Places with a story
Lysøen
Lysøen was violinist Ole Bull's island home, where an elaborate wooden villa and landscaped paths expressed his personal imagination. This place in Bjørnafjorden combines musical history, nineteenth-century architecture and an island landscape that can still be explored while the villa undergoes conservation.
The place1
Ole Bull and Sara Chapman Thorp created the villa in 1872–1873. Its onion-shaped tower and decorative architectural references gave the residence a character unlike an ordinary western Norwegian house. Ole Bull called it his little Alhambra. The design introduces the musician's international experiences and his taste for combining different traditions.
History and local connections12
Ole Bull died on Lysøen in 1880. In 1973 his granddaughter Sylvea Bull Curtis gave the property to Fortidsminneforeningen, allowing it to become a museum. KODE now presents the island and its musical associations while conservation work addresses the villa's structure and historic interiors. Preservation is therefore a visible part of the island's continuing history.
What to look for1
Walking paths lead through the wooded island, with viewpoints, a lookout tower and the older farm environment offering alternatives to an indoor visit. The relationship between designed landscape and villa is central to the experience. Look at how paths, trees and the changing shore views turn the island into a place for the house rather than simply a place to reach it.
Planning a visit1
KODE states that the villa is closed for restoration and that the museum boat does not operate in 2026. Visitors can reach the island using their own boat. Check the museum's current restoration and access notices before organising travel. Walking around the island during this period does not include entry to the villa's historic rooms.
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