Røros

  • Hamar, Kongsvinger, National Highways, Road-trips, Røros

    Drive it Yourself: Norway’s East Side (Rv2 & Rv3)

    Drive it Yourself: Norway's East Side (Rv2 & Rv3)

    The eastern side of Norway alongside the Swedish border is known for its large forests, remote settlements, and moose population. Not many tourists make it this far east, but for those that do, they are rewarded with charming historic and industrial settlements as well as beautiful stretches of highway through dense pine and oak forests.

    In this article...

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View on Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    The drive: the Rv2 & Rv3

    Lina

    Town

    This drive begins on the Norwegian/Swedish border in a small village called Lina.

    Skotterud

    Town

    Skotterud is a small town with a population of around 1,300. The town is known for the forestry industry and has some sawmills and other timber businesses. Skotterud is located on the southernmost point of the Finnskogen forest. The town is also a stop on the Kongsvinger railway line, which runs from Lillestrøm just outside of Oslo to Charlottenberg on the Swedish border, where it’s possible to change trains and head to Stockholm.

    Matrand

    Town

    The Rv2 passes alongside Matrand, but not through the town. If you want to drive into the town, there is a nice historic church just off the highway called Eidskog Church. Eidskog Church is a small church from 1665 and has a baptismal font from the Middle Ages. It’s believed there was an earlier church on the site that was likely a stave church.

    Kongsvinger

    Kongsvinger is both a municipality and town that you will soon pass through. The town is on the Glomma, which is Norway’s longest river (the guide will cover the river soon). Kongsvinger is an interesting historic town worth spending some time in.

    It’s believed that the town has been an important place since the Viking Age, and several finds from the Stone Age have been found in the area. In the 17th century, the Kongsvinger fortress was constructed by King Christian V of Denmark-Norway to protect the city from attacks from Sweden. The city was redesigned into a grid layout by Johan Caspar de Cicignon, who also designed the street layout for Trondheim.

    When Norway entered into a union with Sweden in 1814, Kongsvinger became an important rest stop for travellers between the two countries. The fortress was more or less shut down in 1823. Railway development reached Kongsvinger in 1862 with the construction of the Kongsvinger Line between Lillestrøm and the Swedish border.

    Today the town is characterised by being heavily forested, so agriculture and forestry-related businesses are the main industries.

    Kongsvinger Travel Guide

    Glomma River

    River

    At 621km (386 mi), the Glomma is Norway’s longest river. It has a drainage basin that covers 13% of Norway’s surface area, all in the southern part of the country.

    At its full length, the river runs from Aursund near Røros and empties into the Oslofjord in Fredrikstad.

    The combination of raw materials, water power and transport has over the centuries encouraged industry along the Glomma. Some of the country’s largest manufacturing and processing businesses are found at its mouth.

    Grue Municipality

    Grue municipality is a largely forested municipality. The word ‘grue’ comes from the Old Norse word referring to a grave or pit, and there have been many burial mounds discovered here as well as finds from the Viking Age. Flint fields that are over 4,000 years old have been discovered here.

    Kirkenær

    Town

    Kirkenær is the administrative centre of Grue municipality. It used to be an important community with timber mills and nailworks but has now lost its importance.

    In 1822 Kirkenær was the scene of the Grue Church fire, a major fire disaster in which at least 113 people died, and which led to a legal order that all doors in public buildings should swing outwards. The current Grue Church is from 1828 and is located on the highway (northbound/Ulsberg side). Kirkenær station is a lovely building, but train traffic no longer goes through here. There’s also a beautiful old building called Kirkenær farm, which is the farm that gave the town its name.

    Arneberg Church & Hof Church

    Historic Site

    On the northbound side of the road is Arneberg Church. The church is from 1878 and was built for the villagers on the east side of the river so they no longer had to travel across to Hof Church on the other side. Shortly before it was decided to build this church, three people drowned trying to get across the river to the church.

    If you want to visit Hof Church, it is located just over the river from the highway. The exit is marked with a yellow sign saying Hof (3km) and a picture of a church. Hof Church is a brick church from 1860, but was built to replace a stave church that was demolished for being too small in 1861. The baptismal font is from the 13th century and the altarpiece comes from the stave church that stands on the site.

    Åsnes Municipality

    Findings from the Stone Age here show that the first settlements came along the river around 1,500 years ago. In the Old Norse sagas, Snorre Sturlason writes about a chieftain who cleared the forest to establish a settlement. Christianity reached the area in the 12th century.

    The name of this traditional region is Solør, which is a well-known agricultural area and is one of Norway’s largest potato districts. The area is characterised by large forests where there are large moraine deposits and gravel deposits.

    Flisa

    Town

    Flisa is the administrative centre of the Åsnes municipality with the Glomma river flowing here. Flisa Bridge is the world’s longest wooden bridge designed for full traffic loads. The bridge opened in2 003 and is 196 metres long.

    Here’s something interesting to see in Flisa – the world’s largest toothpick. The Norwegian company Jordan (the produces toothpicks) has a factory here. If you want to see it, the toothpick is at the end of the bridge on the east side of the Flisa train station. Put “Toothpick Flisa” into GPS – it’s a few minutes off the highway.

    Another interesting thing about Flisa – in summer they are plagued with mosquitos to the extent that the mosquitos are known as “Flisa Mygg” or “Flisa mosquitos”.

    Toothpicks and mosquitos – Flisa has it all!

    Våler Municipality

    Våler municipality is a largely forested municipality, with nearly 90% of the total area covered by forest. though there is a lot of agriculture here. It’s believed the first peoples settled here around 1800BC and they lived by hunting and fishing. The name Våler comes from the word “Vål”, which means piles of branches and tree stumps from cleared land. A legend tells that when St. Olav travelled through the area to Christianise people and came to Våler, he encountered some resistance but his power (and threats, probably) encouraged people to convert to Christianity. Disagreement about where to build the new church led to arguments, to Olav shot his arrow into the sky and where it landed the church would be built. The arrow fell into a bog down by the river, so the areawas called Våler. The coat-of-arms represent St. Olav’s arrow.

    Many Finns settled in Våler in the 16th century. The Finnish immigration was due to the fact that at the time there was war and famine in Finland, and the Swedish king Gustav Vasa welcome the Finns to cultivate the huge unused forest areas on the border. The Finns brought a special culture and way of life, including their special form of agriculture called “svedjebruk”. This method involved setting fire to the forest and cultivating the burnt area which, due to the ash, was very fertile. They grew rye, cabbage and turnips. The Finns also brought language with them. This is why the forest here is called Finnskogen – Finn Forest.

    Shortly after entering the municipality you’ll pass the turn-off for the town of Valer (the sign reads “Valer sentrum”, which is the administrative centre. The highway doesn’t go through the town.

    Elverum Municipality

    Elverum is the next municipality. Elverum is known as the ‘forest capital’ of Eastern Norway and has several timber industry companies, including the head office of the Glomma Forest Owners Association and a regional office of the Norwegian forestry association. The military also has an important presence here that has existed since the 17th century because of the proximity to the Swedish border. A large defence system was built in the late 17th century to protect Norway if war broke out with Sweden. Today there is a military camp here called Terningmoen, which has the Guard School (recruit school for the King’s Guard) and the Weapons School.

    Elverum

    Elverum town has a population of 15,000 and is the administrative centre for the municipality as well as a major hub in eastern Norway. The town is located on both sides of the Glomma River, with the eastern side being where the town grew up in the 17th century. The western side is more industrial with the military base, but also where the Glomsdal Museum is if you want to learn about the history of the area.

    The fortress Christiansfjeld was built in the late 17th century after Norwegian troops managed to stop a Swedish invasion in the area around Elverum, proving this was an important point. The fortress closed in 1742 after the major battled ended. Elverum was also an important market town after the town of Hamar was destroyed by Swedish troops and lost its city status.

