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THE BRIEF
HISTORY OF PADDLE STEAMER SKIBLADNER
Skibladner is a paddle steamer
operating on the lake of Mjøsa in Norway.
Skibladner is a sidewheel design, and her maiden voyage was
on August 2, 1856, making her the world's oldest steamship
still in operation. Originally intended to provide passage
from the train station in Eidsvoll to the towns of Hamar,
Gjøvik, and Lillehammer along Mjøsa, it still operates the
same route, but now offers leisurely, scenic tours and
culinary pleasures during the summer months.
The ship sank while in winter storage twice: once in 1937
and again in 1967. After having been raised it has undergone
significant renovation.
On June 14, 2005, the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural
Heritage decided to preserve Skibladner. This was the first
time in Norway that an operating vehicle was listed.
The steamer is named after Skíðblaðnir, the ship of Freyr in
Norse mythology.
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