The Petter Dass Museum

At Alstahaug you will find a museum and a church that highlight centuries of the cultural and architectural history of Northern Norway. Moreover, the area is rich in cultural monuments and is a popular hiking area for both locals and tourists. The Petter Dass Museum and Alstahaug were chosen as Nordland County’s venues to celebrate the dawning of a new millennium.

Petter Dass

Petter Dass was a 17th-century poet-priest who wrote many psalms. In 1689, at the age of 42, he became the parish priest at Alstahaug, where he worked until his death in 1707. His most famous work was Nordlands Trompet (the Trumpet of Nordland) a poetic celebration of Northern Norway’s magnificent landscape, its people, wildlife and seasons. He gained prominence and a wide audience for his writings. Generations of fishermen attached patches of black cloth to the sails on their boats to mourn his passing.

Petter Dass Museum, housed in a striking building designed by Norway’s premier architects, Snøhetta, celebrates this poet-priest and his contributions to the cultural heritage of Northern Norway.

Ketil Born / Helgeland Museum

Café and museum shop

When you are ready for a bite or refreshments, head for Margrethe’s Café, which is situated in the museum. The café serves tasty dishes made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The museum shop offers a good selection of books, handicrafts and other gift items.

Prestegård and Alstahaug church

At Alstahaug you will also find a beautiful 18th-century vicarage and the 13th-century Alstahaug church, one of seven preserved medieval churches in Northern Norway. The oldest parts of the Romanesque church, the choir and eastern nave, are built with local soapstone.

Ketil Born / Helgeland Museum