    Elverum Travel Guide

    Åmot Municipality

    Åmot municipality is a small agricultural municipality. The name ‘Åmot’ refers to the meeting of rivers, and the municipality has the name because two major rivers meet here.

    Rena

    Town

    Rena is the administrative centre of Åmot municipality. Around 2,100 people live here and the main industry here is agriculture and forestry. The town was built up in the 19th century as communications improved along the river. During World War II, the town was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe because it was believed that King Haakon and the government were hiding here.

    Stor Elvdal Municipality

    Stor-Elvdal municipality is a forested municipality with some mountains towards the west side of the municipality, where the Hedmarksvidda plateau is. In the north is the Rondane national park region. The municipality is characterised by the Glomma river, which flows through it. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson characterised Stor-Elvdal as Norway’s “Rhine Valley”.

    Atna

    Town

    Atna is a small settlement just off the highway. If you are looking for a food/coffee break, Glopheim Café is a protected building and the only one of its type protected in Norway. Unfortunately, at time of writing the café is listed as closed and the microbrewery it helped revive went bankrupt in 2022.

    Rendalen Municipality

    Rendalen municipality is a heavily forested area with some mountains towards the western end. The municipality has a declining population; in the 1960s over 3,000 people lived here. Today, the number is around 1,700. The main industries here are forestry and agriculture.

    Alvdal Municipality

    The coat-of-arms of Alvdal represents skis, indicating the importance of skiing in the area but also the discovery of some of Norway’s oldest skis – dating to the 6th century – in the area. Alvdal is a mountainous municipality with some wild reindeer in the mountains. There has been human activity here since the Old Stone Age (before 4000BC).

    Alver

    Town

    Alvdal is a small town (pop. 2,418) with a long tradition of mining, as is common in this part of Norway. There has been mining in Alvdal since 1656, when the first finds of copper ore were made nearby. Mining didn’t take off until copper was found in Folldal in 1745. The mines in Folldal got into disputes with the mining operations in Røros, including access to timber. Due to the little access to timber in Folldal, a smelting hut was built in Alvdal instead. Alvdal has plenty of access to timber. It was less resource intensive to transfer ore to Alvdal than it was to transport wood to Folldal.

    New mines were built around the area in the 18th century. From 1905, a cable car was used to transport ore to Alvdal. Mining operations declined and have mostly ended now. Today the largest employer is the dairy company, and many people work in agriculture and the timber industry.

    Tynset Municipality

    Tynset municipality is a historic mining municipality. Tynset was first mentioned in 1211, when the archbishop of Nidaros in Trondheim had a stave church built here.

    Tynset

    Town

    Tynset is located a few minutes drive off the highway, but is a good town to detour into. Tynset is a small town located in the north of Østerdalen, or the Eastern Valley. It is first mentioned in 1211, when the archbishop of Nidaros consecrated a stave church. There is no stave church today; there are parts from an old stave church at Kvikne (more on that below).

    The town is known for its vast areas of forest and mountains, which are ideal for outdoor activities. Tynset is also one of the few places where most of its mountain farms (seter) are in use. You can visit them when hiking, and even rent some for the night.

    Kvikne

    Town

    Kvikne is home to the Kvikne copperworks, founded in 1630, which was one of Norway’s first copperworks. This led to the population in the mountain village rising and laying a foundation for further development. The copperworks was run by the Danish King, and was the largest copper plant in Norway. Eventually Folldal and Røros became more important, and Kvikne was clsoed down in 1812, though operations continued in a much smaller capacity until 1912. Only ruins remain today, but you can visit them.

    Kvikne Church (“Kviknes Kirke”) is from 1654 and seats 203. It has decorated equipment and an interior with a carved altarpiece and pulpit. The crucifix is in the Romanesque style and dates to around 1200. In the attic, stave church planks in the Urnes style (a famous early pattern design on stave churches) have been found, probably from an older church on the site. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was baptised in the church.

    Close to the church is the Bjørgan vicarage, a museum and former vicarage in Kvikne. It is considered an artists home as Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) was born here and lived here until he was five. The house is built in 1780 and was a vicarage until 1860. The building was supposed to be demolished, but it was saved in an attempt to make it a museum for Bjørnson. Several items from his time are on display in the museum. 

    Rennebu Municipality

    Rennebu municipality is a mountainous municipality with both the Trollheimen and Forollhogna national parks partly located here. The name Rennebu comes from an old village that was on the road between Oslo and Trondheim.

    Ulsberg

    Town

    This drive ends at Ulsberg, which is where the Rv3 and E6 meet.

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Folldal, National Highways, Road-trips, Røros, Trondheim

    Drive it Yourself: Trondheim to Røros on the Fv30

    Drive it Yourself: Trondheim to Røros on the Fv30

    The Fv30 is a short but scenic highway that travels from near Trondheim across to the eastern part of Norway and the UNESCO World Heritage site of Røros. Along the way, you’ll pass charming agricultural villages and some of the historic mines.

    In this article...

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    Download this guide to have it as a PDF ready to go for your road-trip!

    All downloadable guides come with an interactive Google Map for easier navigation. 

    View on Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    The drive: Trondheim to Røros

    Trondheim

    This drive begins in Trondheim, Norway’s third-largest city. 

    Trondheim Travel Guide

    Støren

    Town

    Støren is the administrative centre of the municipality and has a population of around 2,300 people. The village was built up in the mid-19th century and saw growth when the Dovrebanen railway station was constructed.

    In the village you can see Støren Church (address Kjørkvollveien 2, 7290 Støren), a historic octagonal church from 1817. The earliest mention of a church here was in 1432, but the church was not new that year. The first church was likely a stave church from the 12th century. The church you see today is the third church to be on the site.

    You will be following the Rørosbanen train line, so almost every village will have a train station.

    This drive is pretty remote with not too many places to stop at, but it is still a nice drive and Røros is worth it!

    Gaula

    River

    You are following the Gaula river, a 153km long river that runs through central Norway. The Gaula is regarded as one of the top five salmon fishing rivers in Norway.

    Rognes

    Village

    Rognes is a small village with a population of 200. The main industry here is agriculture, but there used to be a shoe factory and mechanical workshops here. One of the farms in the village, Bones Gård, is mentioned in the Old Norse sagas.

    Singsås

    Village

    Singsås is a small village with a population of around 1000. The village is an agricultural village, though some forestry also takes place. Singsås church is from 1884, but the first church on the site is likely from the 13th century. A crucifix in the current church has been dated to 1280, and it’s believed it came from the original church. The original church was likely a stave church but was located about 5km northeast of the town.

    Holtålen Municipality

    Holtålen municipality is a mostly remote municipality with large mountain areas and part of the Forollhogna National Park. The Kjøli mine is located in the municipality and is Northern Europe’s deepest mine.

    The coat-of-arms shows a ptarmigan, which was chosen to reflect the importance of hunting in the municipality.

    Holtålen

    Village

    Haltdalen is a small village located in the upper part of the Gauldalen valley, one of Norway’s longest valley. The Haltdalen Stave Church is from here but is now in an open-air museum in Trondheim. The stave church is from 1170 and is the only stave church of the East Scandinavian style that has been preserved, making it one of the oldest wooden buildings in Norway. The church was replaced in 1704 and then again in 1881 with the current church. The stave church managed to survive all of this and was handed over to Trondheim in 1882.

    Gammelgården is Haltdalen’s first vicarage and was built at the beginning of the 18th century. Today the main building and two storehouses from the 1750s remain.

    Renbygda

    Village

    Renbygda is the administrative centre of Holtålen municipality. In the village is Ålen Church, which replaced a stave church from the Middle Ages. Parts of Ålen Stave Church were used to build Haltdalen Stave Church, for example the west portal and west wall in Haltdalen stave church comes from Ålesn stave church. The current church is from 1881. There are two church bells in the church, the oldest one being from 1736.

    Røros Municipality

    Røros municipality is named after the town of Røros and is a UNESCO World Heritage area for its mining history. More about Røros will be explained when you reach the town.

