Skansen
Tromsø’s oldest architectural remains, where a 1789 customs wooden house survives on a 13th-century defensive earthwork; the birthplace of the city.
Skansen is the birthplace of Tromsø as a city. In the 13th century there was an earthwork fortress here to defend against enemies. The surviving grass-covered earth walls enclose a customs official’s residence from 1789, one of the oldest timber buildings in the city. The site is modest in size, and the exterior can be viewed for free; it is next to the Polar Museum, so you can stop by on the way. In summer, from the grassy lawn you can look out over the Tromsø Sound toward the Arctic Cathedral.
Opening hours
Exterior visible all day
Nearby sights
- Polar Museum
- Perspektivet Museum
- Northern Norway Art Museum
- Tromsø Cathedral
- Northern Lights Chase, Tromsø
- Storgata & Old Town
- Winter Whale Watching
- Tromsø Bridge