Drøbak is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
and the centre of the municipality of
Frogn
Frogn is a municipality in former Akershus now Viken county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Drøbak. Frogn was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ...
, in
Viken county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
. The city is located along the
Oslofjord, and has 13,409 inhabitants.
History
Drøbak and Frogn was established as a parish on its own through a royal decree on 8 September 1823. It had been a part of Ås parish.
Drøbak was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt). It was merged with
Frogn
Frogn is a municipality in former Akershus now Viken county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Drøbak. Frogn was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ...
on 1 January 1962.
Traditionally, Drøbak was the winter harbour of Norway's capital,
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
, since in severe winters the fjord will freeze from outside Drøbak all the way up to Oslo. It had city status between 1842 and 1962, upon which point the municipality was merged into the rural municipality Frogn and lost its city status. The city status was regained by the municipality council on 13 February 2006. It was also decided that adjacent villages such as
Heer would be included within the city.
A notable event in Drøbak's history is the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
sinking of the
German cruiser ''Blücher'' in the Drøbak narrows (only 1 mile (1.5 km) wide), on the early morning of 9 April 1940. The cruiser was transporting German soldiers and bureaucrats for the planned swift occupation of Oslo, but the
Battle of Drøbak Sound
The Battle of Drøbak Sound took place in Drøbak Sound, the northernmost part of the outer Oslofjord in southern Norway, on 9 April 1940. It marked the end of the " Phoney War" and the beginning of World War II in Western Europe.
A German fle ...
, resulting in the sinking by the
Oscarsborg fortress
Oscarsborg Fortress ( no, Oscarsborg festning) is a coastal fortress in the Oslofjord, close to the small town of Drøbak in Viken county, Norway. The best known part is situated on two small islets. The main artillery batteries are on the island ...
delayed this, and thus allowed for the evacuation of the
Norwegian Royal Family,
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
, and cabinet, and for the nation's gold reserves to be denied the occupiers.
Early Drøbak had ferries that crossed the fjord, in modern times they have largely been replaced by an underwater tunnel. However, some of the old ferries are still used as "
floating restaurants" during the summer.
Tourism
In summertime,
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as ...
s visit Oslo almost every day. Often, as many as four or five cruise ships visit each day, in addition to all the regular traffic, it has made Drøbak a popular sea-side tourist spot. However, the numerous restaurants, art galleries and mild summers are probably more important factors for visiting tourists.
Drøbak is also known for its many art galleries. The town has a
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
shop called
Julehuset (the Christmas house), and letters often end up in Drøbak from
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
similarly to how they end up in
Santa Claus, Indiana
Santa Claus is a town in Spencer County, Indiana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. Located in Carter, Clay and Harrison Townships, it sits between Interstate 64 and the Ohio River and Owensboro. The population was 2,481 ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.
During the summer months, there are tourist buses going from Oslo to Drøbak on day trips for tourists. Visitors can experience a traditional Norwegian fjord town. It is also a popular Oslo suburb for citizens to live in as public transportation is well connected between Drøbak and Oslo, both by bus and boat.
In the
marina at the approach to Drøbak is a
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
, made by
Reidar Finsrud
Reidar Finsrud (born 5 March 1946, in Drøbak) is a Norwegian artist. He was educated at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry majoring in graphical arts. His 1970 thesis project "Venezia" received the honor "commended to the K ...
, cast in
bronze of three
mermaid
In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mermaids are sometimes ass ...
s sitting on a rock. The sculpture was unveiled in 1999.
lfish is open to the public and shows live video footage of the sea life in the fjord where fish, lobster and crab are often visible for the aquarium visitors.
Norsk Luftambulanse is headquartered in Drøbak.
Etymology
The
Norse form of the name was ''Drjúgbakki''. The first element is ''drjúgr'' 'hard; long', the last element is ''bakki'' m '(up)hill'.
This is related to the very steep roads winding down into the city centre of Drøbak.
Drøbak Church
Drøbak Church (''Drøbak Kirke'') is located in Drøbak parish in the Søndre Follo deanery within the
Diocese of Borg. The church was opened on 29 October 1776. The church was a gift from timber merchant, landowner and shipowner
Niels Carlsen (1734-1809) and his wife Martha Zachariassen (1743–1821). Significant repairs were made to the church in the 1820s.
Domenico Erdmann
Domenico Juul Erdmann (March 23, 1879 – October 5, 1940) was a Norwegian painter, designer, decorator, and conservation adviser. He was a technical consultant and executive conservator in a number of Norwegian churches.Tore Kirkholt''Store nor ...
(1879–1940) led the restoration in conjunction with the 150th anniversary in 1926.
Places
Drøbak is divided into eight notable areas. These places include:
*Gyltåsen, which mainly consists of cabins and "season-housing".
*Husvik, where most of the year-round boats are kept. This area was also significant in the
sinking of the German cruiser
''Blücher'' in 1940, as the location of the Husvik Battery of
Oscarsborg Fortress
Oscarsborg Fortress ( no, Oscarsborg festning) is a coastal fortress in the Oslofjord, close to the small town of Drøbak in Viken county, Norway. The best known part is situated on two small islets. The main artillery batteries are on the island ...
. The guns of the battery are still in place in these hills as tourist attractions.
*Sentrum (city centre), here lies "Julehuset" and most of the local stores. Most of the city centre is protected by local laws as "Verneverdig" which in short means that it has a significant cultural value and cannot be changed or rebuilt. Therefore, much of the city centre looks like it did 100 years ago.
*Skiphelle and Elleflaten, an area consisting of suburban housing and a tiny hotel called "Drøbak Fjordhotel".
*Sogsti, consisting of much of Drøbak's suburban housing.
*Odalen and Haveråsen is the "outer banks" of Drøbak, where the housing and population is more agricultural in nature.
*Belsjø and Heer, the suburban housing around the large golf course surrounding most of northern Drøbak.
*Ullerud and Dyrløkke, a large hill of suburban housing. Here are also the local mall and a large school up to high school level.
[Svein Askheim]
Drøbak
at Store norske leksikon
Notable people
See also
*
Drøbak Sound
*
Battle of Drøbak Sound
The Battle of Drøbak Sound took place in Drøbak Sound, the northernmost part of the outer Oslofjord in southern Norway, on 9 April 1940. It marked the end of the " Phoney War" and the beginning of World War II in Western Europe.
A German fle ...
References
External links
Visit Drøbak
Introduction to Drøbak
A taste of DrøbakVIDEO
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drobak
Former municipalities of Norway
Cities and towns in Norway
Populated places in Akershus
Frogn