    Røros municipality is one of the coldest places in Norway, and the coldest temperature recorded was -50C in January 1914. Most of the municipality is at around 630 metres above sea level and is mostly forested with birch. Two national parks, Femundsmarka national park and Forollhogna national park are partly within the municipality.

    The coat-of-arms comes from the old symbol for copper, which was heavily mined in Røros for centuries.

    Historically the municipality was inhabited by the South Sami people, who did reindeer herding here. In 2022 the national government approved a resolution to add an official Sami language name for the municipality: Rosse.

    Røros

    Town

    Røros is one of the most fascinating towns in Norway, and it is also seriously underrated. Located close to the Swedish border, Røros is a well-preserved historic town with charming wooden houses and an important industrial past.

    Røros was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980. In 2010, the listing was expanded to include the Circumference.

    Here’s the reasoning:

    Røros Mining Town and Circumference is linked to the copper mines, established in the 17th century and exploited for 333 years until 1977. The site comprises the town and its industrial-rural cultural landscapes; Femundshytta, a smelter, and the Winter Transport Route. Røros contained about 2000 wooden one and two-storey houses and a smelting cabin. Many of these buildings have preserved their blackened wooden facades, giving the town a medieval appearance. Surrounded by a buffer zone, coincident with the area of privileges (the Circumference) granted to the mining enterprise by the Danish-Norwegian Crown, the property illustrates the establishment of a lasting culture based on copper mining in a remote region and harsh climate.

    “Røros is a unique mining town built exclusively of wood. The town has for 333 years been a melting pot of cultures and influences from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Trondheim and the surrounding district. This has resulted in a wooden house environment, which represents much of Norway’s finest traditions, and is unique in our country’s industrial, social, cultural and architectural areas. The mining town of Røros and its surroundings is a characteristic example of a special traditional style of wood architecture creating a unique town 600 metres above sea level.”

    Be sure to visit the Røros Museum at Lorentz Lossius Gata 45, 7374 Røros

    Røros

    Welcome to Røros! We made it. Røros is a UNESCO World Heritage Area full of history, charm, and things to do. I recommend parking at the Smelthytta Musuem and exploring Røros on foot. You can spend heaps of time here – be sure to make the most of it.

    Røros Travel Guide

    The Previous Drive

    The Rondane National Park

    The best way to get to Folldal is by taking the Rondane Tourist Road. 

    Rondane Tourist Road

    The Next Drive

    Oppdal to Kristiansund

    On the following day we drove to Kristiansund on the west coast of Norway via Oppdal. 

    Oppdal to Kristiansund

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Folldal, National Highways, Road-trips, Rondane, Røros

    Drive it Yourself: Folldal to Røros: A Scenic Drive Through the Industrial Region of Eastern Norway

    Drive it Yourself: Folldal to Røros: A Scenic Drive Through the Industrial Region of Eastern Norway

    I love Røros. I’m fairly positive I begin each article about Røros with that statement, but it’s very true. Røros has an incredible history and is a very well preserved town. I’m surprised more travellers in Norway don’t go there.

    When we are visiting Røros in September 2020, we were driving up from Ringebu via the Rondane National Park. The road to Røros isn’t direct, but we didn’t mind. Little did we know that we were actually driving through a historic mining region. The road from Folldal to Røros is a very old mining area – mining began here in the 17th century. Many of the towns you pass through on this drive were established thanks to Røros Copperworks – the main mining company here.

    Even if mining isn’t of interest to you, don’t pass up a chance to drive through this gorgeous part of the country.

    Here’s my drive from Folldal to Røros via Alvdal on Highway 3 in Norway.

    In this article...

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Folldal to Røros

    Folldal Mines

    Historic Site

    We begin at the Folldal mines, an old 18th century mine that is today heritage listed in Norway.

    Mining was the main industry in Folldal from the 18th century until 1993.

    Folldal Works (Folldal Verk) was founded in 1748, the same year the main copper mine opened. Copper, mine and zinc was all mined in Folldal. It was then transported by horse carriage to the neighbouring Alvdal municipality, where there was a smelter. In 1906, a 34km-long cable car (North Europe’s longest) was built to transport goods to the smelter.

    The main mine closed in 1941, but smelting continued using ore from other deposits until 1968. Business closed in 1993.

    Today the mines are a museum.

    The museum has short opening hours – late June to mid-August. They have some really interesting attractions and ticket combos, so I will be back!

    You can drive up to the carpark and wander around outside for free.

    Click here to view their website.

    On their website you’ll find opening hours and ticket fees.

    Vassaga

    Historic Site/Detour

    Vassaga is a preserved sawmill from 1900. It is powered by water and is unique because it has a special device for sawing shavings. This is the only known instance of a sawmill having a device for shavings. The shavings are used in roofing in the area.

    You’ll see signs pointing to it from the highway.

    Folldal Church

    Church/Detour

    Folldal Church is located on the road that leads to Vassaga. The church is a typical rural church from the late 19th century. The altarpiece inside is from the 17th century.

    Grimsbu

    Village

    Grimsbu is a tiny town; when I was researching it, some of the top hits on the web were for the IKEA furniture named after the town!

    There is a campsite in Grimsbu – the Grimsbu Turistsenter – that has everything you’ll ever need when camping. From Grimsbu, there are hiking and skiing trails plus spots for fishing.

    There is an ancient road in Grimsbu called Byveien. It is a route over the mountain that from around 1050 until the Reformation connected the pilgrims routes through Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen. In the 12th century, the road was laid out as a pilgrimate route from Innlandet to Nidaros. The road was forgotten for many centuries, but now there is an active effort to restore the road. The trail is north of Grimsbu. An image of it can be seen here. 

    Grimsbu also has an old BP petrol station that looks as it did when it was put there in 1955. There used to be a country store on the property – it dates back to 1900 – but in the 50s they modernised with a petrol station. A website for it is found here (also the image source). 

    The BP station is by the Fv29 and across the street from the Grimsbu Turistsenter – a hotel/cafe/shop building.

    Einunna

    Historic Site

    When Norway was invaded on 9 April 1940, a group of Norwegians mobilised in Alvdal. They organised a defence at Einunna Bridge by blowing it up.

    When the Germans arrive on 26 April, they inspected the bridge and the Norwegians surprised them with gunfire. A fight commenced, but the Norwegians were buried in snow and hard to see. The German tanks managed to keep the Norwegians down so most of the Germans could get out. They tried to advance, but it was impossible. The Germans did eventually occupy Alvdal, but they came in via another road.

    From 2020, the bridge is being rebuilt.

    There was a rest area, but when I visited it was closed due to the construction work.

    Info about the WWII battle

    Musea i Nord Osterdalen link

    Alvdal Municipality

    You cross into Alvdal Municipality.

    Alvdal

    Town

    Alvdal is a small town (pop. 2,418) with a long tradition of mining, as is common in this part of Norway (and the focus of our drive!).

    There has been mining in Alvdal since 1656, when the first finds of copper ore were made nearby. Mining didn’t take off until copper was found in Folldal in 1745.

    The mines in Folldal got into disputes with the mining operations in Røros, including access to timber. Due to the little access to timber in Folldal, a smelting hut was built in Alvdal instead. Alvdal has plenty of access to timber. It was less resource intensive to transfer ore to Alvdal than it was to transport wood to Folldal.

    New mines were built around the area in the 18th century. From 1905, a cable car was used to transport ore to Alvdal.

    Mining operations declined and have mostly ended now. Today the largest employer is the dairy company, and many people work in agriculture and the timber industry.

    Glomma River

    River

    At 621km (386 mi), the Glomma is Norway’s longest river. It has a drainage basin that covers 13% of Norway’s surface area, all in the southern part of the country.

    At its full length, the river runs from Aursund near Røros and empties into the Oslofjord in Fredrikstad.

    The combination of raw materials, water power and transport has over the centuries encouraged industry along the Glomma. Some of the country’s largest manufacturing and processing businesses are found at its mouth.

