Brønnøya
Encyclopedia
Brønnøya is an island
in the western section of Oslofjord
(Vestfjorden), within the borders of the municipality of Asker
.
, reachable across the Vendelsund sound by cable ferry during the summer and a pontoon bridge in winter. It is among the largest islands in the Vestfjorden archipelago and is surrounded by islands: To the east is Ostøya
in Bærum
, to the south is Langåra (Asker) and to the west the small islands with descriptive names such as Katterompa (Cat's Rear End), Torbjørnsøy, Furuholmen (Pine Island), and Spannslokket (Pail Lid). The island's geology was formed in the Cambrian
era and is rich with limestone.
s (Norwegian: brønn) on the island, the source of water with an unusual ability to stay fresh in storage. This was a coveted commodity for expeditions during the sailboat era. In the late 16th century, bishop Jens Nilssøn recorded that a well (now empty) on the eastern side of the island is said to have been identified by the presence of the Virgin Mary and still has the name Mariakilden. The name of the well may stem from the 14th century. Several other wells are extant on the island, and some served as freshwater sources for the inhabitants well into the 1960s.
Remains of two Nordic Stone Age
settlements have been found on the island that may stem from 4000 BCE (when the tide was 40–50 meters higher than today), and there are traces of agricultural activity going back at least 1500 years. The island became part of the considerable estate known as Nesøygodset that was formed in the late 14th century following the Black Death
Recorded owners of the island include, in chronological order:
In 1826 the farm (also known as Brønnøya) had 216 dunams (53.4 acre) under cultivation.
The island was also the site of lime pits and kilns. There is evidence of limestone quarries going back to the 14th century. The industrialist Donato Brambani established a large scale lime kiln that was in full operation from 1892 to 1899. It was shut down in 1902, but a large kiln remains intact as one of the attractions of the island.
The island is within the postal code for Nesøya
has evolved. In 1928, the island was regulated primarily for purposes of "villa residences with servant quarters in separate structures." A number of other requirements were also established, including minimum lot size (2 metric dunams), and common areas. This was progressive in its time, but the term "villa residence" left much open to interpretation, leading to controversy over time.
Although there is a general consensus that the island needs to maintain its unique character, there have, broadly speaking been two camps that have opposed each other on the means for preservation. They are represented in the public by two organizations: Brønnøyas Venner, known as Venneforeningen (the Friends of Brønnøya) and Brønnøya Grunneierforening, known as Grunneierforeningen (the property association).
The controversy about the zoning of the island reached its most intense level in the 1970s, but controversy persists to this day. In addition to the 16 lots that are legally approved as permanent dwellings, there are 34 that are de facto permanent homes for their residents. The central issue therefore relates to whether more of the island should be rezoned to permit permanent dwellings. Venneforeningen resists such regulation, insisting that the primary use of the island remain housing for leisure. Grunneierforeningen favors allow for more permanent dwelling, but under certain strict conditions to prevent urbanization and congestion.
There appears to be agreement that the island remain free of motor vehicle traffic. Some favor a permanent bridge to ease access; others feel this is a slippery slope toward allowing automobiles on the island.
A new zoning plan went into effect in 1995 that seemed to favor the conservationist leanings of Venneforeningen. However, issues persist with respect to use of municipal infrastructure, maintenance of the natural landscape, and environmental concerns.
In 1953, the nursing home on the island was acquired by Jens H. Koefoed, who was impressed by the cable ferry between Ormøya and Padda
in Oslo. In 1955 he set up the first cable ferry across the Vendel sound. He also installed a pontoon bridge that floated on railroad tie
s, yet without hand rail
s. This worked well when the sound was frozen, but when the ice thawed and broke, pedestrians usually had to run across the bridge to stay dry. The ties were presently replaced by empty oil barrels.
By the 1960s, several forces converged to improve access. Both the municipality and private owners had taken steps to acquire harbor sites on the island, auto ownership and traffic was increasing, and there was increased interest in commuting between Oslo and Brønnøya. The municipality expropriated the lot needed to build a walkway from the bridge landing to the road on Nesøya, and the harbormaster approved the use of the cable ferry.
