Discover Eydehavn

Eydehavn offers various ways to explore local history and landscapes: the history of Flosta Church goes back to the Middle Ages, the museum is devoted to the town’s industrial enterprises, and the stone-lined canals tell the story of how water was channelled at the time. There is also a street exhibition, as well as a boat route and a cycling route. If you are considering Eydehavn as a destination, you can plan your visit around your interest in these different subjects.

Industrial history and canals

The Eydehavn Museum is in Nesbyen, Eydehavn. The exhibition on the first floor covers Arendal Smelteverk and Nitriden, as well as the community that developed around these industrial enterprises. It focuses not only on the history of the companies, but also on the life of the community connected with them.

The stone-lined canals between Ulvsrygtjern and Stemtjern are another testament to industrial history. Together, they are about 250 metres long. They were built to channel water to a pumping station and reservoirs for Arendal Smelteverk and Nitriden. The canals make it possible to understand a technical function of the enterprises in a specific place. They are also a cultural heritage site in the forest of Eydehavn. Some sections are now overgrown, and in places the canals are at risk of disappearing into the terrain; their preservation requires maintenance.

Church and history in the streets

The history of Flosta Church in Eydehavn goes back to the Middle Ages. This means the town’s history encompasses more than its industrial development, which is visible in the museum and at the canals. The church, museum and canals offer different perspectives on Eydehavn, with none of their histories reducible to a single subject.

An outdoor exhibition follows a route of about three kilometres through the streets of Eydehavn. Using 13 information boards and the people behind the street names, it presents the history of the town. The route can be visited on foot, independently of the museum’s opening hours. This offers a different way to explore Eydehavn than a visit to the museum: the street names and the people behind them provide the exhibition’s connecting thread.

Boat and cycling routes

You can travel by boat from Lyngør to Eydehavn along Sørlandsleia. The route to Eydehavn is marked with red and green Kystverket sea marks. These are placed at critical points for recreational boats. This describes the route’s markings, not a timetable.

The cycling route follows a different scale: it runs from Arendal via Eydehavn to Buøya, is about 13 kilometres each way and crosses easy terrain. The two routes therefore provide different information for planning a trip: Sørlandsleia describes a boat connection to Eydehavn, while the cycling route specifies the distance in each direction and the terrain. Consider which mode of transport is relevant to your travel plans, and check the latest information needed for your specific journey.

More to explore in the wider destination of Arendal

In the wider destination of Arendal, other cultural sites expand the choice of subjects to explore. Exhibitions at KUBEN cover the history of Aust-Agder and Arendal. There is also a dedicated children’s exhibition called “Barndom”. These attractions are in Arendal and should be distinguished from the places and subjects described in Eydehavn.

Bratteklev Skipsverft in Arendal also offers a historical focus: the almost completely preserved shipyard dates from the age of sailing ships. Between 1868 and 1924, 14 vessels were built there: eight sailing ships, five steamships, including two made of steel, and one schooner with a diesel engine. Visitors can see the sawmill, blacksmith’s shop, workshops and boathouses. The shipyard’s history thus complements Eydehavn’s industrial history with a different aspect of the maritime past.

Discover more destinations: Bjorbekk, Staubø, Kolbjørnsvik, Saltrød, Rykene, Arendal, Kongshavn, Kilsund.

Go to the wider travel overview: Arendal.