The town was constructed in 1991, 36 years after the publication of the book.
Every building in the town was built according to the original drawings and sketches made by Thorbjørn Egner.
The town features a functioning post office where visitors can send mail that receives a special Cardamom Town postmark.
During the summer season, the town's characters perform musical numbers based on the book's original soundtrack.
The town is legally permitted to house overnight guests, allowing families to stay inside the fictional setting.
Cardamom Town is a full-scale, functioning replica of the fictional town from Thorbjørn Egner's 1955 children's book 'When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town'. Located within the Kristiansand Dyrepark, it features architecturally precise buildings designed by the author himself. Visitors can walk through the streets, interact with characters in costume, and visit key locations like the police station and the tower. The town operates as a live performance space where actors enact scenes from the book throughout the day. It is a purpose-built immersive environment maintained to mirror the original illustrations. The town includes internal residential structures that can be booked for overnight stays. It serves as a cultural landmark for Norwegian literature and family tourism.
Outside the iconic Cardamom Town tower, which serves as the town's central architectural landmark.
Book overnight accommodations well in advance as these are highly sought after by families.
Check the daily performance schedule upon arrival to ensure you do not miss the interactive character segments.
Visit the local bakery to try 'Cardamom buns', which are themed to match the town's name.
Do not treat the actors as simple photo props; engage with them in character for a better experience.
Open primarily during the summer season and specific weekends in the autumn; closed during winter months.