It soon became apparent that both the cable ferry and the pontoon bridge needed to be modernized. Replacing the barrels that sprung leak became an urgent but arduous routine, and the ferry was not able to handle pedestrian traffic at peak periods during the summer.
In 1973, Jak Haukvik, one of the island's long-term residents, engineered a new cable ferry based on a raft, rather than, boat design. Although it took more effort to operate, and particularly under windy weather conditions, it could hold far more passengers and was less likely to flip.
On Midsummer's in 1982, however, the cable ferry capsized when a passenger leaped from the pier onto the ferry after it had departed. One person was seriously injured, and the resident association ("vel") was found liable. Since then, the ferry has been replaced with a new version, and the ferry is shut down during Midsummer.
. By 1890, the ferries "Vesta" and "Sartor" made scheduled stops at Brønnøya, on the northern end, with the ferries sailing through the Vendel sound.
In addition to the northern landing, three additional public landings were established on the island: the western landing, and then the eastern and southern landings. At one point, six separate ferries made regular stops at one or several of these landings. Even though sections of the fjord had naval mines, ferry traffic continued through World War II
. In particular, the ferry D/S Sport was considered a faithful servant of the island's community.
But by 1952, ferry service had been reduced to the point that only one ferry provided regular service, and then with mixed reliability. The ferry "Silius" had a capacity of 150 passengers, which was not enough. Another ship, "Trollhaug" was added. It was fast but notoriously unreliable, and several other ferries afterwards continued to disappoint the community. In the spring of 1952 there was for a short time no ferry service between Oslo and the island.
By 1955, however, there were three reasonably reliable ferries in operation. In addition to "Silius," there was "Rigmor" and "Vestfjordbussen" that made regular stops at Brønnøya.
Service between Sandvika and Brønnøya between 1948 and 1968 was provided by Einar Andersen, who shuttled passengers on board a retired lifeboat (from Stavangerfjord) starting at 5:30 am until 10 pm.
In 1952, the ferry Rigmor started providing additional capacity for existing ships, but over the years the ship has become a virtual institution in the Vestfjorden archipelago.
species, of which 8 are critically endangered
and 35 are endangered
. There are several nature reserves on the island, including Viernbukta, where Grey Heron
are sighted
Commonly seen plants on the island include Valeriana
sambucifolia, Geranium sanguineum
, Geranium robertianum, Lotus corniculatus
, Sedum acre
, Hylotelephium maximum, Silene vulgaris
, Silene uniflora, Potentilla erecta, and others. In the spring, the island is overrun with Hepatica nobilis and Anemone nemorosa
.
The island is closed for motorized traffic all year. After an accident during celebrations in 1982, the cable ferry is closed the night of Midsummer
. There are three ferry landings on the island that have seasonal and sporadic service. Beaches are public and maintained by the island communal organization.
The island's future is a matter of some controversy. Some want to make it more accessible for a larger share of permanent residents and more tourist and weekend traffic; others feel that it should remain somewhat remote and protected.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the western section of Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
(Vestfjorden), within the borders of the municipality of Asker
Asker
Asker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
.
Geography
The island is just beyond the upscale suburban construction of NesøyaNesøya
Nesøya is a small island in the municipality Asker, Norway. It is linked to the mainland via a bridge.The island is known for having a number of celebrities and members of the Norwegian financial elite among its residents....
, reachable across the Vendelsund sound by cable ferry during the summer and a pontoon bridge in winter. It is among the largest islands in the Vestfjorden archipelago and is surrounded by islands: To the east is Ostøya
Ostøya
Ostøya is an island in the western section of Oslofjord , within the borders of the municipality of Bærum. It is the second largest island in the Oslo basin, after Nesøya. It is adjacent to the municipal border with Asker, where Nesøya and Brønnøya are to its northwest and southwest, respectively...
in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, to the south is Langåra (Asker) and to the west the small islands with descriptive names such as Katterompa (Cat's Rear End), Torbjørnsøy, Furuholmen (Pine Island), and Spannslokket (Pail Lid). The island's geology was formed in the Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
era and is rich with limestone.
