Key Events at Hafslund Manor
Hafslund Manor is more than just a beautiful mansion – it is a living chapter of Norwegian history. With roots stretching back to the Middle Ages, the manor has been a site for dramatic national events, the rise of industry along the Sarpsfossen waterfall, Enlightenment ideals, and social reforms. Here, prominent owners, strong personalities, and royal guests have left their mark on both the buildings and the surroundings.
Today, Hafslund Manor stands as a unique combination of a cultural heritage site and a modern meeting place – a location where history and the present meet in stately surroundings. This timeline provides an insight into the most important milestones in the manor’s rich and diverse past.
Noble Estate – Starting with Timber
The nobleman Otte Bildt consolidated ownership of the already established sawmills along the Hafslund side of the Sarpsfossen waterfall, forming a noble estate with income based on timber. He constructed stone buildings where the main building stands today and applied for and received manorial rights. His son, Daniel Bildt, completed the collection of all 17 sawmills, which were later called "the Bildt sawmills." At this time, there were also a few smaller sawmills on the Borregård side, but on the Hafslund side, it was easier to harness the power of the waterfall. Image: The Bildt family coat of arms.
Meeting of the Nobility at Hafslund
The reason for the meeting of the nobility was that King Frederick III wanted money to pay off the Crown's debt. In July 1653, the nobility of Southern Norway met at Hafslund to give their consent. This meeting marked Hafslund's emergence as an estate of significance. Owner Daniel Bildt's position was considerable; as an officer, he had military ambitions and owned several estates in Denmark and Norway. Eventually, he faced difficulties running the timber industry profitably, mainly due to a lack of timber for the sawmills. He died without heirs.
Royal Visit – The Country's Largest Timber Industry
During Christian V's royal journey, the absolute monarch visited Hafslund. The owner of Hafslund was now the merchant official Werner Nielsen, a judge and assessor in the High Court. He had managed to establish regular timber floating from Odalen and made the timber industry flourish. By then, the Hafslund estate was a major industrial enterprise employing several thousand people. The King saw both a profitable large-scale business and the "terrible waterfall." The first pillar at the Kongehøien viewpoint was erected to commemorate the visit. Image: Sarpsfossen with Hafslund in the background, painted in 1699 by court painter Jacob Coning. It was commissioned by Christian V after his visit to Hafslund in 1685.
Royal Visit – The Landslide
Werner Nielsen's eldest son took over Hafslund after his father. He was ennobled, became a county governor, and notably married the noblewoman Elisabeth de Tonsberg. He consolidated the business and expanded the manor house according to French ideals. In 1704, he was visited by Frederick IV and was able to showcase a new magnificent building featuring French and Italian art. In addition to conversing with His Majesty about their respective travels on the Continent, the account of the landslide was likely the most important topic. The great landslide two years earlier had washed Borregården and large parts of Old Sarpsborg into the Glomma river. This gave the waterfall a fearsome reputation. Image: 18th-century painting of Frederick IV, unknown artist.
School and Almshouse
The establishment of a regular school and an orphanage (almshouse) for Hafslund's workers was based on the ideals of the Enlightenment. As early as 1725, the late Hafslund owner Hartvig Huitfeldt had donated a large sum of money for this purpose. Everyone working at Hafslund formed a small community of several hundred people, and conditions here were considered good. Image: Hafslund School, dated 1925. Source: Sarpsborg Municipality photo collection.
The Manor House Burns Down
In a fatal fire, the old Baroque complex burned to the ground. The Collett–Elieson family had just moved in. The couple built a new, grand, and magnificent building in the Rococo style. By 1761, the building was erected, and the following year the interior was finished and the Elieson family moved in. Norway's best-preserved and largest Rococo palace stands just as grand today! Image: According to tradition, Anna Elieson is said to have toasted "to the new Hafslund" after it had burned down, likely with a goblet like this one.
Norway's Liberation
During the liberation year of 1814, Hafslund held a central position. During the preceding Napoleonic Wars, Hafslund served as a headquarters for the King's deputy, Governor Augustenborg. In the year of liberation itself, Hafslund was often a meeting place for the regent Christian Frederik and a headquarters for the military forces. The owner, Marcus Rosenkrantz, was central to all negotiations, present at the Meeting of Notables, signed the Constitution of November 11, 1814, and became President of the Storting. However, Rosenkrantz faced major problems during the recession following the Napoleonic Wars and went bankrupt in 1835. Image: A graphic print of the Constitution of November 4, 1814, with the signatures of those who signed. Hafslund owner Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz was one of them.
Hafslund Becomes a Power Producer
Following the damming of Sarpsfossen and the establishment of Aktieselskabet Hafslund (1898), the first six units at Hafslund power station were put into operation in 1899. The estate once again gained an industrial enterprise that employed many and formed the basis for further industrialization of the region. The main building was converted into offices, and all remaining furniture and interiors disappeared. Image: The oldest units in the Hafslund power station.
The Main House is Protected
With a greater focus on cultural heritage preservation and improved finances, Hafslund Manor's Rococo palace from 1762 was granted protected status. A series of surveys and works were carried out. The restoration itself was led by architect Arnstein Arneberg and was completed in 1937. At the same time, the power company moved into a new administration building designed by Arneberg, and the main building regained its original splendor and function for the power company's corporate representation. Image: The manor house photographed before architect Arnstein Arneberg's restoration. Note the main door, which had been moved down to ground level at the time.
Conversion of Farm Building into Modern Conference Center
In the 2000s, the Hafslund Group consisted of several different business areas and employed over 2,000 people at its peak. There was a desire to use the manor to a greater extent and in more contexts – to build identity and culture within the group. In 2006, the group therefore began converting one of the farm buildings into a modern conference center. Hafslund Conference Center, with its associated newly built guest rooms, was completed in 2007 and was primarily intended for the Hafslund Group's own employees. Today, Hafslund Manor & Conference Center is used for corporate representation and as a venue for courses and conferences, both for the Hafslund Group and external companies.
Hafslund Buys the Power Rights to the Entire Sarpsfossen Waterfall
In 2025, Hafslund AS purchased the rights to the entire Sarpsfossen waterfall. Plans are now underway for further utilization of the waterfall's clean power for electricity production. The company employs many people, just as it did in the 1600s. Image: Sarpsfossen.
