Uranienborg exterior

Uranienborg exterior by Roald Amundsen's House on Sketchfab

Roald Amundsen bought Uranienborg in 1908, but the house and property have a long history.

The house itself was built around 1865 in Swiss style. The property originally belonged to the Bålerud farm, and went under the name Rødsten.

After acquiring the property in May 1908, Amundsen immediately began an extensive modernization in collaboration with local architect Fridtjov Grann-Meyer and the carpenter brothers Jørgen, Hans, and Harald Stubberud. All floors and ceilings were replaced, new windows and doors were fitted, and the bathroom upgraded, with a pump installed to supply salt water from Bunnefjorden for Amundsen’s morning bath. Outside, the area around the house was levelled and roses were planted in the garden.

When Amundsen bought the properties at Svartskog in 1908, he let his former nanny, Betty, move into what had originally been the brewhouse next to the main house. They called it “Betty’s House”.

After returning from the Fram expedition in 1912, Jørgen Stubberud was engaged to further modernize Uranienborg. He extended the blue room to enclose what had been an open porch on the south-east corner of the house and changed the entrance area. He also installed a wall between the bedroom and the dressing room.

Uranienborg from the sea, March 1909. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse, National Library of Norway.

Uranienborg photographed from above in March 1909. The open part of the extension at the back was later enclosed to become part of the blue room. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse, National Library of Norway.

Uranienborg from the sea, March 1909. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse, National Library of Norway.

Anders Beer Wilse took many photographs in March 1909. This one shows the original curtains and the wooden front steps. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse, National Library of Norway.

Amundsen in front of Uranienborg. Year unknown, but probably taken between 1912-1915. The picture shows the exterior awnings, the wooden front steps and the flowers Amundsen had in the garden. Photo: Private collection / Follo Museum, MiA.

Uranienborg photographed around 1910. Two of the Stubberud brothers are standing on the steps. Photo: Follo Museum, MiA.

Photograph taken in 1935, and one of the few to show “Betty’s House” (left) before it burned down in 1938. Photo: Neupert, Hermann-Christian, Norske Folkemuseum.