The rose gardens in Molde - the city of roses

If you ask Norwegians about Molde, many will answer that it is the City of Roses. The City of Roses is a 100-year-old description based on the city’s many blooming, lush rose gardens. The description was initially used in 1913 as the city brand in international marketing. An English tourist brochure for a cruise company describes Molde as “the city of roses”. To this day, all tourist ships arriving Molde are welcomed with a bouquet of roses

From mid June onwards and throughout August, Molde abound in fragrant, blooming roses. Along the main street Storgata there is a beautiful avenue of Paul’s Scarlet Hawthorns, and several roses have been planted by the shops. The town’s largest collection of roses is to be found at the Town Hall roof, but the magnificent roses in the Alexandra Park is also worth your time. The town street “Bygata” at the Romsdal Museum recreates the atmosphere of old-time Molde, with the typical picket fences surrounded by roses. From the street Olsmedbakken and towards the Moldegård villa, many of the old wooden houses have been restored and decorated with roses. You can also find roses by Aker Stadium, the county administrational building, the university and the shopping centre “Roseby”, and of course in many private gardens. In some gardens you can also see the town’s own rose, ”Molderosen”, which was rediscovered some years back.

At the Town Hall Square in the “Town of Roses” stands the bronze statue “Rosepiken”, surrounded by a dancing fountain. The Rose Maiden is young and beautiful, and has her arms full of roses. The sculpture was a gift to Molde in 1971 from Gotlib Moe, and is sculpted by Ragnhild Butenschøn.