400 years ago, King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway wanted his kingdom to be selfsufficient in iron production.His wish became reality when an iron ore was discovered at Kirkerud- and Eineåsen in Bærum. In1610, Paul Smelter as given the Kings commission to set up a melting hut at Wøyen. In 1922 the first melting furnace in the country was built here. In 1641 the ironworks was moved to where its remains are found today. During the ironworks heyday, everything from cannon balls and cannons to bar iron, armoured plates and rivets were produced. Later items, such as ovens, grave ornamentations, kitchen utensils, hardware and machine parts gradually became the mainstays of production. Five light-houses were also cast at Bærums Verk.One well known lighthouse; “Færder” (1855) is standing at the entrance of the Oslo Fjord. The Løkke Bridge in Sandvika was casted at the ironworks in 1829, and in 1895 it was immortalized by the French impressionist painter,Claude Monet.1872 saw the end of the meltery and the beginning of a foundry and mechanical workshop that lasted until 1964. The area surrounding Bærums Verk saw an extensive housing boom in the 1980’s which created the cornerstone for the development of Handelsstedet Bærums Verk.