University of BergenPublished: 26.02.2013 | Author: Nils Georg Brekke, Johannes Gjerdåker, Kaare Tønneberg
The second Stalheim Hotel, at the time of Albert Patterson. (Knud Knudsen, owner: Billedsamlingen, Universitetsbiblioteket i Bergen (KK 1055(21x27))).
Stalheim is situated between Stalheimsfossen and Sivlefossen, in a community with the farms Sivle and Brekke. The most likely explanation of the name is “the farm by Stadall”, from “standa” (stand), probably with background in the steep Stalheimskleivi. The farm has for a long time been divided into several units. At Stalheim there has been a transport exchange from the Middle Ages and the farm has been a postal farm since 1647.
The guesthouse from the transport exchange today is to be found at Stalheim museum. The first Stalheim Hotel was built in 1885, when the hotel entrepreneur Johan Andersen moved his hotel business from Vossevangen, where he had run the Railway Hotel from 1883.
From 1888 Stalheim Hotel was run by the Swedish-born hotelier Albert Patterson. He constructed a new, large hotel building for close on 200 guests, with modern sanitary installations and a large stable and cart garage; - “under his skilful operations Hotel Stalheim soon acquired a reputation, which extended far beyond Norway’s borders, to the whole of Europe and America, Australia and India. In English, German and French travel descriptions of Norway, Nærøydalen and Stalheim were the highlights”, wrote F.Scarlett in the book “Turistlandet Norge” (the tourist country Norway).
Kaare Tønneberg took over the hotel early in the 1930s. He has continued to give Stalheim an almost legendary reputation, both nationally and internationally. Following a fire in 1959 he rebuilt the hotel, the fifth Stalheim Hotel.
Stalheim museum
- Ahlman, H. W: son.1919. Geomorphological studies in Norway. Geografiska Annaler 1.
