This is Norway's only preserved medieval abbey. In the 9th century, Utstein was one of the royal residences of Harald Hårfagre, the Fairhair, Norway's first monarch. In 1250 it belonged to Magnus Lagabøter (the Lawmender) who as king would draft Norway's first constitution, then the most democratic in the world. Magnus gave Utstein to the canons of an Augustinian order, who constructed their abbey around his fortress at the end of the 1200s. With the coming of the Reformation, Utstein became one of the largest private estates in western Norway. In summer, sporadic concerts featuring leading jazz and classical musicians are staged in its chapel.