Vardø

  • Hammerfest, History, Tromsø, Vardø

    A Brief History of the Pomor Trade

    A Brief History of the Pomor Trade

    When you visit Northern Norway, chances are you’ll come across something called the Pomor Trade. When I first started visiting Finnmark, I would typically disregard any mention of the Pomors as a small part of history here that had little importance. However, after visiting Vardø back in September 2023, I came to realise just how vital the Pomors had been to the development of Northern Norway.

    I’ve put together this article as a short historic overview of the Pomors. Perhaps it’ll benefit your own trip to Northern Norway!

    Pomor Museum in Vardø
    Pomor buildings in Vardø
    VARDØ Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What is a Pomor?

    This took me way too long to figure out. A “Pomor” is actually an ethnographic group that come from Russian settlers from around the region of Novgorod. They came to the White Sea region hundreds of years ago, following the various river systems through Russia. The word ‘Pomor’ derives from the word ‘Pomorsky’ (which means ‘maritime’) and is a word used to describe the coast of the White Sea. 

    Historic Trade Between Russia and Norway & Development of the Pomor Trade

    The people of Norway and Russia have been trading for hundreds of years. In fact, it can be traced back to the Viking Age. The Russians were known to also trade with the Sami people. 

    Trade between Russians and the Norwegians began to come into its modern form when the trade monopoly in Bergen was legalised. Basically, the King said that all foreign merchants had to go to Bergen, and all fishermen had to sell their catch in Bergen. 

    However, for the fishermen this was tough. In the colder months it was no problem as the fish could stay preserved for the long journey, but for a few weeks over the summer the temperatures were too warm and the fish risked going bad.

    The Pomors found a way to exploit this – they could buy the fish directly from the fishermen (back then it was common to go through a middleman, which also drove up prices). It benefitted the fishermen, too – they could sell direct, the fish wouldn’t go bad, and they were able to get supplies from the Pomors without having to all the way to Bergen. Was it a little illegal? Sure. But back then Northern Norway didn’t have much law enforcement, so they were able to get away with it. 

    The beginning of the Pomor Trade and important trade connections

    The beginning of the Pomor Trade is generally regarded to be in the early 18th century, simply because trade began to become more organised. 

    At first, the trade was a barter trade between people in the area, who traded grain products from Russia with fish products from Norway. However, money began to be used in the early 18th century, and in some places in Northern Norway the ruble was used as a currency. Trading with the Pomors also originally had no taxes or customs fees. 

    The trade always involved the Pomors coming to Norway; the Norwegians rarely travelled to Russia. The Pomors would bring wheats and grains, but starting in the 18th century they began bringing rye flour, which was important for the Norwegians and another reason the Pomor trade officially began around that time. The grain was grown inland around the Volga River and then transported along the White Sea. 

    The trade of grain was vital for the Norwegians as it doesn’t grow along the coast. Also, in Norway in the 18th century there were several crop failures and the price of rye in Bergen increased fivefold. For the fishermen, having the Pomors come directly to them and selling the grains and flour at good prices was essential for survival. 

    In addition to rye and wheat flour, the Pomors carried other food, such as oatmeal, salt, peas, meat and dairy products. Other useful merchandise was also carried, such as iron, timber, tar, birch bark, candles, cooking pots, hemp, rope and canvas. They also brought luxury products, such as candy, soap, porcelain and wood carvings.

    From the Norwegians they would take fish of various sorts, mainly Atlantic cod and dry saithe, but also Atlantic halibut and haddock.

    Where did they trade?

    The main centre of the Pomor Trade in Norway was Vardø, which is located close to the Russian border. The harbour in Vardø could at times have over 100 Russian vessels moored simultaneously, and the town had a Russian consulate. 

    Other towns that were important for the Pomors include Hamningberg (a now abandoned fishing village) and Hammerfest, though the Pomors did trade in other places like Vadsø and Kjøllefjord. Tromsø gained trading privileges a few years later and was given the monopoly for trading with the Pomors in the region of Troms. Eventually the Pomors were trading as far south as the Lofoten Islands. 

    In Russia, the city of Arkangelsk was the centre of Pomor Trade, and it was founded in 1584 as a trade centre for the White Sea. 

    Arkangelsk 1896

    Attempts at Regulation

    As the Pomor Trade grew somewhat illegally, when Norwegian sovereignty was enforced over Northern Norway, there began to be attempts to control the Pomor Trade. 

