The gardens at Eidsfos Manor consisted of a symmetrical garden, known as ‘Haven’ (The Garden), and a park area stretching from Lake Bergsvannet to Hovedgården and on to Lake Eikeren. ‘Haven’ has been partially restored, whilst the landscape park has almost entirely disappeared.
‘Haven’ was laid out in the first half of the 18th century. The garden measured 65 by 65 metres and was divided into 16 square plots. It formed part of the main building’s formal architecture. The sections contained both exotic ornamental flowers, intended to highlight the owner’s exalted rank and status, and common useful plants to provide food for the residents. Two avenues have been planted leading out from Eidsfos Manor, which, in the spirit of the Baroque, create lines of sight out into the landscape and down to the area where the ironworks were originally situated.
Peder von Cappelen was a Drammen merchant that took over the ironworks in 1796. He also bought Kongsberg ironworks in 1824. Around 1800, ironworks owner Peder Cappelen transformed the area around ‘Haven’ into a nature park. Paths, small huts, bridges and terraces were carefully positioned in the woodland leading down to the lakes, allowing walkers to enjoy nature in contemplative tranquillity and reflect on humanity’s place in creation. After the Second World War, ‘Haven’ was scaled back, but was partially restored in the 1990s.
Christine Marie von Cappelen, also known as Maja Cappelen. Norway’s first female botanist. She left behind a small, handwritten flora entitled ‘Wild Plants at Eidsfoss and its surroundings’. It has formed the basis for later floras and is held at the Botanical Museum in Oslo.
Buildings in the Proximity to the Garden
The Bath House (approx. 1930)
In the end of the oak allé towards Bergsvannet, is the bath house that the manor residents and their guests used for leisure. Rebuilt in original style in 2012.
The Ice House (approx. 1780)
Built in cinder blocks and gray stone. Used as cooling facilities for the manor household. Ice blocks was collected from the lake Bergsvannet in the winter. If you combined them with sawdust, you had a great way of storing food throughout the summer.
The Office (1910)
The bulding has two entrances, each for the two ironworks owners at the time, Schwartz and Olsen-Thon. It is said that the office is placed so that both of them had to walk the exact amount of steps from their front door.
The Thon Villa (1911)
Built in 1911 by Director Stener Thon. It was later home to several of the ironworks owner-family Olsen-Thon.
In the 1990s, Ragnhild Momrak finished her master thesis in Landscape Architecture at Ås University, The thesis was based on the formal garden at Eidsfos Manor, and formed basis for a partial restoration (4 out of 16 parselles)
The garden is being maintained by the Foundation Eidsfos Manor.
