Solbergtårnet

The Solberg Tower by Østfold's E6 is a landmark offering unexpected experiences. People have lived in and crossed this landscape for thousands of years. Norway's greatest concentration of rock art is here, and within a relatively small area are famous burial grounds and renowned fortresses, medieval churches and stately homes. The Solberg Tower stands as a fitting gateway to this proud heritage, and the visitor will leave here better informed, with a sense of wonder, and a wish to explore further.

The task of making the rich cultural sites along highway 110 between Skjeberg and Fredrikstad available to the public began in the 1950s. At Solberg the so-called "Road of the Ancients" meets the new E6. By the junction travelers can stop at a lay-by where art/architecture/information combine spectacularly. Not only will the 30 meter high tower be a landmark for travelers arriving in Østfold and Norway, but from the top of it visitors can see for themselves the way the heritage sites relate to the landscape. The famous sites of Solberg and Hornnes are close to the tower and some 100 others are nearby.

Visitors to the Solberg Tower enter through a park with seven small information islands in corten steel. Striking pictures from the heritage sites will tempt visitors to explore the surrounding landscape in order to experience the sites with their own senses. Special attention is given to the nearby spectacular rock art, stone circle, and burial sites, and also to Fredrikstad Fortress, Hafslund Manor, and Skjeberg's medieval church. A recurring theme of the information islands is the way the ancient monuments relate intimately to their landscape. Philosophical reflections on time and landscape are included in a variety of symbols and quotations. This leads on to a 100 metre long ramp. The icons that have been cut into the steel walls confront the visitor with different aspects of our relationship to time. The information programme at the Solberg Tower has been designed by the Department of Heritage of Østfold County, and is supported by the Østfold Museum Foundation.   In planning the Solberg Tower, which has a lift to the panorama platform, accessibility has been a guiding principle. Also the main heritage sites are being renovated, with a focus on accessibility. The work is supported by the local tourist offices. Every day 20-30.000 cars pass the tower, sited as it is by the E6 at the gateway to Norway. The attraction is designed to capture the attention of the motorist, but will of course be a fascinating experience for anyone with an interest in history.