    Tynset Municipality

    You cross into Tynset Municipality.

    Tynset

    Town

    Tynset is a small town located in the north of Østerdalen, or the Eastern Valley. It is first mentioned in 1211, when the archbishop of Nidaros consecrated a stave church. There is no stave church today; there are parts from an old stave church at Kvikne (more on that below).

    The town is known for its vast areas of forest and mountains, which are ideal for outdoor activities. Tynset is also one of the few places where most of its mountain farms (seter) are in use. You can visit them when hiking, and even rent some for the night.

    Kickers/kicksleds (Norwegian: spark) are produced here. The world’s largest kicker is in the main square of Tynset; it is four times life-size.

    Kvikne

    Historic Site/Detour

    Kvikne is home to the Kvikne copperworks, founded in 1630, which was one of Norway’s first copperworks. This led to the population in the mountain village rising and laying a foundation for further development. The copperworks was run by the Danish King, and was the largest copper plant in Norway. Eventually Folldal and Røros became more important, and Kvikne was clsoed down in 1812, though operations continued in a much smaller capacity until 1912. Only ruins remain today, but you can visit them.

    Kvikne Church is from 1654 and seats 203. It has decorated equipment and an interior with a carved altarpiece and pulpit. The crucifix is in the Romanesque style and dates to around 1200. In the attic, stave church planks in the Urnes style have been found, probably from an older church on the site. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson was baptised in the church.

    Close to the church is the Bjørgan vicarage, a museum and former vicarage in Kvikne. It is considered an artists home as Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910) was born here and lived here until he was five.

    The house is built in 1780 and was a vicarage until 1860. The building was supposed to be demolished, but it was saved in an attempt to make it a museum for Bjørnson. Several items from his time are on display in the museum.

    Kvikne is a 40 minute drive from Tynset, so it is quite the detour but worth doing.

    Telneset

    Town

    The next small town along the Fv30 is Telneset. It is not an old town; it was actually built up alongside the establishment of the Røros Line in 1877. A small community was built up around the train station, and soon there was a post office and a sawmill. The sawmill made materials for building houses, and soon there was a concrete foundry to supply roof tiles and pipes, plus a carpentry to make windows, doors and furniture.

    Telneset saw a dramatic event take place here during World War II. On 24 April 1940, the Germans were coming up Østerdalen while a train with Norwegians was in retreat. The train was shelled and had to stop at Telneset. German planes came and dropped 13 bombs on the train and the damage was great; six Norwegians were killed.

    Today Telneset is a small agricultural community.

    Tolga Municipality

    You cross into Tolga Municipality.

    Tolga

    Town

    Our next stop is Tolga, which was built up around the Tolga smeltehytte (smelting cabin) in the 1660s. The smelter was operated by Røros Kobberverk and it was in operation until 8171. Tolga was a suitable location because it had waterfall power plus a good supply of timber.

    Today many people work in agricultural, though the municipality is the largest employer.

    In the town centre you’ll find an old farmstead called Dølmotunet. During the summer there are tons of activities thee, and an exhibition has items from the Stone Age to the 19th century.

    You can learn more about the smelter here. 

    Os

    Town

    Os is a small village with about 25% of the population working in agriculture. The timber industry is also important to the region.

    A skirmish took place here duing World War II. It was the last skirmish in the region before the Germans were able to occupy the area, and it was one of the few fighting operations where Swedish and Finnish volunteers participated in fighting against the occupying forces in 1940. The Germans burned down eight farms as reprisals.

    In Os you’ll find a museum with objects preserved from the region. The Forollhogna National Park is also nearby. The mountain peaks are popular for skiing in the winter.

    Trøndelag County

    You cross into Trøndelag County.

    Røros Municipality

    You cross into Røros Municipality.

    Røros

    Welcome to Røros! We made it. Røros is a UNESCO World Heritage Area full of history, charm, and things to do. I recommend parking at the Smelthytta Musuem and exploring Røros on foot. You can spend heaps of time here – be sure to make the most of it.

    Røros Travel Guide

    The Previous Drive

    The Rondane National Park

    The best way to get to Folldal is by taking the Rondane Tourist Road. 

    Rondane Tourist Road

    The Next Drive

    Oppdal to Kristiansund

    On the following day we drove to Kristiansund on the west coast of Norway via Oppdal. 

    Oppdal to Kristiansund

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Røros, Walking Guides

    A Self-Guided Walk through Røros

    A Self-Guided Walk through Røros

    When the husband and I went on our road-trip back in September 2020, this was one of the articles I knew I was going to write. Røros has always fascinated me; not just because it’s so picturesque but also due to its UNESCO World Heritage status as a historic mining town. I couldn’t find a good self-guided walking tour online, so I decided to make my own when I was there. 

    Before I start, I will say that there are a couple different options for doing a walk in Røros. Firstly, most of the buildings have QR codes on them that link to a summary of the location. Secondly, and most importantly, there are guided tours of Røros. I’d recommend hiring a guide (who lives there and knows the town inside and out) and seeing Røros that way. I’ve designed my guide more as an overview of what to expect in Røros. You can follow the path, of course, but the best info comes from a guide (after all, I do walking tours of Bergen!). This isn’t sponsored or anything; I just prefer guided tours.

    Anyway, here’s my self-guided walking tour of Røros. 

    Røros Travel Guide

    In this article...

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    Røros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    I offer downloadable versions of my self-guided walks on my online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Røros Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Start: Smeltehytta Museum

    The Smeltahytta Museum is a great introduction to the mining and smelting history of Røros. Outside is a large carpark, so park the car and lets begin the walk!

    Smeltehytta Museum Guide

    The Sintering Shed

    The land was originally used for storing deposits of gravel, but in the 1890s a small smeltery was constructed to smelt silica ore. In Norwegian, the word is ‘sintring’ – hence the name of the shed. 

    Røros Kobberverk experimented with smelting silica in order to improve production efforts.

    Today the building is a storage shed.

    You’ll see an information board to the left of the building with some info on the Røros UNESCO region. 

    Hytteklokka

    Hytteklokka, or the Smelting Bell (in Norwegian klokk = bell. It can be confusing!) was the shift clock for workers in the smelter. Because the smelter had to be active 24.7, the workers worked in shifts. The bell was rung every time a shift was over and a new one began. The original bell tower was much taller; it was replaced in the 1890s. 

    Røros Church

    How beautiful is this church? You can’t miss it; it’s visible from almost anywhere in town.

    Røros Church was built between 1780 and 1784. It was funded by Røros Kobberverk and the cost of the church was the equivalent of 450 miners’ yearly salaries! It’s crazy to also know that the company’s turnover was enough to build 3-4 buildings at that cost per year.

    To the locals, Røros Church is known as ‘Bergstadens Ziir’. Bergstaden is a name for a mining town, and Ziir means ‘pride’. So it translates to “the pride of the mining town”.

    On the tower of the church you can see the logo for Røros Kobberverks; it’s one of few churches in Norway to display the logo of its main sponsor on the exterior. 

    If you ever manage to get lost in Røros (that alone is a feat!), you can always see the church. 

    Kjerkegata

    Historically there are two main streets in Røros, and this is one of them. We’ll be on the other one soon.

    Kjerkgata is traditionally a business street, and almost every property was a farm (gård or gaard), trading house, and home. 

    Source 1

    Trygstad Bakery

    Every small town has a bakery, and Røros has many. Trygstad Bakery is one of the most historic.

    The name is from Edvard Trygstad, who moved to Røros when he was 22 years old (1899). He worked at another bakery for a while, but in 1906 he started his own bakery. It quickly became known as having good quality, and in 1916 he bought the current building. 

    Today the bakery is owned by his descendants. 

    The bakery was featured in an episode of Alt for Norge, a competition series where Norwegian-Americans come to Norway to learn about their family. 

    Trygstad Bakery is one of the oldest businesses in Røros. We had lunch and then breakfast here, and I can confirm it is amazing – some of the best coffee I’ve ever had! It’s a very cramped and overcrowded bakery, but it’s part of the charm, right?

