Rich silver deposits were discovered at Kongsberg, leading to the founding of a 'royal mining town' by King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway. The mines became a vital source of revenue for the Danish crown, financing Baroque architecture in Copenhagen. The 'Kongsberg' mines were among the most advanced in Europe for their time, utilizing deep shafts and water-powered pumps.

The Kongsberg mines generated a rich vein of Norwegian folk balladry and later Romantic nationalist poetry. The 'miner's life' was celebrated in songs that emphasized the dangers and stoic heroism of going 'under the earth.' The poet Henrik Wergeland, the father of Norwegian literature, used Kongsberg silver as a metaphor for the 'hidden wealth' of the Norwegian spirit and language, which must be 'mined' from under centuries of Danish rule. Wergeland's poetry directly invokes the 'Kongsberg' as a symbol of national awakening and untapped natural potential, linking extraction to linguistic and political independence.