Old Skudeneshavn

The name Skudenes is believed to derive from the Old Norse word “skuta,” meaning a protruding rock. This “skuta” is likely the rock face below Skude Lighthouse at the entrance to Karmsundet, on the southern tip of Karmøy.

Old inns with unique roofs, situated along a harbor with boats in the water.

Three women in old-fashioned clothes and aprons at an outdoor worksite, surrounded by logs and other timber, probably from the early 1900s.

A group of women and men in front of a cabin; a blurry black-and-white photo.

A group of people outside a wooden building, some of them in work clothes, in an old city street. Black-and-white photograph, likely from the early 1900s.

Those arriving by sea could also find a sheltered harbor among the islets here. The Viking boathouse at Lahammar and isolated archaeological finds attest to permanent settlement in this area as early as the Iron Age. Skudenes is mentioned early on as a key location for herring fishing. Herring come and go in cycles, and in the 1700s they returned to Skudeneshavn. At that time, there were very few permanent residents here, but written sources indicate that 5,000–6,000 men and women came here each year during the herring season. Fish houses were built, and herring was increasingly salted on site. For a period in the late 1700s, the herring disappeared again, leading to several difficult decades for the roughly 100 permanent residents.

In 1808, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, with trade blockades and famine, herring returned in enormous quantities and prevented starvation in large parts of the country. The majority of the herring had spawning grounds just off Skudeneshavn. It was now that the town, as we know it today, began to take shape. During the winter of 1853–54, approximately 22,000 people were involved in the fishing industry, and at its peak, the town had 77 ships engaged in international trade. In 1857, Skudeneshavn was granted port rights, and by 1867, there were 1,357 registered permanent residents, approximately 125 residential buildings, and 100 boathouses. The large spring herring fishery came to an end around 1870, and Skudeneshavn developed into a maritime town, with more than 70 sailing vessels based there.

Today, Skudeneshavn is a small but vibrant town that offers culture, history, and exciting experiences. To see everything Skudeneshavn has to offer today, visit the town’s official website.

Visit Skudeneshavn

A historical black-and-white photograph of a small coastal village with three boats in the harbor and small houses along the shore, with mountains in the background.

A photo of a harbor with boats and people; several sailboats are moored at the dock, and people are standing and sitting around the boats.

A black-and-white photo of a simple wooden house with three windows and a door, with three people standing in front of the entrance, and a garden with a fence.

Silver-gray buildings with people—some on the steps and some on the street—a dog, and a tree.

An old black-and-white photograph of a street with houses and children standing in a row, surrounded by fences and trees.

A sepia-toned group photo of nine adult men, some wearing hats, on a wooden pier or deck, possibly on an old boat or ship’s deck.

Close-up photos of boats in a harbor with houses in the background, taken in black and white.

Contact us for a private tour of the museum or a walking tour of Skudeneshavn.

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