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Gjerstad is Agder’s forested forge - a municipality where knife-making is a legacy, ironworks echo through the valley, and the local zoo features lemurs and lizards just off the E18. With around 2,400 residents and a landscape stitched with rivers, trails, and tales, Gjerstad is the kind of place where you can hike past pagan history, browse handmade crafts, and still catch a treetop concert before sunset. It’s got heritage, wilderness, and a name that once meant “Geirrekr’s place.”
Top Attractions
The Little Zoo
hands-on animal park with monkeys, reptiles & play areas
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Studio d’Arte
seasonal art gallery with local and international works
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Unique Experiences
Holmen Gård
former folk art center with exhibitions, knife shop & café
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Horga
ancient sacrificial site tied to Olav Trygvason’s Christianization
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Eikeland Ironworks
preserved industrial relics in a scenic valley
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Gjerstad Knife Market
annual gathering of bladesmiths and collectors
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Gjerstad Watercourse Trails
blue-marked paths from 2 to 13 km
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Where to Stay in Gjerstad
Getting There
Gjerstad sits in eastern Agder, along the E18 near the border with Telemark. The Sørlandsbanen railway stops at Gjerstad Station, and buses connect to Risør, Tvedestrand, and Kragerø. The administrative center is the village of Gjerstad, but Brokelandsheia is the commercial hub - complete with EV chargers, cafés, and a zoo.