We couldn’t have picked a better day to arrive in our first Norwegian port! It is a beautiful, bright, sunny morning in Kristiansand and we are up early for our first look! The colors are are just so clear and perfect! We can’t wait to explore, so let’s go!

What a view of the ship from the port with the flowers! Kristiansand is named for King Christian IV, who founded it in 1641.  The Sand part refers to, you guessed it, Sand! The village was built on the sandy headlands. The name was written Christianssand until 1877. In that year they decided to make their city names “more Norwegian,” and changed the name to Kristianssand or Kristiansund. The town was laid out in a Renaissance style grid plan, with four different quarters.

Today, Kristiansand, is the fifth largest city in Norway, with a population of 112,000, as of January, 2020. That includes the incorporation of surrounding municipalities. Wow! I’m going to love this spot! It’s small! There are also only four main roads………one to Oslo, one that goes to other coastal towns, one to the city of Telemark, and one to the Kristiansand Airport. What more do you need really?

Kristiansand started out as one of the many isolated fishing villages. In 1996, the well-preserved body of a woman dating from 6500 BC was found here. There are also indications that some kind of ceremonial spot was here, as grave mounds and cooking pits were discovered on the grounds, where the current church is located. They believed there was a large population here before the Black Death.

In 1666, Christianssand became a garrison town and was heavily fortified. In 1682, King Christian V decided to move his bishopric here.

This gut is here to welcome us!

Modern art is always, to each his own, don’t you think?

Can’t get away from the moose here!

This is the Kilden Performing Arts Centre……. It looks to me, like a piece of dark chocolate is just oozing over the top of the building! I love dark chocolate! Work began on the centre in 2007 and it was completed in 2012. There are four halls, each for a different venue. The Concert Hall seats 1,185, the Theatre & Opera Hall has 708 seats and an orchestra pit for 70 musicians.  The Multi-Purpose Room can seat 234 and allow for another 400  to stand, and there is an Intimate Hall with 150 seats. I take this to be the place to gather or have meetings or wedding receptions…………Very nice.

Let’s walk up to the Fish Quay…….the colors are just so beautiful, I can’t get over it! It is also so quiet and peaceful………..

A few folks are waiting around for the shops to open. There are restaurants, boutique shops and a large fresh fish market!

This gent has decided to take the boat out…………..all is still quiet……….

Well, we’ve had our brief stroll to stretch our legs a bit……..let’s go in the Fish Market! See you there!