| Official Name: | Hof |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Vestfold#Norway |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the village |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Norway |
| Subdivision Name1: | Eastern Norway |
| Subdivision Name2: | Vestfold |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Subdivision Name3: | Jarlsberg |
| Subdivision Type4: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name4: | Holmestrand Municipality |
| Utc Offset1: | +01:00 |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +02:00 |
| Area Total Km2: | 0.82 |
| Population As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Total: | 915 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1112 |
| Postal Code Type: | Post Code |
| Postal Code: | 3090 Hof |
| Coordinates: | 59.5303°N 10.087°W |
| Elevation M: | 77 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [1] |
Hof is a village in Holmestrand Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of the town of Holmestrand, about southwest of the village of Sande i Vestfold, and about south of the village of Eidsfoss. The smaller villages of Sundbyfoss and Hvittingfoss are both located a short distance south of Hof.[2]
The 0.82km2 village has a population (2023) of 915 and a population density of .[3]
Hof Prison was located in the village until its closure in 2019.
The village has a number of ancient burial mounds which testify to the fact that the village was relatively densely populated in ancient times. Eidsfos Verk was established as an ironworks at the end of the 17th century and had its heyday under Peder von Cappelen (1763–1837). On the company's property is a stately main building, Eidsfos Hovedgård, which was made into a historical landmark in 1923. The farm has a large park and unique workers' housing from the 18th century. In Hof, there is an ironworks museum that shows cultural and ironworks history.[4]
The village of Hof served as the administrative centre of the old Hof Municipality from 1838 until 2018 when it became part of Holmestrand Municipality. The medieval Hof Church is located in the village.
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hof farm (Norse, Old: Hof) since the first Hof Church was built there. The name is identical with the word hof which means "pagan temple", a place for worshiping the old Norse Gods.[5]
. Norske gaardnavne: Jarlsberg og Larviks amt . 1907 . W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri . 6 . Kristiania, Norge . 47 . no . Oluf Rygh.