Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer born in 1872, is known as one of the greatest figures in the field of polar exploration. In fact, he was the first person to reach the South Pole and the first to cross the Arctic by air.
One of Roald’s first expeditions that really pushed him to continue polar exploration was his trip through the Northwest Passage. In 1903, he set sail with a crew of six on the Gjøa and sailed through the Passage, as well as around the Canadian coast. The expedition ended in 1906 when it arrived in Nome, Alaska. Amundsen’s next plan was to travel across the North Pole, but his plans changed when he learned that American explorer Robert Peary had already reached the North Pole. Instead, he decided to head for the South Pole and only his brother knew this to be the plan. Interestingly, he had competition as English explorer Robert Scott was on an expedition with the same goal. However, Amundsen’s polar knowledge and experience proved useful as he arrived first at the South Pole on December 14th, 1911. Amundsen’s exploration itch didn’t stop there; he passed over the North Pole in an airship, going from Svalbard to Alaska. Unfortunately, his explorations came to an end when he lost his life flying a rescue mission in 1928.
Because of the life adventures outlined above, Amundsen has remained a notable, and highly regarded figure in Norway’s history. The intrigue into his life and his work continues today. In fact, on June 12th of this year, the birthplace of Roald Amundsen opened to the public. People are now able to visit the house in which he was born. Amundsen’s house is located close to Fredrikstad and is an old “captain’s house.” His biographers claim that the site is where Roald got his taste for adventure. His father and uncles ran a large shipping business on the river Glomma (also called Glåma), which is said to be where Amundsen spent much of his time and developed his interest in seamanship. An accompanying exhibit about Amundsen’s life and discoveries opens alongside the house.