    Already back in 1316 the King of the time, King Håkon V, prevented foreigners from trading in Northern Norway. All foreign ships had to stop in Bergen. 

    Until the Reformation in 1537, the trade between the North and the Hanseatic League in Bergen was controlled by the archbishop in Trondheim. After the Reformation, the privileges of trade were handed from the church to the citizens of Bergen and Trondheim, giving them a monopoly. 

    There are reports of Russians trading illegally from the 17th century onwards. If the Russians and Norwegians were caught trading outside of Bergen, the Norwegians would be denied winter supplies from Norwegian traders. This lasted until 1715. 

    In the late 18th century, trade was placed under control of the King and trading houses of Copenhagen. In 1783 the government in Copenhagen decided that the Pomor Trade should be somewhat legalised, and that North Norwegians should get their grain from the Russians rather than Denmark. The Danish King Christian VII gave Vardø, Hammerfest and Tromsø status of trading towns in order to regulate the Pomor trade better. 

    However, there was one thing in the way. The fact that the Pomors could trade freely with the fishermen was bad for the government, who were missing out on their precious taxes. So, it was made illegal. Eventually it was made legal again, but the Pomors could only trade directly with fishermen in the short weeks where the warm climate makes it difficult to preserve fish. 

    Napoleonic Wars

    The Pomor Trade was targeted by the British during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Gunboat War, the United Kingdom put a trade embargo on Denmark-Norway. This made the Pomor Trade almost essential for survival for the North Norwegians, and they got a special decree legalising direct trade between the Pomors and fishermen in 1809. 

    During the Anglo-Russian War, the British government established a blockade along the Norwegian coast. One of their goals was to stop the Pomor Trade and cut off supply lines of goods from Arkangelsk. The Norwegians responded by fortifying the important harbours, such as Hammerfest. In 1810, the Norwegians established a special naval squadron called “The Finnmark Squadron” to protect the Pomor Trade.

    However, despite all this the British did manage to bomb and heavily damage Hammerfest. 

    The Golden Age and Rapid End

    Throughout the 19th century the conditions in Norway began to improve and the dependence on grain from Russia began to decline. Eventually the trade privileges and rules were lifted in 1870, and the Pomors were more or less free to come as they please. These lighter regulations led to the Pomors modernising their vessels and by 1870, 400 Russian Pomor vessels visited Tromsø. Normally 300 vessels would visit all of Norway in one year. By 1900, Russia was Norway’s fourth most important trade partner, and rye flour remained the most important commodity. After 1910, less flour was traded, and the Russians paid for the fish with money instead. 

    Things sounded like they were going well, but everything ended abruptly in 1917, when the Russian Revolution ended all trade. This had understandable negative effects on the economy of Northern Norway, especially for the coastal communities as the fishermen no longer had the possibility to see their summer catch. Some Russian vessels still did come. The last vessel came in 1929, when Joseph Stalin’s collectivization came into full effect, ending private property rights and persecuting merchants. 

    Lasting impact of the Pomors

    It’s important to not understate the lasting effect the Pomor Trade had on the coastal communities in Northern Norway. Many of the villages along the Finnmark coast developed in the 19th century thanks to the Pomor Trade, and were able to afford luxuries they otherwise wouldn’t get. It also led to a good relationship between the two countries, and in 1875 there was even a regular steamship service between Arkangelsk and Vardø. This allowed for Russian tourism and seasonal workers in Finnmark. 

    Often the same Pomor vessels would visit the same place year after year, and the Norwegians got to know the crew. The Russians and the trade with them had high esteem in Northern Norway and they were known for being friendly. The people of Northern Norway also got an insight into a difficult culture and it in turn affected Norwegian culture. 

    Lastly, and also perhaps most interesting, a pidgin language developed between the Pomors and the North Norwegians called Russenorsk. Russenorsk has a restricted grammar mostly related to Arctic fishing and trading. You can find some examples of Russenorsk on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russenorsk

    Where to go from here

    If you want to learn more about the Pomor Trade, visit the city of Vardø, which is home to the Pomor Museum. The city also has wooden warehouses still standing from the Pomor time. You can read about Vardø on our travel guide page. 

    VARDØ Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Please leave any questions or comments below!

