Svartskog is a rural area in Nordre Follo municipality in Akershus, Norway, situated between Lake Gjersjøen and the Bunnefjord, around 20 kilometres south of central Oslo. Rather than a town or compact village, Svartskog consists of scattered farms, houses, woodland and shoreline, and has retained a distinctly rural character despite its proximity to the capital. The area is particularly associated with polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who lived at Uranienborg by Bålerud from 1908 until his disappearance in 1928. Several of his expeditions were planned and prepared there, including his successful journey to the South Pole, and the property is now preserved as Roald Amundsen’s Home. Svartskog is also known for its extensive forests, coastal paths along the Bunnefjord and historic Oppegård Church, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages. The surrounding landscape is unusually green and sparsely developed for an area so close to Oslo.

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