Bygdøy later became a peninsula due to post-glacial rebound, separating Bestumkilen from Frognerkilen.
It was an important shipping port for timber in the 17th and 18th centuries, but today a large part of the bay is used as a harbour for leisure boats.
[4] During the winter, Frognerkilen was used as a venue for harness racing—from 1875 to the 1920s—as well as speed skating in the pioneer days before 1900.
[4] A skating competition between Axel Paulsen and Renke van der Zee from the Netherlands on Frognerkilen in 1885, when van der Zee challenged Paulsen for his title "amateur champion of the world", attracted approximately 30,000 spectators.
The rowing club Christiania RK had its headquarters at the mainland, in a locality known as "Kongen" ('The King'),[6] whereas the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club had its headquarters at the opposite shore of Frognerkilen, in a locality known as "Dronningen" ('The Queen').