History
The island is recorded by name in sea charts from the early 16th century. The etymology of "Brønnøya" (variously spelled Brøndøen, Brønnøen, Brunneyr, Brunøen, Bryøen, Brundøen, and Bryndøen) stems from the presence of wellWater well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
s (Norwegian: brønn) on the island, the source of water with an unusual ability to stay fresh in storage. This was a coveted commodity for expeditions during the sailboat era. In the late 16th century, bishop Jens Nilssøn recorded that a well (now empty) on the eastern side of the island is said to have been identified by the presence of the Virgin Mary and still has the name Mariakilden. The name of the well may stem from the 14th century. Several other wells are extant on the island, and some served as freshwater sources for the inhabitants well into the 1960s.
Remains of two Nordic Stone Age
Nordic Stone Age
The Nordic Stone Age refers to the Stone Age of Scandinavia.-Late Upper Paleolithic:As the ice receded, reindeer grazed on the plains of Denmark and southernmost Sweden, while along the coast of western Sweden, marine resources were exploited...
settlements have been found on the island that may stem from 4000 BCE (when the tide was 40–50 meters higher than today), and there are traces of agricultural activity going back at least 1500 years. The island became part of the considerable estate known as Nesøygodset that was formed in the late 14th century following the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
Recorded owners of the island include, in chronological order:
- Jon Toraldson (riksråd)
- Olaf Håkonson Stumpe
- Bo Pedersøn Flemming
- Holger Eriksen Rosenkrantz (in the Rosenkrantz family until 1663)
- Knud Frantzen, who sold much of the acreage in Nesøygodset, but seems to have held on to Brønnøya (1663-early 1700s)
- Bartolomeus Adamsen, who had been a tenant farmer and was related by marriage to the first known tenant farmer on the island, Nils Brønøen (early 1700s-1710)
- Adam Bartolomeussen, his son (1710–1724)
- Hans Christensen Aarhus Oust acquired the farm for 2000 riksdaler (1724-1724)
- Christen Hansen Aarhus, his son (1745–1781)
- Christian Christensen Aarhus, who separated the property from the farm on OstøyaOstøyaOstøya is an island in the western section of Oslofjord , within the borders of the municipality of Bærum. It is the second largest island in the Oslo basin, after Nesøya. It is adjacent to the municipal border with Asker, where Nesøya and Brønnøya are to its northwest and southwest, respectively...
(1783–1814) - Marte Andersdatter, Christen's wife and her two children (1814–1822), when the farm and island were sold
- Haagen Andersen, who married Marte and bought the property (1822–1837)
- Christian Haagensen, their son, (1822–1860)
- Ander Haagensen, his younger brother (1860–1888)
- Maren Dorthea, his wife and children (1888–1890)
- Donato Brambani (1890–1907)
- Marie Plahte, at which point it became part of the farm at HøvikHøvikHøvik is a suburban centre in the municipality of Bærum, Akershus, Norway. Mainly a residential area, its population is 4,311.Høvik has a church, a small shopping area and a railway station served by Drammensbanen. Flytoget does not stop at Høvik. Nearby is the Henie-Onstad Art Centre...
(1907–1916) - Viktor Plahte, her son (1916–1928)
- Rudolf Myhre and Alf Monsen took over in 1928, at which point parcels on the island were sold
In 1826 the farm (also known as Brønnøya) had 216 dunams (53.4 acre) under cultivation.
The island was also the site of lime pits and kilns. There is evidence of limestone quarries going back to the 14th century. The industrialist Donato Brambani established a large scale lime kiln that was in full operation from 1892 to 1899. It was shut down in 1902, but a large kiln remains intact as one of the attractions of the island.
