Jaren is the commercial heart of Hadeland, a traditional district centred on the southern end of Randsfjorden. Viking chieftains frequented these parts for hunting and feasting. According to the sagas, King Halfdan Svarte, father of Harald Hårfagre who first united Norway, attended a banquet here in the winter of 860. On the way home across the frozen Randsfjorden, the ice gave way and the forty-year-old king, his horses and his men drowned.
Hadeland adopted Christianity early. The Dynnastenen, a runestone from around 1040-1050, is one of the first Christian monuments in Norway, carved with scenes from the Nativity. The original stone is now in the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, but a replica stands locally.
In the modern era, Jaren produced a surprising piece of tech history. In 1973, the electronics company Hapro (Hadeland Produkter) was founded here. By 1977, working with Simonsen Elektro, Hapro became Norway's first producer of mobile phones. The company went on to work with Tandberg Television and became one of Norway's leading electronics subcontractors, though it later lost its biggest client, Cisco, when production moved to low-cost countries.
The Hadeland Folkemuseum outside Jaren has over 30 buildings from the 17th to 20th centuries, including a burial mound attributed to King Halfdan Svarte. Nearby, Tingelstad old church dates from the 11th century with original 16th-century interiors still intact.
Hadeland adopted Christianity early. The Dynnastenen, a runestone from around 1040-1050, is one of the first Christian monuments in Norway, carved with scenes from the Nativity. The original stone is now in the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, but a replica stands locally.
In the modern era, Jaren produced a surprising piece of tech history. In 1973, the electronics company Hapro (Hadeland Produkter) was founded here. By 1977, working with Simonsen Elektro, Hapro became Norway's first producer of mobile phones. The company went on to work with Tandberg Television and became one of Norway's leading electronics subcontractors, though it later lost its biggest client, Cisco, when production moved to low-cost countries.
The Hadeland Folkemuseum outside Jaren has over 30 buildings from the 17th to 20th centuries, including a burial mound attributed to King Halfdan Svarte. Nearby, Tingelstad old church dates from the 11th century with original 16th-century interiors still intact.