Sights in Norway
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Romsdalen Folk Museum
Sprawling across a large area within this open-air museum are nearly 50 old buildings, shifted here from around the Romsdal region. Highlights include Bygata (an early-20th-century town street) and a ‘composite church’, assembled from elements of now-demolished local stave churches. In summer, there are very worthwhile guided tours (adult/child Nkr60/free; [hrs] 11am-6pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun Jul, 11am-3pm Mon-Sat, noon-3pm Sun 15-30 Jun & 1-15 Aug), in English on request.
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Ski Museum
At the Holmenkollen ski jump, the Ski Museum leads you through the 4000-year history of Nordic and downhill skiing in Norway. There are exhibits featuring the Antarctic expeditions of Amundsen and Scott, as well as Fridtjof Nansen’s slog across the Greenland icecap (you’ll see the boat he constructed from his sled and canvas tent to row the final 100km to Nuuk). Recently redone exhibits on the 2nd floor cover the more modern aspects of skiing and include a glimpse of the royal family on skis.
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Bodøsjøen Friluftsmuseum
The Nordland Museum has an open-air component, the Bodøsjøen Friluftsmuseum, 3km from town near Bodøsjøen Camping. Here you'll find four hectares of historic homes, farm buildings, boat sheds, WWII German bunkers and the square-rigged sloop Anna Karoline af Hopen. You can wander the grounds for free but admission to the buildings is by appointment. Here too is the start of a walking track up the river Bodøgårdselva, which eventually leads to the wild, scenic Bodømarka woods.
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Lighthouse
At the furthest, northern extremity of the island of Godøy, is the picturesque 1876 lighthouse in the fishing station of Alnes. For that end-of-the-world feeling, climb to the circular balcony via the five floors of this all-wood structure, each displaying the canvases of renowned Norwegian artist and Godøy resident, Ørnulf Opdahl. Don’t leave without sampling one of the delightful cakes, baked on the spot by Eva, the lighthouse custodian.
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Vardøhus Festning
The star-shaped Vardøhus Festning – yes, of course it’s the world’s most northerly – was constructed in 1737 by King Christian VI. For a fortress, it’s painted in gentle fairy-tale colours. On a nice, sunny day it’s pleasant to stroll around the flower-festooned bastions, past turf-roofed buildings and Russian cannons. You pay the admission fee either at the guard office or by dropping it into the WWII sea mine that guards the entrance.
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Sami National Museum
The Sami National Museum is also called the Sami Collection. Smaller and more serious, it’s been rather upstaged by the genial razzmatazz down the road. Devoted to Sami history and culture, it has displays of colourful, traditional Sami clothing, a bewildering array of tools and artefacts and works by contemporary Sami artists. Outdoors, a homestead reveals the simplicity of traditional Sami life. Signing is only in Norwegian and Sami and the English guide sheet is difficult to follow.
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Church
As so often in these small Finnmark communities, the church is the most interesting structure architecturally – and all too often the only building to have survived the devastation wreaked by retreating Nazi forces. Vadsø’s didn’t. Built anew in 1958, it’s simple enough yet rich in symbolism. The twin peaks are intended to recall an iceberg, the Orthodox-inspired altarpiece looks metaphorically over the frontier and the rich stained glass depicts the seasons.
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Lofoten Stockfish Museum
At the Lofoten Stockfish Museum, in a former fish warehouse, you’ll be bowled over by Steinar Larsen, its enthusiastic, polyglot owner, who meets and greets every visitor. This personal collection, a passionate hobby of his, illustrates well Lofoten’s traditional mainstay: the catching and drying of cod for export, particularly to Italy. Displays, artefacts and a DVD programme take you through the process, from hauling the fish out of the sea through drying, grading and sorting to despatch.
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Ceavccageadge
On the E75, about 15km east of Verangerbotn, is the Ceavccageadge, where you can stroll towards the shore amid traces of 10,000 years of Sami culture. At the western end, past burial sites, the remains of homesteads and a reconstructed turf hut, is the namesake ceavccageadge, a pillar standing near the water, which was smeared with cod-liver oil to ensure luck while fishing. On a hill to the east the Bjørnstein, a rock resembling a bear, was revered by early Sami inhabitants.
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Viking-age Burial Mounds
Less than 1km south along the fjord, excavation of two Viking-age burial mounds revealed remnants of a boat, two skeletons, jewellery and several weapons (no longer on site). One mound is topped by a statue of legendary King Bele, erected by Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was obsessed with Nordic mythology and regularly spent his holidays here prior to WWI.
A similar monument, also funded by the Kaiser and honouring Fridtjof, the lover of King Bele's daughter, peers across the fjord from Vangsnes.
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Huk
The Bygdøy peninsula has two popular beaches, Huk and Paradisbukta, which can be reached by taking bus No 30 from Jernbanetorget to its last stop. While there are some sandy patches, most of Huk comprises grassy lawns and large, smooth rocks ideal for sunbathing.
It's separated into two beaches by a small cove; the beach on the northwestern side is open to nude bathing. If Huk seems too crowded, a 10-minute walk through the woods north of the bus stop leads to the more secluded Paradisbukta.
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Lom Stavkyrkje
This delightful 12th-century Norman-style stave church, in the centre of town on a rise by the water, is one of Norway’s finest. Still the functioning local church, it was constructed in 1170, extended in 1634 and given its current cruciform shape with the addition of two naves in 1663. Guided tours explain the interior paintings and Jakop Sæterdalen’s chancel arch and pulpit (from 1793). At night, the church is lit to fairy-tale effect. Entry to the grounds is free.