The island is within the postal code for Nesøya
Zoning controversy
Since the island was subdivided in the 1920s, its useLand use
Land use is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. It has also been defined as "the arrangements, activities and inputs people undertake in a certain land cover...
has evolved. In 1928, the island was regulated primarily for purposes of "villa residences with servant quarters in separate structures." A number of other requirements were also established, including minimum lot size (2 metric dunams), and common areas. This was progressive in its time, but the term "villa residence" left much open to interpretation, leading to controversy over time.
Although there is a general consensus that the island needs to maintain its unique character, there have, broadly speaking been two camps that have opposed each other on the means for preservation. They are represented in the public by two organizations: Brønnøyas Venner, known as Venneforeningen (the Friends of Brønnøya) and Brønnøya Grunneierforening, known as Grunneierforeningen (the property association).
The controversy about the zoning of the island reached its most intense level in the 1970s, but controversy persists to this day. In addition to the 16 lots that are legally approved as permanent dwellings, there are 34 that are de facto permanent homes for their residents. The central issue therefore relates to whether more of the island should be rezoned to permit permanent dwellings. Venneforeningen resists such regulation, insisting that the primary use of the island remain housing for leisure. Grunneierforeningen favors allow for more permanent dwelling, but under certain strict conditions to prevent urbanization and congestion.
There appears to be agreement that the island remain free of motor vehicle traffic. Some favor a permanent bridge to ease access; others feel this is a slippery slope toward allowing automobiles on the island.
A new zoning plan went into effect in 1995 that seemed to favor the conservationist leanings of Venneforeningen. However, issues persist with respect to use of municipal infrastructure, maintenance of the natural landscape, and environmental concerns.
Access
As long as the entire island was owned by one party, access to the island was via private boat. During the winter, there would typically be roads over the ice, both for pedestrian traffic and carriages. There were accidents, and there are several recorded instances of drownings off the island. When Myhre and Monsen started selling lots on the island, public access was required. This took two forms: across the Vendel sound, and via scheduled ferry landings.Vendel sound access
By 1928, when Myhre and Monsen started selling lots, the public road to the southern end of Nesøya was also complete. In return for room and board and a fee for passage, a ferryman would bring passengers across the sound as needed. It turned out to be difficult both to staff this position and to decide who the employer would be.In 1953, the nursing home on the island was acquired by Jens H. Koefoed, who was impressed by the cable ferry between Ormøya and Padda
Padda
Padda is a genus of estrildid finches restricted to islands in southern Indonesia.These are small, plump, gregarious passerine birds. They frequent open grassland and cultivation and feed mainly on grain and other seeds, including rice....
in Oslo. In 1955 he set up the first cable ferry across the Vendel sound. He also installed a pontoon bridge that floated on railroad tie
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
s, yet without hand rail
Hand rail
A hand rail may refer to:* A banister on a stairway* A handrail on a stairway* A guard rail for safety or security...
s. This worked well when the sound was frozen, but when the ice thawed and broke, pedestrians usually had to run across the bridge to stay dry. The ties were presently replaced by empty oil barrels.
By the 1960s, several forces converged to improve access. Both the municipality and private owners had taken steps to acquire harbor sites on the island, auto ownership and traffic was increasing, and there was increased interest in commuting between Oslo and Brønnøya. The municipality expropriated the lot needed to build a walkway from the bridge landing to the road on Nesøya, and the harbormaster approved the use of the cable ferry.
It soon became apparent that both the cable ferry and the pontoon bridge needed to be modernized. Replacing the barrels that sprung leak became an urgent but arduous routine, and the ferry was not able to handle pedestrian traffic at peak periods during the summer.
In 1973, Jak Haukvik, one of the island's long-term residents, engineered a new cable ferry based on a raft, rather than, boat design. Although it took more effort to operate, and particularly under windy weather conditions, it could hold far more passengers and was less likely to flip.
On Midsummer's in 1982, however, the cable ferry capsized when a passenger leaped from the pier onto the ferry after it had departed. One person was seriously injured, and the resident association ("vel") was found liable. Since then, the ferry has been replaced with a new version, and the ferry is shut down during Midsummer.
