Brønnøya

Historie

Brønnøya is an island in the western section of Oslofjord (Vestfjorden), within the borders of the municipality of Asker.GeographyThe island is just beyond the upscale suburban construction of Nesøya, reachable across the Vendelsund sound by cable ferry during the summer and a pontoon bridge in winter. It is among the largest islands in the Vestfjorden archipelago and is surrounded by islands: To the east is Ostøya in Bærum, to the south is Langåra (Asker) and to the west the small islands with descriptive names such as Katterompa (Cat's Rear End), Torbjørnsøy, Furuholmen (Pine Island), and Spannslokket (Pail Lid). The island's geology was formed in the Cambrian Period and is rich with limestone.HistoryThe island is recorded by name in sea charts from the early 16th century. The etymology of "Brønnøya" (variously spelled Brøndøen, Brønnøen, Brunneyr, Brunøen, Bryøen, Brundøen, and Bryndøen) stems from the presence of wells (Norwegian: brønn) on the island, the source of water with an unusual ability to stay fresh in storage. This was a coveted commodity for expeditions during the sailboat era. In the late 16th century, bishop Jens Nilssøn recorded that a well (now empty) on the eastern side of the island is said to have been identified by the presence of the Virgin Mary and still has the name Mariakilden. The name of the well may stem from the 14th century. Several other wells are extant on the island, and some served as freshwater sources for the inhabitants well into the 1960s.