    Bakery Website

    Bergmannsgata

    Welcome to the second main street in Røros! The name ‘Bergmannsgata’ comes from the professional title of a miner: Bergmann. The current layout here is from the 17th century, shortly after the founding of Røros. 

    Many of the houses here have wide openings on the lower floor: this was for the animals. Behind the house would be a stable with farm animals; this was necessary to surviving in Røros. A typical house had 4-6 cows. Today there are no cows, but some houses still have horses. 

    Source 1

    Rasmusgården

    This house is a great example of a miners home + working farm. It was likely built at the end of the 17th century; the house hasn’t changed since the early 1800s but the farmhouse out the back is likely the same as it was in the 1680s! Today this is regarded as one of the oldest farm buildings in Røros.

    The property is named after Olaf Rasmus Vintervold, who was a miner. 

    A lot of animals have lived here. In a census from 1865 there was 1 horse, 5 cows and 6 sheep living here. In the title deed from 1748, the property had 1 ox, 3 cows, 1 calf, 4 goats, 3 chickens, 3 sheep and 2 lambs – all on this tiny property!

    Rasmusgarden was also a travellers stables. When the horses arrived in winter, it was required that they would have a stable and the people would have a place to stay. Many houses doubled as these travellers stables (property for both horse and man). 

    Today the property is owned by the Norwegian Preservation for Ancient Monuments (Fortidsminneforeningen) and can be rented out if you want to spent the night there. 

    Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3

    Finnegården

    Finnegården is one of the only houses with an intact farm structure. Most of the outbuildings are preserved, to some extent, in their original character.

    The interiors of this house are incredibly well preserved. The wallpaper is from the 1890s and is intended to mimic golden leather. It was likely produced in Belgium and very expensive.

    Finnegården is where the wealthy Engzelius family lived. The term ‘storing’ is used about the upper class in Røros; they worked in a higher position at the mine and they also created their wealth on trade and other business activities. The Engzelius family was one of the most prominent ‘storing’ families in Røros. They weren’t just merchants but also worked in industry and banking. 

    In total, there are 60 rooms inside – huge for a building in Røros. 

    Today the building is under protection. 

    Pictures | Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Excellent Interior Picture Gallery

    Lion Pharmacy

    Løve = Lion
    apoteket = Pharmacy

    The pharmacy was established in 1821 and supplied the entire Circumference (mining region). 

    The pharmacist didn’t just have drugs and medicines. They also sold prunes, raisins, candy sugar and self-made chocolate. For a while, they even sold liquor. Whenever the transport workers arrived in Røros, you can bet the first place they went was the pharmacy!

    Today the pharmacy is located closed to the modern shopping area. The interior of this pharmacy is well preserved, with murals painted in 1936. 

    Why is it called a lion pharmacy? Are there lions in Røros? It’s actually very common in Germanic countries (Scandinavia, Germany, Austria) to name pharmacies after animals. Lions and swans are the most common names in Norway, while in Germany and Austria they have animals like rhinos, pelicans and stork. 

    Photo 1 | Photo 2

    Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3

    Sleggveien

    Welcome to perhaps one of the most photographed streets in Røros.

    These houses are very different than the ones we just waked through. Most of the people who lived on this street were poor and didn’t own their own animals. Additionally, they very likely did not work in mining.

    The people who lived in Sleggveien were craftsmen, cleaners, gypsies and others who had no permanent work at Røros Kobberverk. They had no land to farm. The women earned a living as domestic servants in wealthy homes, while the men were likely cobblers, clock and watch repairmen, or maybe musicians. 

    These days, some of the houses are open to the public in summer. You can find further info below. 

    NOTE – some of these homes are private residences. Please be respectful when walking through the street. I’ve outlined which houses are not lived in, but for the ones that are please don’t look through windows, mailboxes, etc. I know it seems like a common courtesy, but it is a growing problem. 

    Opening Hours | Thursday evening Concerts

    Source 1 | Source 2 

    Slag/slegg

    We’ve made it to Mt. Slag! Well, that’s not it’s official name, but it does feel like a bit of a hike to get up here. 

    What is slag (slegg in Norwegian)? It is a mixture of oxides, silicates and other residues formed during the production and refining of metals. Basically, it’s waste from the smelting process. 

    These slag heaps are the result of 300 years of smelting ore at the smeltery.

    Originally, slag was transported across the bridge via horse and cart. In 1889, a cable and bucket system was built over the river. The bridge (we’ll see it soon) is what is left of the slag transport system. 

    Source 1

    Røros Copperworks

    This complex is where the Røros Kobberverk had their offices and workshops. The oldest buildings along the river are from before 1820. The other buildings are from after 1940. 

    From right to left:

    • Blacksmith: This stone building is from the 1880s and is where the blacksmith was. The blacksmith’s job was to make and repair tools, equipment and utensils for all mining activities. 
    • Workshop: This is from 1800, with an additional floor coming a few decades later. The ground-floor was a carpenters workshop and the upper floor was used by bellows makers. The bellows makers assembled, maintained and repaired the air bellows that forced air into the furnaces into the smeltery. The building is still a carpentry workshop. 
    • Wheelwrights/Wheelmakers Workshop: This is also from between 1800 and 1820, and it is where wagon wheels and water wheels were made. These were very important for mining, and a wheelwright was regarded as one of the most skilled and qualified of artisans. 
    • Bellows Workshop: This is one of the oldest buildings in the complex. Built in the early 1800s, this is where the bellow makers constructed, repaired and maintained the bellows. Bellows are used in the smeltery to construct, repair and maintain the bellows that were used to force air into the furnaces. They were highly respected craftsmen. 
    • The Office Building: This is from between 1800 and 1820 and served as the office for company staff members. On the second floor is where the surveyor’s office was. His job was to survey the land and draw up plans, make models and maps that were about the ore deposits and mines. Today the building is used by the Røros Preservation Centre. 
    • Iron Shed: The iron shed is another early 19th century building. As the name suggests, rod iron was stored here and then utilised to make different types of machinery and equipment. The building is almost exactly the same as when it was built – the windows were added in the late 1800s. 
    • Work House: The last building in the lineup is the work house – it is where heavy carpentry work was done. Apart from necessary maintenance work, this building is unaltered from when it was built in 1820. 

    Source 1 | 2 | 3 |4| 5 | 6 | 7 

    Slag Transportation System & Dam

    When you stand on the bridge, you get an excellent outlook to the dam and the slag transportation system. 

    Røros Kobberverk erected the smeltery at the waterfall Hitterelva in 1646. The damn was constructed around the same time.

    The water intake powered the vertical saw in the sawmill, which was located on the eastern (across from the museum) side of the river. 

    The sawmill was used for more than 200 years. When it was closed in 1920, they dismantled it. When the dam was being restored, the remains were found and a new building is built over them to protect them. If you look in the picture, it’s the light-coloured wooden building on the right. The water wheel is on display at the museum. 

    From here you are back at the museum. I hope you enjoyed the walk!

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    Røros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Museums, Røros

    The Røros Museum ‘Smeltehytta’

    The Røros Museum ‘Smeltehytta'

    When you visit Røros, you have to go to the museum. Located just by the church, the museum is a reconstruction of the Smeltehytta that once stood here (I’ll explain what that is below). Inside you’ll find an overview of the unique mining history in Røros, from the process to the finance and beyond. But the museum isn’t just about mining – a topic I know doesn’t appeal to everyone – but the museum is about life in Røros. What was it like to live here 300 years ago? What happened to the Sami people? By visiting the museum, you get this newfound appreciation for the difficulty of living in such a remote spot.

    Back in September 2020, I visited the museum during my road-trip around southern Norway. I was impressed by many aspects of the museum, and it helped when I walked through Røros afterwards. I’ve found information about the museum online to be scattered, so I’ve put together this guide to help you get an understanding of what to expect when visiting.