  • Vardø, Walking Guides

    Explore Vardø on a Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Norway's Easternmost City: Vardø Self-Guided Walking Tour

    Welcome to our Vardø self-guided walking tour! Located in the far north-eastern part of Norway, Vardø is a fascinating but harsh little city. Situated on an island just off the mainland, the city is often exposed to bad weather coming in from the Barents Sea. Still, there’s something charming about this community. 

    Vardø is also a historic city. There has been a settlement here for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and the Vardøhus Fortress has a history going back to the 13th century. Vardø emerged as an important fishing harbour and trading site with the Pomors from Russia. 

    This walk is designed to give you the highlights of Vardø. The vast majority of readers will likely be arriving with the coastal ferry, so time is very limited and you probably only have time to visit the fortress. For everyone, this guide is worth following. Vardø is a small city, but there’s little information around the buildings. 

    For a historic overview of Vardø, visit our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Enjoy this Vardø self-guided walking tour!

    VARDØ Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    In this article...

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    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided walks on our online store. 

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    Vardø Self-Guided Walking Tour

    This walk begins outside Vardø Hotel. 

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Nordpol Kro

    Nordpol Kro is a fitting place to start. It is Northern Norway’s oldest inn – dating back to the mid-19th century. At the turn of the 20th century, it was the only decent accommodation available in Eastern Finnmark. The building is built of Russian timber from Archangelsk, which was the hub of the Pomor Trade that Vardø also participated in. 

    The Brodtkorb family were the original innkeepers of Vardø. 

    The inn has an interesting link to Fritjof Nansen – it was the last place he stayed before he set off on the Fram 2 expedition towards the North Pole in 1889. 

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Hurtigruten Pier

    Vardø is a port of call for Norway’s coastal ferry. The northbound ferry docks at around 3am, while the southbound ferry comes in around 4pm. 

    On the pier you’ll find signs advertising excursions out to the bird cliffs. This part of Finnmark is famous for its bird watching, but in order to see some of the more unique species, you need to take an excursion out to the bird cliffs. 

    Around the pier area is a lot of street art. Street art has become relatively famous in Vardø thanks to a number of highly regarded artworks.

    A lot of the artworks are from 2012, when the street artist Pøbel from Stavanger was allowed to invite 11 artists from around the world to participate in a festival where they would have free reign to paint on the abandoned buildings of Vardø. This project was done in collaboration with the North Norwegian Art Centre. The festival was known as “Komafest” as it was an attempt to breathe life back into the city. Several other street artists were invited to paint on the buildings too. On the Codfather photo above, you can see the name of the festival. 

    The text “Laks er viktig for Norge” means “Salmon is important for Norway”. 

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk
    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Vardøhus Fortress

    The first fortification in Vardø was built in the first half of the 14th century. Northern Norway was then in conflict with the Russian Republic of Novgorod. The facility was a square walled castle and inside the fortified area were a number of buildings. The original fortress was located on the other side of the city, however.

    In 1599, King Christian IV made a voyage to Finnmark. After a peace treaty between Russia and Sweden four years earlier, the Swedes had been given the right to demand taxes from the Sami, and soon they claimed the area of Finnmark was theirs. King Christian IV visited Vardø to asset Danish-Norwegian sovereignty over the region. When he visited the fortress, he described it as “the wretched fort and wooden church that our barber thought was a reindeer”. The fortress was subsequently rebuilt.

    The current fort was completed in 1738. Within the fortress walls there are a number of buildings from before 1825. Today it is under the command of the Norwegian Armed Forces and is open during the day. It is possible to enter for a small fee.

    During World War II, the fortress was in battle and saved the coastal radio station from being bombed. This was the last place in Norway to surrender to the Nazis before five years of occupation. The Nazis were chased out of Vardø in October 1944 when the area was liberated by the Soviets.

    Vardøhus Fortress is regarded as the northernmost fortress in the world.

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Vardø Chapel

    Vardø Chapel is one of the few buildings to survive the destruction during World War II. I tis from 1908 and there is very little information about its early use. It was restored in the 1990s and is incredibly popular with weddings and baptisms.

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Steilneset Memorial

    The monument here is to reflect on the tragic burning of women accused of witchcraft in Vardø. Nearly 90 victims were burned here. Vardø was one of the worst areas in Europe when it comes to the witch hunts, and this is partly to do with the Sami population but also Vardø’s location at what feels like the end of the world.

