Bergenske King’s Road

The Bergenske King’s Road, constructed in the beginning of the 19th century, passes from Oslo through Ringerike and Hadeland before crossing Filefjell on its way to Bergen. The St. Olav's Pilegrim Path largely follows the King's Road through Krokskogen and Ringerike past Granavollen to Brandbu, then following a more eastern route towards Trondheim. The web of King's Roads connected regional landscapes and were the first constructed roads in Norway. Earlier ways were mostly just cleared paths to be used in dry or frosen conditions, and often hard to identify in modern days.

King’s Road – Via Regia in Latin – is a road administrative term which was taken into use in the 17th cenetury. These were roads which connected important parts of the country in older days and which were important in exploiting the country’s resources.

The road you are now walking on is a part of the old Bergenske King’s Road, which was built and improved in this district between 1818 and 1918. The network of roads around here is however much older. We know this thanks to a travel description from 1594 by bishop Jens Nilssøn written during his visit-journey to Ringerike, Hadeland, Toten and Hedmarken.