    In this article...

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    Røros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What is a Smeltehytta? The History of the Site Explained

    A Smeltehytta – or smelting cabin in English – is the place where the copper ore underwent a long and laborious smelting process before the finished product was exported. The mining didn’t take place in Røros but the surrounding area; once the copper ore was extracted, it was transported by horse and sledge to one of the many Smeltehytta’s around Røros. There were twelve Smeltehytta’s in total. The Smeltehytta had to be built by a river to utilise the waterpower, as well as be close to timber as the process required a lot of wood.

    I explain the mining history in-depth on a separate page, which you can view here.

    It’s believed one of the first-ever Smeltehytta’s was built on the site where the museum is today, and the town of Røros grew around it. Sadly, that Smeltehytta is long gone; the cabins were never really preserved. As mining was modernised, so was the smelting process. Also, the Smeltehytta in Røros burned down in 1953 and then again in 1975. Between 1986 and 1988 it was rebuilt as a cultural monument and museum, and a lot of work went into making it look as much like the real thing as possible.

    Inside the museum

    Arriving at the museum

    Signs are pointing to the museum all over town. If you are on foot, it’s a couple of minutes walk from the main street. If you have just arrived by train, it’s only a ten-minute walk (800m). Otherwise, there is a very large car-park outside the museum itself. Please note, though, that the roads leading up to the museum are very narrow for cars and most are one-way; pay attention to which way they go!

    View from the car-park

    Approaching the museum + car-park by car (taken from my YouTube video)

    After parking at the museum, you get an excellent view of Røros Church. Such an amazing view, but don’t let it distract you! You can explore the town after. I got so distracted I forgot to take a photo of the museum.

    Arriving at the museum

    You enter the museum on the top floor. The reception desk is right there, with the souvenir shop just behind. To your right will be an exhibition about Røros as a UNESCO World Heritage-listed region. It’s mostly just text on boards, but there are some great images there. The exhibition also shows you the other UNESCO sites in Norway, including beautiful Bryggen in Bergen. You can see what it looks like here.

    The shop is excellent, but I’ll talk about that below.

    Once you get your ticket and brochure, you head downstairs to the bottom floor: it’s two floors down. There’s also a lift. This is where the main exhibitions are.

    Vaskaryss og Bersa: A Sculpture Exhibition

    Before you walk into the main exhibition about mining, you’ll pass through this sculpture exhibit. It’s called ‘Vaskaryss og Bersa’ and it is a series of sculptures by local artist Per Sverre Dahl. The sculptures depict the dark side of mining in the early years: child labour and poor work conditions. The sculptures are excellent, but you are likely to skip right by them on your way to the main exhibit.

    The Main Exhibit: Mining around Røros

    This is what you came for. It shows examples of how mining and smelting took place in Røros from the 17th to the 19th century – i.e. pre-modernisation. It highlights the organisation, use of materials, and financing.

    Immediately you’re greeted with this huge display that says all the names of the mines and all the different jobs at each mine. It also shows how long they lasted. It’s a great visual representation of just how big mining was here, but note it’s all in Norwegian – old Norwegian too!

    Of course, one of the first displays is copper ore. You have to see what they made their money on. This piece is taken from Gamle Storwartz mine – the first mine in the region.

    There is another incredible display outlining how much copper was extracted each year, plus when each mine was in operation. I love visual displays like this; it’s so much nicer than reading a wall of text. If you read many of my pieces about museums, you’ll see I don’t care much for museums that are just made up of text. I like visual representations – that’s why I go to museums! If I wanted just text, I’d read a book. Anyway.

    After passing these displays, you turn into the main room. Here you see the models that represent how the process works. There’s also a section with items from the old mines. I should say that the items leftover from the mines is very minimal. While I found that disappointing, it’s worth remembering that the miners were not exactly preoccupied with preserving everything when doing that hard manual labour every day.

    The models are incredible. They move and replicate exactly what the mining process was like. It helped me understand how it all worked. I was mesmerised by the quality and attention to detail that went into these models. They are fantastic. You’ll spend most of your time here looking at them.

    The Ruins

    After walking through this room, you’ll reach the end. It feels small but go through the large barn door to your left. This is an additional room with models, but there’s also the remains of the old smelter here.

    In this room, you’ll also find some old photos. Many of these photos can be seen online here.

    Be sure to look up! This painting is above the entrance to this room.

    The barn-like room is where you see most of the old smelter. It’s great any of it remains considering it burned down in 1953 and 1975. There are old tools and gear here, and they aren’t in any exhibition case. They are just left scattered around, as though the workers have put them down for their break. I like this authenticity. It’s rough, rugged, and authentic.

    However, the room is small. You’re done in no time. Head back to the main exhibition room and then from there you head upstairs.

    Upper floor exhibition

    On the middle floor is an exhibition called Ti Finpussa (In Their Finery). It is a collection of clothing pieces that were worn by people in Røros throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It shows how people dressed for the weekend, holidays, and parties. The clothing is inspired by European trends, but also reflects the practical needs of the people living here.

    I remember that almost all the information was in Norwegian. Luckily I had my husband there to translate, but we moved through this exhibition pretty fast and I didn’t take any photo.

    You can see the exhibition here.

    Temporary exhibitions

    The museum has temporary exhibitions every year. We didn’t go – I don’t think there were any when we visited. In 2021 they have an exhibition on the Alta Hydropower project, which is interesting considering Alta is very far away from Røros. My guess is that it ties in with the Sami community in Røros. Click here to view info on the exhibit.

    Interestingly, I couldn’t find any info about the temporary exhibitions on their English website; just the Norwegian website. Either they haven’t updated it, or they are only doing it in Norwegian.

    Visiting the museum

    How long should I spend here?

    The museum is small, and we were in and out within an hour. Of course, that depends on your interests.

    When is it open?

    The opening hours are:

    • 20 June – 15 August: 10.00 – 18.00
    • 16 August – 10 September: 10.00 – 16.00
    • 11 September – 31 May: 10.00 – 15.00 
    • 1 June – 19 June: 10.00 – 16.00

    NOTE – they update their website often, and I may not be able to update in time. Check the current opening hours here.

    Practical Information

    Accessibility

    The main exhibition is down two flights of stairs, but there is a lift as well.

    Audio guides

    They have audio guides you can borrow at the museum, or you can load it up on your phone ahead of time. The ones in the museum come in English, Norwegian, French and German. The one online seems to be in English.

    The audio guide for your phone is here.

    Want to get a really good overview of the museum? You can listen to it all online here. Or wait until you actually get there.

    Guided Tours

    Guided tours are available in the summer, and I highly recommend them. During summer, they have one English-language tour a day at 11am. During winter, they offer guided tours in English and Norwegian at 1pm.

    Check the current tour info here.

    Online exhibitions

    There is a crazy amount of information online, and there are two websites that are ‘online exhibitions’.

    The first one is about Røros on the World UNESCO List. There is so much info there. Click here to view the website.

    The second website is about Sami Culture & Heritage in Røros. Why is this an online-only exhibition? I wish I could’ve seen this in person. Click here to view the website.

    Parking

    Parking is free and located just outside the museum. It’s a fairly large carpark.

    Shop

    The shop is huge and full of goodies. There are many, many books on Røros – most of them are in Norwegian, though.

    There’s a section of Sami goods, including jewellery and handicrafts. The husband surprised me with a necklace from there; he knows Sami jewellery is my favourite thing.

    You can find the Røros tweed blankets here, as well as locally made ceramics and food.

    There’s also the standard t-shirts, postcards and magnets type of souvenirs.

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    Røros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • History, Røros

    The Fascinating History of Mining in Røros

    The Fascinating History of Mining in Røros

    I love Røros. It is one of those places that has been on my list for a while, and finally in September 2020 I got to visit. I’m in love. If I didn’t live in Bergen, this website would be called iloveroros.net.

