Eidsfoss is a village in
Hof municipality,
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered t ...
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 t ...
. It is located near Lake
Eikeren
Eikeren or Eikern is a long and deep lake in the municipalities of Hof in the county of Vestfold og Telemark and Øvre Eiker in the county of Viken, Norway. It is the largest lake in Vestfold.
At the eastern end of Vestfold is the village of Ei ...
.

The village was the site of the
Eidsfos Iron Works Eidsfoss is a village in Hof municipality, Vestfold county, Norway. It is located near Lake Eikeren.
The village was the site of the Eidsfos Iron Works (''Eidsfos Jernverk'') which dated to 1697. The iron works was closed in 1873. The village is ...
(''Eidsfos Jernverk'') which dated to 1697. The iron works was closed in 1873. The village is also the location of the historic Eidsfos Manor (''Eidsfos Hovedgård'') where the owners and manager of the iron works maintained residence for over 250 years. The manor house, which reflects both
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...
and
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the early 17th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church, particularly by the Jesuits, as a means t ...
, dates from approximately 1750.
Historical overview
*1697
Caspar Herman Hausmann
Caspar Herman Hausmann was a Danish-Norwegian General, lumber merchant and squire. He was born 10 January 1653 at Segeberg in the Danish duchy of Holsten (now Holstein), which was then in union with Denmark-Norway. He died 9 September 1718 in Chr ...
enters into an agreement with Baron Gustav Wilhelm von Wedel (1641-1717), owner of Jarlsberg County, and oversees the founding of Eidsfos Jernverk.
*1698 First furnace plate is cast, depicting the nine buildings of the ironworks and
King Christian V
Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699.
Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the decree ...
riding a horse.
*1795
Peder von Cappelen
Peder von Cappelen (24 January 1763 – 11 March 1837) was a Norwegian merchant and politician. He was involved in timber trade and owner of ironworks, and a member of the Parliament of Norway.
Personal life
Peder von Cappelen was born and ...
takes over Eidsfos Jernverk.
*1901
Tønsberg–Eidsfoss Line
The Tønsberg–Eidsfoss Line ( no, Tønsberg–Eidsfossbanen) or TEB is an abandoned railway between Eidsfoss and Tønsberg in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. In use from 21 October 1901 to 31 May 1938, the private railway connected the ar ...
(''Tønsberg–Eidsfossbanen'') between Eidsfos and
Tønsberg
Tønsberg , historically Tunsberg, is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, eastern Norway, located around south-southwest of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near its mouth onto the Skagerrak. The administrative c ...
is opened. This was shut down in 1938.
*1903 Steamer S/S Stadshauptmand Schwartz begins to operate on regular routes on Lake Eikeren.
*1904 Eidsfos Church is inaugurated by Bishop A. Chr. Bang (1840-1913).
*1915 First power station is commissioned.
*1977 Authorities grant permission for the demolition of the workers’ houses on Bråtagata.
*1979 Old Eidsfos Foundation (''Stiftelsen Gamle Eidsfos'') is established, aiming to preserve and restore the old ironworks community. The houses are saved.
References
External links
Gamle EidsfosEidsfos HovedgårdEidsfoss on Facebook
Villages in Vestfold og Telemark
Holmestrand
{{VestfoldTelemark-geo-stub