national park
Kosterhavet National Park
Sweden's first marine national park, a cluster of car-free islands and turquoise waters off the rugged Bohuslän coast.
38 km · about 45 min drive
EuropeNorwayØstfold
Fredrikstad
Østfold, Norway · Europe
About Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad sits on the route: 20 minutes from Lervik, 38km from Kosterhavet National Park.
Fredrikstad is in Østfold, Norway, with about 84,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Lervik, about 12 km away.
Fredrikstad (Norwegian: [ˈfrɛ̀drɪkstɑ] ; previously Frederiksstad; literally "Fredrik's Town") is a port city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad.
The city of Fredrikstad was founded in 1567 by King Frederick II, and established as aRead more
municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Glemmen was merged with Fredrikstad on 1 January 1964. The rural municipalities of Borge, Onsøy, Kråkerøy, and Rolvsøy were merged with Fredrikstad on 1 January 1994.
The city straddles the river Glomma where it meets the Skagerrak, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Swedish border. Along with neighboring Sarpsborg, Fredrikstad forms the fifth largest city in Norway: Fredrikstad/Sarpsborg. As of 31 December 2024, according to Statistics Norway, these two municipalities have a total population of 146,001 with 85,862 in Fredrikstad and 60,139 in Sarpsborg.
Fredrikstad was built at the mouth of Glomma as a replacement after Sarpsborg (15 kilometres (9 miles) upstream) was burnt down by the Swedish Army in the 1500s. Some of the citizens stayed behind and rebuilt their old town at its original site and got their city status back in 1839.
The city centre is on the west bank of the Glomma, while the old town on the east bank is Northern Europe's best preserved fortified town.
Fredrikstad used to have a large sawmill industry and was an important harbour for timber export, then later on shipbuilding, until the main yard was closed in 1988. The main industries are currently various chemical plants and other light industry.
In 2005, Fredrikstad was the final host port for the Tall Ships' Race, attracting thousands to the city. In 2019, it was the first host port.
In 2017, Fredrikstad won the national award for most attractive city. The award is given yearly by the Norwegian government on the basis of social, economic and environmental factors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Fredrikstad?
Within an hour or so of Fredrikstad: Kosterhavet National Park (38 km), TusenFryd (60 km).
Are there any good drives near Fredrikstad?
The nearest famous roads are Smögen.
Where is Fredrikstad?
Fredrikstad is in Østfold, Norway, about 12 km from Lervik.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 83,761
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Norway
- Region
- Østfold
- Timezone
- Europe/Oslo
- Coordinates
- 59.2181, 10.9298
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Norway
Many toll roads use automatic plate recognition (AutoPASS). Headlights required at all times.
Full driving guide for NorwayTags
Worth the detour from Fredrikstad
2 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
TusenFryd
Norway's largest amusement park south of Oslo offering thrill rides, family attractions, and a waterpark.
60 km · about 70 min drive
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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