Brekkestø
| Brekkestø | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
From Brekkestø
Photo: Karl Ragnar Gjertsen |
|
| Country | Norway |
| Region | Sørlandet |
| County | Aust-Agder |
| District | Kristiansand Region |
| Municipality | Lillesand |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+01:00) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+02:00) |
Brekkestø is a small village on the southern coast of Norway. It is located on the island of Justøy within the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, in the region known as Sørlandet. The village is actually located on several rocky islands, and many of the homes built around its compact harbor are white wooden cottages with red tiled roofs, typical of the area. There is a small general store, a filling station that provides fuel for boats only, and an ice cream kiosk open during the summer season. The village post office, located near the waterfront, was closed in 2002. The nearest town is Lillesand, accessible by road via a network of bridges, and the closest international airport is Kjevik Airport near Kristiansand. Brekkestø is also reached via the waterway known as Blindleia, which passes nearby.
Brekkestø has a reputation for being both rustic yet exclusive, and as such, it is a popular destination for summer vacationing. Brekkestø is often cited as an “idyllic pearl” of Southern Norway. Due to its popularity however, the small village is often overcrowded with Norwegian and German tourists during the peak summer months, while during the winter months, the village is virtually deserted.
The name derives from brekke (hillside) and stø (landing area for a boat).
Brekkestø started off as a protected harbour for the Stutthei-farms in early 17th century, mainly due to the threats of Dutch pirates/corsairs.
During the time of sailing ships in the 18th and 19th century, Brekkestø the most commonly used winter harbour on the south coast. The harbour saw ships from many Northern European countries, and it was common that they had to wait several months before they could continue their journey. They were waiting for good weather and sailing conditions, and for the ice to disappear, or they were waiting for cargo. In the winter of 1862 there were 92 sailing ships in the harbour, so it was said that they could walk safely from island to island. Ship traffic created a lot of activity, and there where shops, apartments, hotels and duty station in the small outport.
Brekkestø is located close to Blindleia, and there are numerous small islands to visit in the area. The village is also close to Lillesand, a pretty Norwegian town full of the white painted houses you see in Brekkestø.
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Wikipedia