Public ferry
For centuries, it was easier to travel the Oslofjord by sea than by land. By 1835 there was regularly scheduled ferry routes from Oslo (then Kristiania) to SandvikaSandvika
is the administrative centre of the municipality of Bærum in Norway. It was declared a city by the municipal council in Bærum on 4 June 2003.Sandvika is situated approximately west of Oslo. It is the main transportation hub for Western Bærum, and has a combined bus and railway station. Sandvika is...
. By 1890, the ferries "Vesta" and "Sartor" made scheduled stops at Brønnøya, on the northern end, with the ferries sailing through the Vendel sound.
In addition to the northern landing, three additional public landings were established on the island: the western landing, and then the eastern and southern landings. At one point, six separate ferries made regular stops at one or several of these landings. Even though sections of the fjord had naval mines, ferry traffic continued through World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In particular, the ferry D/S Sport was considered a faithful servant of the island's community.
But by 1952, ferry service had been reduced to the point that only one ferry provided regular service, and then with mixed reliability. The ferry "Silius" had a capacity of 150 passengers, which was not enough. Another ship, "Trollhaug" was added. It was fast but notoriously unreliable, and several other ferries afterwards continued to disappoint the community. In the spring of 1952 there was for a short time no ferry service between Oslo and the island.
By 1955, however, there were three reasonably reliable ferries in operation. In addition to "Silius," there was "Rigmor" and "Vestfjordbussen" that made regular stops at Brønnøya.
Service between Sandvika and Brønnøya between 1948 and 1968 was provided by Einar Andersen, who shuttled passengers on board a retired lifeboat (from Stavangerfjord) starting at 5:30 am until 10 pm.
In 1952, the ferry Rigmor started providing additional capacity for existing ships, but over the years the ship has become a virtual institution in the Vestfjorden archipelago.
Nature
The island is also notable for its diverse flora, a result of sailships unloading ballast when loading quicklime. In the last 150 years, there have been found 147 redlistedIUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
species, of which 8 are critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
and 35 are endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
. There are several nature reserves on the island, including Viernbukta, where Grey Heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
are sighted
Commonly seen plants on the island include Valeriana
Valeriana
Valeriana is a genus of flowering plants in the family Valerianaceae. It includes a number of species of which the best known is the garden valerian Valeriana officinalis...
sambucifolia, Geranium sanguineum
Geranium sanguineum
Geranium sanguineum, commonly called Bloody Cranesbill or Bloody Geranium, is a perennial herbaceous plant species in the Geraniaceae family...
, Geranium robertianum, Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus
Lotus corniculatus is a common flowering plant native to grassland temperate Eurasia and North Africa. The common name is Bird's-foot Trefoil , though the common name is often also applied to other members of the genus...
, Sedum acre
Sedum acre
Sedum acre, commonly known as the Goldmoss Stonecrop, Goldmoss Sedum, Biting Stonecrop, Wallpepper, and the picturesque name Welcome home husband though never so drunk, is a perennial plant native to Europe, but also naturalised in North America. This plant grows as a creeping ground cover, often...
, Hylotelephium maximum, Silene vulgaris
Silene vulgaris
Silene vulgaris, Silene cucubalus or Bladder Campion is a plant species of the genus Silene of the Pink Family . It is native to Europe, where in some parts it is eaten, but is widespread in North America where it is considered a weed..-Gastronomy:In Spain, the young shoots and the leaves are used...
, Silene uniflora, Potentilla erecta, and others. In the spring, the island is overrun with Hepatica nobilis and Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa
Anemone nemorosa is an early-spring flowering plant in the genus Anemone in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, thimbleweed and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves...
.
Brønnøya today
The island today consists of 362 private parcels of land. Of these, 16 are registered as permanent dwellings, and 261 are leisure dwellings.The island is closed for motorized traffic all year. After an accident during celebrations in 1982, the cable ferry is closed the night of Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
. There are three ferry landings on the island that have seasonal and sporadic service. Beaches are public and maintained by the island communal organization.
The island's future is a matter of some controversy. Some want to make it more accessible for a larger share of permanent residents and more tourist and weekend traffic; others feel that it should remain somewhat remote and protected.