Vestfold Facts for Kids

The coat of arms of Vestfold

Svenner lighthouse on an island near Larvik

Vestfold was a county in Norway. It was located west of the Oslo Fjord. Vestfold shared borders with the counties of Buskerud and Telemark. The main city for the county's government was Tønsberg.

A large river called Numedalslågen flows through Vestfold. The coast of Vestfold has many islands. Most of Vestfold is made up of flat, low areas. This makes it one of the best places for farming in Norway.

On January 1, 2020, Vestfold joined with Telemark county. They formed a new, larger county called Vestfold of Telemark.

In the past, Vestfold was a major center for whaling ships. Today, the towns along the coast focus on fishing and building ships. Away from the coast, people also work in lumbering. Vestfold is still known for having some of the best farmland in Norway.

Towns and Villages

Map showing the towns and villages in Vestfold

Before the merger, Vestfold County had 14 different towns and villages, which are called municipalities in Norway:

Andebu
Hof
Holmestrand
Horten
Lardal
Larvik
Nøtterøy
Re
Sande
Sandefjord
Stokke
Svelvik
Tjøme
Tønsberg

Images for kids

Norway's largest preserved Viking ship, the Gokstad ship, was found at Gokstad Mound in Sandefjord.
Halfdan the Black was a king of Vestfold in the 800s.
The Southern Actor is a whale-catcher ship that is now a museum ship.
Mølen is a special place in Scandinavia. It is the first UNESCO Global Geopark.
Nøtterøy is the biggest island in Vestfold.
Jotun is a very big company. They make paints and coatings for buildings and ships.
Lilleskagen Beach is located at Hvasser in Færder.
This is the pier in Nevlunghavn. It is the southernmost point in mainland Vestfold.
Høyjord Stave Church is the only stave church in Vestfold. Its oldest parts are from the year 1100.
Ferries from Color Line and Fjord Line travel daily. They connect Sandefjord to Sweden.
The Hall of Remembrance is located outside Stavern.
Tønsberg Fortress has old ruins from a large castle. This castle was built in the 1200s.
The Viking chieftain Olaf Geirstad-Alf was buried at the Gokstad Mound.
The stone settings at Istrehågan look like a ship.
Archaeologists found these tools at Kaupang.
The 22-meter (72 ft.) Oseberg Ship was dug up in Tønsberg.
Signs at Gokstad Mound help visitors understand the history.
Bøkeskogen has one of Norway's biggest burial grounds from the Iron Age.
A hiking trail at Mølen GeoPark in Larvik.
The European Lynx can be found in Vestfold. This includes areas near Tønsberg and Sandefjord.
Færder National Park
Borre National Park is in Horten.
The Oseberg Ship was found during an excavation in Tønsberg.
The town center in Stavern.
Citadellet is a fortress from the 1800s in Stavern.
Høyjord Stave Church is the only stave church left in Vestfold.
Trollfoss in Larvik is the tallest waterfall in Vestfold.

Vestfold facts for kids

Towns and Villages

Images for kids

See also