Sætre: Coast and Cultural History

Sætre is located by the sea on the western side of the Inner Oslofjord, about 45 kilometres south of Oslo. This places it geographically as a fjord-coast destination south of the capital. Sætre Gård and Kongsdelene Church are especially important to the area’s cultural history; nearby, Sandstien has its own historical significance.

Sætre Gård and the History of the Town

Sætre Gård is the last surviving part of Sætre’s old town centre; its history dates back to 1330. Its long history and connection to the former town centre give Sætre Gård a specific historical significance. The site also has a cultural use: concerts, author gatherings and art exhibitions are held there. These events bring music, literature and visual art together in one place. A café and restaurant also operate at Sætre Gård. If you would like to include events or dining in your plans, check the relevant dates and current information about opening hours and operations.

The Church and the Historic Trail

Kongsdelene Church is also located in Sætre. It is a long church dating from 1905. In comparison, the history of Sætre Gård reaches back to 1330: Sætre is therefore home both to a church with a clearly dated construction and to a local history that goes further back.

Sandstien runs near Sætre. It was originally an old riding trail across Hurumlandet, from the Oslofjord to the Drammensfjord. Parts of the trail are still marked and easy to find. A further point of reference is that near Sætre, Sandstien crosses a road just under 800 metres before the destination. The trail’s historical use and the present-day markings on some sections provide different clues for understanding Sandstien.

Cultural History in the Wider Destination of Asker

The wider destination of Asker has other distinct points of cultural and historical interest. Sem Sagbruk in the wider destination of Asker began operating in 1612 and is a living example of industrial heritage owned by the Asker Museum. On Konglungen in Asker stands Strandsitterhuset, the island’s oldest building; it was built around 1820. A brief comparison of dates in the wider Asker area places Sem Sagbruk’s start of operations in 1612 alongside the construction of Strandsitterhuset on Konglungen around 1820.

In Vollen in the wider destination of Asker, the Oslofjord Museum displays historic recreational boats and covers marine pollution and the construction of the polar ship Maud. In Asker, the Asker Museum includes the artists’ homes of Tilla and Otto Valstad, as well as the authors’ homes of Hulda and Arne Garborg. The cultural and historical themes of the wider Asker area thus include maritime topics as well as artists’ and authors’ homes.

The wider Asker area also offers trails and recreational opportunities. The coastal path in the wider Asker area passes directly by the Oslofjord Museum; there are sandy beaches in Vollen and near Sjøstrand. Cycling tours are possible around the lake in the Semsvannet recreation area in the wider Asker area.

Discover more destinations: Kana, Hurum, Filtvet, Tofte, Holmsbu, Klokkarstua.

Go to the main travel overview: Hurum.