Spook-tacular Norway

All across the country, you’ll find chilling supernatural stories and experiences – from a notorious former prison in Oslo to haunted hotels in spectacular surroundings.

Here’s just a few of them.

Akershus fortress

Few destinations in Norway is rifer with stories of the supernatural than Akershus fortress in Oslo. For 700 years, the castle has guarded the capital’s inner harbour, and never in its history has it been breached by a foreign hostile force. This, however, does not mean that blood hasn’t been shed in its dim corridors and beyond the high walls.

For many years, parts of the castle served as a prison for some of Norway's most notorious criminals. The sentence often involved gruelling physical labour, and the prison was infamous for using irons, chains, and prisoner isolation as disciplinary techniques.

Over the years, there’s been several reports of whispers and scratching along the fortress hallways, and many guards have noticed weird anomalies – like the sensation of being pushed – while alone on duty.

The prison at the castle was closed down in 1950.

The Nidaros Cathedral

Norway’s most important cathedral is also home to our most famous ghost. “The monk” of The Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim was first seen in 1924 by bishop Marie Gleditsch, who claimed the apparition had a bloody gash along its throat.

Ever since there have been frequent reports of inexplicable chanting and organ music in the cathedral late at night.

Our most famous ghost is also among the most controversial. Several historians claim that no order of munks were ever connected to The Nidaros Cathedral. Regardless – the tales of the monk in The Nidaros Cathedral live on to this day.

Dalen Hotel

Among the many Norwegian places of lodging associated with the strange and supernatural, Dalen Hotel in Telemark stands out as one of the most (in)famous.

Guests and staff tell frequent stories of the notorious room 17, where the ghost known as “The English Lady” spends her restless afterlife.

The English Lady – formerly known as Miss Greenfield of England – checked into Dalen hotel on a spring morning in the late 19th century, where she spent several months as a guest.

No one at the hotel knew of her pregnancy, however, and when staff entered the room after Miss Greenfield’s departure, they found a dead infant.

Miss Greenfield was arrested and charged with murder but took her own life before the trial could begin. To this day, a table is set for her in the hotel restaurant.

Hotel Union Øye

At the gorgeous hotel Union Øye in Norangsfjorden in Sunnmøre, a tragic love story took place at the end of the 19th century.

It began with the servant girl Linda, who fell madly in love with one of Emperor Wilhelm’s officers – a German duke trapped in an unhappy, arranged marriage. The love between the two blossomed, and whenever the duke visited, he and Linda would always stay in “The Blue Room”. But when the duke was eventually denied a divorce, he tragically committed suicide. He was shortly followed by his heartbroken lover, who disappeared in the lake wearing a wedding dress and a crown of flowers.

Ever since people have been hearing the ghost of Linda weep in The Blue Room.

Bærums Verk

The village and former ironworks of Bærums Verk in Bærum are widely known as one of Norway’s most haunted destinations. At the restaurant Værtshuset especially, there’s been several reports of paranormal activity. Many identify the ghost in question as Anna Krefting – the woman who owned and ran Bærums Verk for 50 years in the 18th century.

Several times she has been spotted in the restaurant’s second floor, eternally dressed in green. Værtshuset has been running since 1640, which makes it the oldest of it’s kind in Norway.

In the administration building of Bærum Verks shopping district, there have been reports of a phone that rings every night at the exact same time. Those who pick up never hear anything but an odd, static hissing sound in the other end. Technicians have been trying to figure out what causes the phone to ring every night but without success.

Blaafarveværket

The former mining site of Blaafarveværket in Eastern Norway has roots going back almost 250 years and was founded to mine cobalt for the production of porcelain and glass. For years, there were mysterious reports of “Blåmannen” – a ghost who preempted disasters by turning up with a lantern to warn miners.

The sight of Blåmannen wasn’t always welcome, however, as his appearance was often linked to death and disaster. The worst accident at Blaafarveværket occurred in 1854 when six men were killed in the mines. Only one man survived to tell the story of Blåmannen’s apparition.

Today, Blaafarveværket is a popular museum.

Munkholmen

Originally, this tiny island was used as a location for nithing poles (head on spikes). Later turned in to an abbey, fort, and prison. This place is filled with both happy and dark history.

On this island, located just outside of Trondheim, people have heard and seen mysterious sightings. Many believe the ghost to be the famous prisoner Peder Schumacher Griffenfeld, who was imprisoned on the island for 18 years.

Today, Munkholmen is a popular summer tourist attraction. From May to September, boats depart from Ravnkloa on a regular basis. Once on the island, visitors can take a guided tour or roam freely. There's also a small café.

The church ruins of Nes

Throughout the years, there’s been reports of unusual sights, sounds and lights among the Nes church ruins in Vormsund, Eastern Norway.

At the centre of events is Jacob Christian Finckenhagen, a priest who served the church from 1800–1837. The stories of his life and final fate is a controversial subject. Some say his children are entombed in the walls behind the altar, other claims the priest hung himself from the church rafters. Or maybe he just died of old age? Regardless, there’s been several reports of his restless ghost wandering the church ruins at night.

Some visitors claim that their movements become impaired and sluggish like they are submerged in water, and that electronic devices fail in the vicinity of the ruins.