Tyholmen // The old town of Arendal

Tyholmen is the oldest and best preserved part of Arendal, built on some of the total seven small islands that the city spread across. Tyholmen received status as a preserved area in 1975, and has been noted for its efforts to combine preservation with adaptability for modern use.

Tyholmen consists of an 'upper' and a 'lower' part, where merchants and shipowners lived near the sea, while artisans, sailors, and dayworkers lived in the smaller houses up on the hill. Today the lower part is mostly hotels, cafés and restaurants, while the upper part is still mainly residential.

Originally built as a private home for one of the wealthier families in Arendal, the old town hall was located next to where the harbour now lies from 1844 till 2005, when it moved its offices to the town centre. Today, various cultural organisations have their offices in the building. This is the highest, and the second largest, wooden building in Norway from the empire time period. It was built in in the years 1812-1815.

The city museum, Kløckers Hus, is also found on Tyholmen, which is a preserved building from 1826, although the oldest parts of the house were built at the end of the 16th century.

At the tourist office you'll find a map with a description of the old buildings at upper Tyholmen.