Bjerkebæk was the home of Sigrid Undset, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1928 for her medieval trilogy Kristin Lavransdatter. She lived here from 1919 until she fled Norway during the German invasion in 1940, and returned after the war until her death in 1949.
Undset was born in Denmark in 1882 to a Norwegian father and Danish mother, and moved to Norway as a child. Before her literary breakthrough, she worked as a secretary for ten years. Kristin Lavransdatter, set in 14th-century Norway, became one of the most widely read Norwegian novels ever written. Her portrayal of medieval life was so detailed and accurate that historians have used it as a reference.
The house itself tells a story of careful choices. Undset designed the interiors to reflect the medieval period she wrote about, furnishing rooms with antiques and old Norwegian textiles. The garden, which she tended herself, was an important part of her daily life. She converted to Catholicism in 1924, and a small private chapel was part of the household.
During World War II, Undset escaped via Sweden to the United States, where she spent five years writing and speaking against the Nazi occupation. Her eldest son, Anders, was killed in action defending Norway in April 1940, just days before she fled. She returned to Bjerkebæk after the war, but her health was failing, and she died here in 1949.
Today Bjerkebæk is part of the Lillehammer museum network. Guided tours take visitors through the preserved rooms where Undset wrote, entertained guests, and raised her children. The experience gives a rare glimpse into the private world of one of Scandinavia's most important authors.
Undset was born in Denmark in 1882 to a Norwegian father and Danish mother, and moved to Norway as a child. Before her literary breakthrough, she worked as a secretary for ten years. Kristin Lavransdatter, set in 14th-century Norway, became one of the most widely read Norwegian novels ever written. Her portrayal of medieval life was so detailed and accurate that historians have used it as a reference.
The house itself tells a story of careful choices. Undset designed the interiors to reflect the medieval period she wrote about, furnishing rooms with antiques and old Norwegian textiles. The garden, which she tended herself, was an important part of her daily life. She converted to Catholicism in 1924, and a small private chapel was part of the household.
During World War II, Undset escaped via Sweden to the United States, where she spent five years writing and speaking against the Nazi occupation. Her eldest son, Anders, was killed in action defending Norway in April 1940, just days before she fled. She returned to Bjerkebæk after the war, but her health was failing, and she died here in 1949.
Today Bjerkebæk is part of the Lillehammer museum network. Guided tours take visitors through the preserved rooms where Undset wrote, entertained guests, and raised her children. The experience gives a rare glimpse into the private world of one of Scandinavia's most important authors.