    One of the big reasons I love Røros is the history. There is so much here. Røros is a UNESCO World Heritage Area for its preserved town centre and unique mining heritage. There’s a lot to unpack, so I’ve put it all together into one article.

    This is a summarised version of the history of mining in Røros. There is a wealth of information online, and I’ve done my best to create a list of resources for you. Additionally, the museum shop is full of books about mining. I’m very grateful for these resources, as it allows me to write my version of the mining history. I couldn’t have done it without the readily available material online. I’ve posted all the links at the bottom of this page.

    In this article...

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    RØros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The Early Years

    There wasn’t much here before mining came. A South Sami community grazed their reindeer here, and there were a few scattered settlements. That’s about it.

    Interest in mining started with the Danish-Norwegian King, Christian IV. Due to all the wars with Sweden, Denmark-Norway was in desperate need of minerals, metal deposits, and money. The three m’s. There was another mine already here: Kvikne Copper Works. It was – at the time – the country’s largest mine. Assuming there were more mining opportunities, Christian IV put out a statement. In it, he said that great rewards will come to those who found some of that good stuff under the ground.

    A local man discovered copper in the ground while out reindeer hunting. After that, it took just months before the first mine – Old Storwartz – was in operation. Men came from Kvikne to help build up the mine. Operations began in August 1644 after recruiting some Norwegian soldiers, but it wasn’t great. There were bad deposits here, and the mine was only in operation for a few months. Eventually, though, the region became a good sport for mining and new mines went up all over the landscape.

    The establishment of Røros Kobberverk (Røros Copper Works) was to manage all mining activity. The company operated from 1644 until its closure in 1977.

    The Circumference

    Once it was clear that mining was the future of the region, Christian IV issued a letter of privilege to Røros Kobberverk. The letter gave them exclusive rights to minerals, forests and watercourses within an area bounded by a circle. The circle has a radius of four ancient Norwegian miles (45.2km) with a centre at the Old Storwaltz mine. This is the Circumference.

    What happened if you were one of the few farmers in that area? Well, for a fee, the farmers had to sell their products and goods to Røros Kobberverk and do work for them. But this wasn’t a bad thing; back then the farmers needed a second source of income, and the mining activity was able to provide that. The farmers who did work for the plant typically transported goods or provided timber. The farmers had one day off a week and one month off a year, which they used for their farms.

    Within the Circumference, Røros began to grow as a hub for the mining activity. it also helped that the main smelting plant, now a museum, was here.

    Today the UNESCO World Heritage Area is the Circumference. When driving in and out of Røros, you will see signs indicating where the UNESCO site begins. That’s the Circumference! How many times have I said Circumference in this piece?

    Bergstad or Røros

    Sometimes you will see Røros mentioned as ‘Bergstad’. A Bergstad is a community that is centred around mining. These mining towns had their own laws and royal agreements. The mining town was in many ways a state, responsible for everything. In Norway, there were only ever two mining towns: Kongsberg and Røros. Today Kongsberg has city status, but Røros is still a designated ‘Bergstad’. It’s more unique that way.

    How did Røros Kobberverk Work?

    This one is a little tricky. The company was a partnership with many owners, and copper was split among the owners according to the size of their share in the company. They then had to sell the copper on their own.

    I’ll explain how the workers well, worked, further down.

    Røros Kobberverk was responsible for the food supplies, education and health services within the Circumference and the surrounding area.

    The Røros website has a detailed overview of the company structure, which you can view here.

    Early Mining

    The most common minerals extracted were copper, zinc, chrome and pyrites. Copper was the dominant mineral, though.

    Early mining was very, very difficult. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, most work was by hand. They broke ore out of the rock by lighting enormous wood fires. The fire heats the rock and forces it to become brittle and crack. Crowbars got the ore out of the rock.

    They needed a lot of wood to do this. When there was a lack of timber, they used explosives. They drilled holes by hand, using sledgehammers, chisels and crowbars. Gunpowder went in the holes, and then they sealed the holes with clay or wooden plugs. After this, they lit the fuse. This way was easier, but having to make holes in the rock was incredibly labour intensive.

    There were many constant issues during the early years of mining. Air ventilation was a problem, as was pumping out water and transporting the ore. Carbon and sulphur gases from the fires and explosives had to leave the mines as quickly as possible. The shafts ensured some circulation of air, and the shafts also lifted out the ore and pumped water. In the early years, individuals had to carry the water out with buckets. As technology developed, though, there were horse-driven bucketing plus water wheels to supply power.

    Growth & Peak of Mining

    It was a shaky start; mining didn’t really take off until 100 years after the founding of Røros Kobberverk. In a period starting from 1740, several mines were bringing in a large number of goods.

    A good sign of the wealth of Røros Kobberverk is the church. It is from 1784 and funded by the company. It made a statement of the Company’s wealth and authority. It’s also fun to know: No other Norwegian company ever contributed so much to the royal income as Røros.

    Røros’ heyday lasted from 1740 until 1814 when Norway’s union with Denmark ended. The mines continued to be profitable until the 1860s when copper prices fell and operations became more expensive.

    Røros Skyline 😉

    Røros Grows as a Town

    The first Smeltehytta (now the museum) was built on the river that flows through today’s Røros in 1646. A clear town plan is seen on the first map of Røros from 1658. The map shows two main streets running parallel joined by linking, smaller lanes. The town today has this same layout. The climate played a huge part in the development of Røros. There was much more shelter by putting the houses close together and protecting against the winter frosts and bad weather. Most of the houses are around a central, sheltered courtyard.

    One of the main streets

    The main street in 1869 (Source)

    Røros was burned down by Swedish troops in 1678 and 1679, and the town we see today is from after these fires.

    Much of the layout of the town is based on status. On the eastern side of Storgata is where you’ll find the company executive’s homes. At the bottom of the street is the impressive General Manager’s house in a Baroque style.

    On Kjerkgata are the labourer’s houses; built on both sides of an evenly spaced street. At the top is the church.

    Haugan is a district that grew in the 17th century. It doesn’t follow the same town plan. The buildings are built more haphazardly. From the middle of the 18th century small single cottages went up – many without outhouses.

    Life as a Worker in Røros

    The majority of people who worked at Røros Kobberverk usually acquired a small farm or smallholding, and they kept animals on their property. The animals are a source of food, and a family without animals would struggle to live here. Also, by having a farm, the families had another way to make money in case it had been a bad year for mining. This was common until as late as the 1960s.

    Workers housing near the Smeltehytta

    Anyone living in Røros had to contribute to mining somehow. The women often worked as cleaners in wealthy homes, or they produced food or clothing.

    In the early years of mining, the miners worked 10-hour days 5 days a week. There was some flexibility; miners could leave when it suited them provided they work back the hours they had taken free. However, this luxury ended in 1713. After that, miners had to live at the mines in barracks for a whole week from Monday to Friday. The barracks had bunk beds along the walls and a central fire to keep them warm.

    Originally, all employed workers received the same daily wage paid out monthly. From 1720 it became more competitive, with types of work auctioned off for the lowest price. These types of auctions and contracts became common by the 1800s to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency.

    The Smelting Process at the Smeltehytta (Smelting Cabins)

    The Smeltehytta was important to copper production. Here the copper ore underwent a long and laborious smelting process. Smelting is the process of separating the good stuff from the raw ore.

    The first Smeltehytta is from 1646. Typically, the Smeltehytta were close to rivers to utilise hydropower. They were in forests as they required large amounts of timber. The two most important factors when building a Smeltehytta was that it was by a river and close to plenty of timber. The river could not freeze in the winter and had to have enough power to drive the bellows that forced air into the smelting furnaces.

    The first Smeltehytta is in Røros. Eventually, they were built all over the Circumference and surrounding area. At the peak, there were twelve Smeltehytta’s in the Circumference. It was cheaper to transport the ore to a Smeltehytta than it was to transport timber to Røros. The Røros smelter survived almost the entire length of Røros Kobberverk’s history. Today, it’s a museum – more on that below.