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Vigeland Park
Frognerparken, which has as its centrepiece Vigeland Park, is an extraordinary open-air showcase of work by Norway’s best-loved sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland Park is brimming with 212 granite and bronze Vigeland works. His highly charged work ranges from entwined lovers and tranquil elderly couples to contempt-ridden beggars. His most renowned work, Sinataggen (the ‘Little Hot-Head’), portrays a London child in a mood of particular ill humour.
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Hedmark Museum & Glass Cathedral
West of town (1.5km), the extensive open-air county museum includes 18th- and 19th-century buildings, a local folk-history exhibit featuring the creepy Devil’s Finger, the ruins of the castle, and the extraordinary showcase ‘glass cathedral’ (Domkirkeodden). The cathedral, whose ruins stand poignantly beneath the glass-and-steel roof, and castle dominated Hamar until 1567, when they were sacked by the Swedes. Take bus 6 from the town library (Nkr32, hourly).
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Gamle Byen
Kristiansund's Gamle Byen, occupies part of Innlandet island, a few of whose clapboard buildings date back to the 17th century. The grandiose Lossiusgården, at the eastern end of the historic district, was the distinguished home of an 18th-century merchant. The venerable 300-year-old Dødeladen Café - where you can still get a decent meal and a drink - hosts cultural and musical events. The most convenient access from the centre is on the Sundbåt ferry from Piren ferry port.
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Nyksund
Nyksund, on Langøya, is a former abandoned fishing village that's now re-emerging as an artists' colony. From the crumbling and collapsing old structures to the faithfully renovated commercial buildings, every scene is a photo opportunity, and the lively youthful atmosphere belies the fact that only recently Nyksund was considered a ghost village. There's a great walk over the headland from Nyksund to Stø (three hours return), at the northernmost tip of Langøya.
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Aksla
The 418 steps up Aksla lead to the splendid Kniven viewpoint over Ålesund and the surrounding mountains and islands. Follow Lihauggata from the pedestrian shopping street Kongensgata to the start of the 20-minute puff to the top of the hill. There's also a road to the top; take Røysegata east from the centre, then follow the Fjellstua signposts up the hill.
At the top of Aksla, the Fjellstua Kafé is a good place to recover your breath while enjoying a drink with a view.
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Fishery Museum
This museum, on Hertøya island, is a short ferry ride from the Torget terminal. An open-air museum, its cod liver oil factory, cottages and fishermen’s shacks, tiny schoolroom and collection of boats bring to life the coastal fishing cultures around the mouth of Romsdalsfjorden from the mid-19th century onwards. When it’s open, ferries ( [tel] 99 54 98 94; adult/child Nkr50/25) run four times daily from Molde between 11am and 5.45pm.
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Bilstadhuset
Some 92 homes, nearly two-thirds of the original town, were gutted by fire in 1843, after which Egersund was reconstructed with wide streets to thwart the spread of future fires. Most buildings in the old town date from this period. The Bilstadhuset still has its original timberwork and includes a sailmaker's loft upstairs.
The house is not open to the public, but the tourist office hands out a leaflet Strolling in Egersund which has a map and informative commentary.
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Hopperstad Stave Church
On the southern outskirts of the village of Vik is the splendid Hopperstad stave church, about 1km from the centre. Built in 1130 and Norway’s second oldest, it escaped demolition by a whisker in the late 19th century. Inside, the original canopy paintings of the elaborately carved baldequin have preserved their freshness of colour. For an additional Nkr20 you can use the same ticket for the Hove stone church, 1km to the south, which dates from the same era.
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Eigerøy Fyr
Eigerøy Fyr, the majestic 1855 lighthouse on Midbrødøy, is near the southwestern tip of Eigerøy island. Still one of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe, it has great views at any time, but especially on stormy days. Take the Nord Eigerøy bus from the Rutebilstasjon and get off at the sign ‘Eigerøy fyr’ on the Rv502 (Nkr27, 15 minutes). From there, it’s a 30-minute walk down the Fyrvegen road to the lighthouse.
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Theme Park
Sami culture is big business here, and it was only a matter of time before it was consolidated into a theme park. There’s a wistful, high-tech multimedia introduction to the Sami in the ‘Magic Theatre’, plus Sami winter and summer camps and other dwellings in the grounds, and of course, a gift shop and café. It’s actually very good and presents the Sami as the normal fellow human beings they are rather than as exotic anachronisms.
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Vangskyrkja
Voss’ stone church occupies the site of an ancient pagan temple. A Gothic-style stone church was built here in the mid-13th century. Although the original stone altar and unique wooden spire remain, the Lutheran Reformation of 1536 saw the removal of many original features. The 1923 stained-glass work commemorates the 900th anniversary of Christianity in Voss. Miraculously, the building escaped destruction during the intense German bombing of Voss in 1940.
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Gallery
Local artist Eva Arnesen designed the Nobel Peace Prize diploma that was awarded to Jody Williams and the campaign to ban land mines. Her gallery is about 4km south of town, opposite the Statoil petrol station. Arnesen’s paintings evoke the colours of the region from the northern lights to the bright palette of summer. The handsome pair of carved and silvered polar bears on Rådhus Plass was fashioned by her husband, woodcarver Knut Arnesen.
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Rose Church
If you’re travelling between Valldal and Ålesund on the Rv650, do make a short stop at Stordal’s Rose Church. Unassuming from the outside, it was constructed in 1789 on the site of an earlier stave church, elements of which were retained. Inside comes the surprise: the roof, walls and every last pillar are sumptuously painted with scenes from the Bible and portraits of saints in an engagingly naive interpretation of high baroque.
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