Troldhaugen was designed by Grieg's cousin and the name comes from trold meaning troll and haug meaning hill or knoll. The house is set in lush landscape overlooking the waters of the Nordsvannet Lake outside Bergen. Grieg is reputed to have said that children called the nearby small valley (I assume this is the valley in which his hut is located?) "The Valley of Trolls" and thus gave the name for the house. Edvard and Nina Grieg finished building Troldhaugen in 1885 and the couple lived there the last 22 summers of Grieg’s life. Grieg described it as “my best opus so far”.
Troldhaugen is a delightful building and is described as a typical 19th century residence with panoramic tower and a large veranda. Grieg is reputed to have immortalized the name of his home in one of his piano pieces, Wedding Day at Troldhaugen.
The inside of the house is preserved as it was when Edvard and Nina lived their; it is full of their favourite things, pictures, ornaments and photos. The interior has an unfussy, cosy, very comfortable and distinctive atmosphere and it is easy to see why the Griegs’ felt so at home here despite suffering the very sad loss of their only child Alexandra. The plain wooden walls and floors and the combination of Continental and Norwegian traditional furnishing reflect the Griegs’ personal taste for the simple but functional. In the villa’s living room stands Grieg’s Steinway grand piano, which he was given as a silver wedding anniversary present in 1892. This piano is still used today for private concerts and other special occasions.
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