    The Smeltehytta at Røros

    Slag mountain in Røros. People for scale.

    You’ll see slag all over the landscape, most famously in Røros town centre. Slag is the by-product left over after a metal has been separated (i.e. smelted) from its raw ore. The most famous ‘slag heaps’ are by the Smeltehytta in Røros – they make for a great climb and photo-point today!

    Transportation & the Winter Road

    There was an enormous need for transportation; from the mine to the Smeltehytta and then onwards to the outside world.

    They did most of the transportation during winter. It was much easier to transport goods on frozen lakes and snow. The Winter Road was one of the busiest routes between Sweden and Røros. The road began in Falun, a mining town in Sweden, and went over lakes, rivers and marshlands to Røros. The trip was demanding; the towns are 400km apart (with the modern highway) and the journey could take over six weeks. If the weather was good, the sledge could travel up to 40km a day.

    The transport was done using horses and sledges, and hundreds of horses could be queuing in Røros or one of the Smeltehytta at any one time. Sledges are much easier to pull in winter.

    Because it was such a busy road, many farms and inns were established. They catered to the needs of drivers so both man and horse could find shelter and food. Along the Winter Road is a stretch of farms or inns called Saether, Holla, Korssjøen and Sevatdalen, all typical examples of wayward inns or farms.

    Today the journey takes 5.5 hours in a car. The highway mostly follows the old Winter Road.

    Modernisation of the Mining Process

    From the 1880s, Røros Kobberverk made great investments in modernising the mining process and introducing new technology. By the end of the 1800s, Røros Kobberverks was among the best mines in Europe.

    From the mid-19th century, the process of digging out the rock in the mine improved. Dynamite became commonly used from 1870 onwards. Drilling machines came into use at the end of the 19th century. Electricity came to the mines from 1897 onwards.

    Improvements were made to the smelting process using the Bessemer method, under Frenchman Mahne’s patent. Before the introduction of this process, the smelting process took many days.

    The smelting of copper was eventually centralised at the main plant in Røros and activity at the other Smeltehytta’s discontinued. Sadly the main Smeltehytta at Røros was affected by fires in 1888 and 1953 before burning down in 1975. The building has since been restored.

    A new road network was also improved during the 1800s. In 1877, the Røros Railway was completed and became of vital importance for transportation to and from the copper works.

    20th Century Decline

    The 20th century brought many challenges to Røros Kobberverk. After World War I, work came to a standstill. When it resumed, it was being subsidised by the state. Production continued during World War II, but the smelting plant had stopped until 1946.

    Immediately after the war, work was stable. A massive search for minerals was conducted from the air in 1959. The main mine, Olavsgruva, closed in 1972 and efforts were made on deposits at Lergruvbakken where zinc and copper were mined. The cost of zinc and copper was rising, and this was good for the company.

    However, in the late 1970s prices dropped and large losses began to hit Røros Kobberverk. In 1977, the Board of Røros Kobberverk found it necessary to submit a notice of bankruptcy. After 333 years of mining activity, Røros Kobberverk ended its operations. At that point, it was Norway’s oldest company.

    During its operation, a total of 110,000 tons of copper and 525,000 tons of pyrites was produced.

    UNESCO World Heritage

    Røros was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980. In 2010, the listing was expanded to include the Circumference.

    Here’s the reasoning:

    Røros Mining Town and Circumference is linked to the copper mines, established in the 17th century and exploited for 333 years until 1977. The site comprises the town and its industrial-rural cultural landscapes; Femundshytta, a smelter, and the Winter Transport Route. Røros contained about 2000 wooden one and two-storey houses and a smelting cabin. Many of these buildings have preserved their blackened wooden facades, giving the town a medieval appearance. Surrounded by a buffer zone, coincident with the area of privileges (the Circumference) granted to the mining enterprise by the Danish-Norwegian Crown, the property illustrates the establishment of a lasting culture based on copper mining in a remote region and harsh climate.

    “Røros is a unique mining town built exclusively of wood. The town has for 333 years been a melting pot of cultures and influences from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Trondheim and the surrounding district. This has resulted in a wooden house environment, which represents much of Norway’s finest traditions, and is unique in our country’s industrial, social, cultural and architectural areas. The mining town of Røros and its surroundings is a characteristic example of a special traditional style of wood architecture creating a unique town 600 metres above sea level.”

    The Mines Today: What Can I See?

    With all this talk of mining, you must want to visit one by now! Here’s the modern-day practical info for what’s left and what you can see.

    Mines to Visit

    There is only one mine you can visit the inside of. That’s the Olavsgruva mine; it was in operation from 1936 to 1972. You have to visit with a guided tour.

    Click here to visit the Olavsgruva Website.

    Around Olavsgruva is a mining area where you can see the remains of other mines. Most need a short walk or hike to get there, though. I’ve marked them on the map. They are explained in detail with images on the Røros website (click here).

    Today most mines are filled with water and not accessible to visitors. Some ruins can be seen, and most require a hike to get there.

    Here’s my somewhat complete list of the mines you can hike to or easily see. I say ‘somewhat’ because I found information online to be confusing and sometimes contradictory.

    The Mines

    • Killingdal Mine. This mine was in operation from 1674 to 1986. This was one of the largest in Røros: 2.6 million tonnes of ore were extracted here. It reached a depth of 1,446m – making it one of Northern Europe’s deepest mines. It is filled with water and closed, but the area above ground is partially open. The Killingdal Fjellhotel is partly in the old crew barracks.
    • Nordgruvefeltet. This was a mining area where up to a dozen mines used to be. They are in ruins today (see this photo of one of the mines). I’ve marked the area on the map. Click here to view a Wiki page about the area (in Norwegian). This is the area where you’ll find Kongens Gruve, the most ‘in-tact’ mine in the area. You can see the walls of the old larger building and the foundations of the hoisting system. It’s marked on the map. The area does have road access, but the remains are only accessible by hiking. Click here to view images of the mining area. The Roros website has a map of the ruins. They are all in the mountains, so you have to hike here. Click here to view the map.

    Surviving Smeltehytta

    Sadly, most are in ruins today. The Røros website has a list and map of the Smeltehytta, but only in Norwegian. Here’s a mostly complete list of the Smeltehytta’s you can see in English. I say mostly complete because information online is tricky when it comes to the question: Can I go here today?

    • Eidet Smelter. This Smetehytta operated from 1834 to 1887. It was demolished in 1891 and only parts of the furnace are standing. The furnace is the best-preserved furnace left, though, so that’s something! It is considered one of the most important technical artefacts in Trøndelag and the only of its kind in Europe. Click here to visit a website about it.
    • Drågas Smelter. The remains today are a roadside stop at Hyttefossen in Ålen. You can park right at the site, but most of the remains some kind of hike. Eidet Smelter is a continuation of Drågas Smelter and in the same area.
    • Tolga Smelter. Tolga Smelter is one of the longest lasting Smeltehytta’s, in operation from 1670-1871. Today it’s the Malmplassen Gjestgård – most of the buildings are gone. The whole town of Tolga is a cute little mining town and worth visiting!
    • Femund Smelter. This smelter operated from 1743 until 1822, and today you can drive up to it. It is even a place where you can spend the night! Click here to learn about the smelter and click here to learn about spending the night. Here’s some info about a hike in the area.

    The best Smeltehytta to visit is the one in Røros. Today it is the main museum for the history of mining and the UNESCO area.

     

    Further Exploration

    That’s about it for the history of Røros. I know this was a long article; there’s just so much to talk about.

    I’m writing additional articles about Røros – mostly a walking guide and guide to the museum. There’s so much to say about this town.

    Have you been to Røros? Let me know in the comments! If you have any additional info or changes you want me to make to this article, please mention them below. This blog grows with your support.

    The Fv30 Highway

    You can reach Røros by taking the Fv30 from near Trondheim. You can find my guide to the Fv30 by clicking the link below. 

    The Fv30 Highway
    RØros Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide