen gjennom tusen år It is an article in “Tromsøboka, den fjerde”. It says a lot about the Skansen itself, its history, archeology and reconstructions behind it, and also about the area around it and how it has been changing in times. Den gamle borgen Skansen It is an article in “Tromsøboka, den andre”. This is another article about Skansen as an impotant part of Tromsø. Skansen i Tromsø. Rapport fra feltskurs i september 1990 It is a field report from archeological excavations that took place in 1990. The book also describes the history and structure of Skansen and also gives the list and pictures of artefacts, founded in archeological diggings. OTTAR, populære smæskrifter fra Tromsø Museum. Skansen i Tromsø Is a brochure made by Tromsø Museum has more of a culturological focus on Skansen.
Hvor Går Tromsø? The famous brochure made by architects, that asks the question about how Tromsø will (or shall) develop. Gamlebyen Skansen (http://www.gamlebyenskansen.no) A web-site of volunteers who are working on preserving and making Skansen are a more open and nicer place. Provide different events and also have plans for developing and reprogramming the area.