Troldhaugen — "Hill of the Trolls" — was Edvard Grieg's home from 1885 until his death in 1907, and it remains the most personal of all Norwegian composer museums. The villa is preserved almost exactly as Grieg and his wife Nina left it, down to the piano in the parlour. Below the house, at the edge of Nordåsvannet lake, is the tiny wooden hut where Grieg composed most of his major works. And built into the hillside is Troldsalen, a modern concert hall where Grieg's music is performed throughout the summer season.
The villa and museum
The villa is a Victorian wooden house furnished with the Griegs' original belongings — photographs, manuscripts, and personal effects that make the space feel inhabited rather than exhibited. The guided tour takes about 30 minutes and gives access to all the main rooms. The museum building next to the villa covers Grieg's life, his relationship with Norwegian folk music, and his international career. The combination of the two takes about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace.
The composer's hut
The single most atmospheric spot at Troldhaugen is the tiny wooden hut down by the lake, which Grieg called his "hut of happiness." It measures roughly four metres by three — barely large enough for a piano, a desk, and a chair. He composed his piano sonatas, string quartets, and most of his Lyric Pieces here. The hut is preserved and viewable from outside; on calm days the reflection in the lake makes it one of the most photographed spots in Bergen.
Troldsalen concerts
Troldsalen, a 200-seat concert hall carved into the rock beneath the villa, hosts Grieg concerts from May through September. The summer concert series runs three times a week and is one of the finest chamber music experiences in Scandinavia — performers of international calibre playing Grieg's music a hundred metres from where he wrote it. Tickets sell out weeks in advance in July and August; book as soon as you know your travel dates.
Prices at a glance
Museum entry. Troldsalen concerts are ticketed separately from ~220 NOK.