Hovedoya

Hovedoya is the nearest of the inner Oslofjord islands and the one with the most history: English Cistercian monks founded an abbey here in 1147, and its stone ruins still stand in a meadow at the island's centre, roofless walls and arches with the fjord behind. The monastery was dissolved in 1532 and its stone quarried for the Akershus fortress. The island later held military installations, and their low buildings survive as cafes and studios. Nothing is built now beyond that: the whole island is protected, with meadows that hold some of the rarest plants in the Oslo region, oak woodland, marked paths around the shore, and small beaches on the southern side where the city swims in summer.

History

The Cistercian abbey opened on 18 May 1147 and became a leading economic force in the Oslo region, until it was closed in 1532 after the abbot came into conflict with King Christian II, and much of its stone went into the expansion of Akershus Fortress. In 1808 two cannon batteries were built on the island, again using the ruins as a quarry, and four gunpowder depots followed in 1826 and a fifth in 1867 (Wikipedia, Hovedøya).

What's there

• The abbey ruins - roofless Cistercian walls in an open meadow.
• The protected meadows - grassland with rare orchids and wildflowers.
• The shore paths - marked walking routes around the whole island.
• The bathing coves - small beaches on the southern shore.

When to go

May to September, when the ferries run frequently and the water is swimmable from late June; the flowers peak in June. Winter service is reduced and the cafes close, though the walk is still fine on a clear day.

What to expect

There are no cars, no shops beyond a seasonal kiosk and cafe, and no accommodation, so bring what you need. Summer weekends fill the beaches and the ferries. Camping and open fires are prohibited across the island.

Nearby

Lindoya and Gressholmen are further out on the same ferry route; Akershus fortress and the Oslo waterfront are at the quay.

Key facts