Baneheia

Historie

Baneheia is a recreational area in the municipality of Kristiansand in Vest-Agder county, Norway. The park is mostly known at the national level from the Baneheia case as the scene of a notorious murder of two girls ages 8 and 10 that took place in 2000. The area lies just north of the centre of the city of Kristiansand and it has hills, lakes, and forest. The Ravnedalen Park lies just to the northwest of Baneheia. The Baneheia area was given to the citizens of Kristiansand by King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway when the city was founded in 1641.Recreational areaThe lake called '3. stampe' or 'Stampa' is a popular swimming lake with a couple of small beaches and nice water temperatures during summer. On the "Drageknatten" hill, the you can get a nice view of the city center and the docks. Baneheia is used for hiking or jogging during spring, summer, and autumn and can be used for skiing during winter if there's enough snow. In Baneheia occur many different species of birds. There are also lighted trails. Some parts of the area are even accessible by wheelchair users.HistoryBaneheia used to be quite a sad view, as the trees were gone because of the inhabitants' need of wood. In the 1800s, general Joseph Frantz Oscar Wergeland used soldiers from the city's garrison to plant trees, build stairs, trails, etc. and made Baneheia into what it is today.Baneheia murdersThe area is also known for the infamous double murder incident which occurred in May 2000. Two young girls were raped and murdered close by the '3. Stampe' lake and their bodies hidden in the adjacent woods. The case sent shock-waves through Norwegian society and the name "baneheia" is today mostly synonymous with the gruesome crime.