    The monument is a 100m long hall designed by the French-American artist Louise Bourgeoise and the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. It is open 24/7 and free to enter.

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    When you enter, you will see banners on each side with the name of one of the victims. The text (in Norwegian) describes what they were accused of. By the door is a small booklet with English translations. 

    VARDØ Witchcraft Trials

    Tunnel to the Mainland & Butterfly Shape

    After leaving Steilneset, make your way down to the tunnel that connects the island to the mainland. The tunnel is a subsea tunnel and is 2,892 metres long and the deepest point is 88 metres below sea level. The tunnel opened in 1983.

    You will notice that Vardø is shaped like a butterfly – two islands connected by a small piece of land. You are now going to cross that piece of land onto the other island. There is a modern building on this piece of land – it is the culture house. 

    Vardø Self-Guided Walk

    Vardø Church

    Vardø Church was completed in 1958. It is the fourth church to stand in Vardø, though not necessarily in the same spot. The first church was built in 1307 and is believed to be the first church to be built in Finnmark. It was built at the same time as the fortress and stood somewhere near the current church site. It was demolished in 1711 and a new church opened three years later. However, the materials from the church were used to build houses and a new church had to be completed in 1869. This was the one destroyed by Nazis during the scorched earth policy.

    Pomor Museum in Vardø

    Pomor Buildings & Museum

    The yellow and red wooden buildings make up part of the Pomor Museum. The Pomor Trade was an important period of trade between Northern Norway and the north-western part of Russia that lasted throughout the 19th century until the Russian revolution. These are original trading houses that were able to survive the destruction of World War II. The museum is fantastic and worth visiting.

    You can find information about the museum here: https://www.varangermuseum.no/en/

    Back at Vardø Hotel

    The Pomor Museum is located close to the Vardø Hotel, where this walk began. I hope you enjoyed this walk around Vardø. 

    VARDØ Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • History, Vardø

    The Witchcraft Trials of Vardø

    The Witchcraft Trials of Vardø

    The Vardø witch trials are regarded as some of the most brutal, intense and dramatic witch trials in Scandinavian history. It’s hard to believe a small community in the far north of Norway would see many people accused and convicted of witchcraft. In total, 150 people were executed for sorcery in Northern Norway between 1621 and 1663, before legal security and administration became better organised in 1666 (a fitting date, really). It is said that at times there were no families in Finnmark who were not affected by the witchcraft trials, either as prosecutors, witnesses, or convicts.

    In this article...

    Vardø Travel Guide

    You can find more information about visiting the town of Vardø on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Vardø Travel Guide

    Perceptions of Witchcraft in Northern Europe

    The new law of sorcery and witchcraft for the union of Denmark and Norway was issued and announced in Finnmark in 1620.

    At the time, Northern Norway was a place with lacking centralised law enforcement, so the local authorities had a great deal of power. These officials were typically not Norwegian but often men from Scotland, Germany and Denmark, countries with a history of witch trials. They brought their ideas of witchcraft and sorcery to the north, and it greatly influenced life in the Arctic. In Europe, religious experts often claimed that “the evil came from the North”, the home of the Sami people. Since the Sami people were not Christian and followed a shamanistic religion, they were also often considered to be practicing witchcraft.

    The officials believed they had been placed there to correct the population according to the Protestant religion. They painted the Sami as magicians and disapproved of Norwegian women along the coast being home for months when their husbands were out fishing, suspecting them of committing adultery with demons.

    Additionally, the Dutch and other European merchants would sail between Vardøhus and Russia to trade and warned their countrymen of the dangers of Satan, and it was believed the haunts and devils flew through the wicked winds of the north. Witches could conjure up mighty whirlwinds, poor weather, fog, thunder and lightning.

    The ordeal of water is how many women would be tested if they were a witch. Basically, they would be tied up and thrown into water. If they sank, they were innocent and died. If they floated, they were a witch and were then burned at the stake.

    The Three Waves of Witchcraft Trials in Vardø

    There were three major phases of the Vardø witch trials: 1621, 1651 and 1663. Let’s break down each one and try to understand the historic significance of the witchcraft trials.

    The Witch Trials of 1621

    The witch trials of 1621 begins with a big storm in 1617 that sunk ten boats and killed forty men. The storm was completely out of nowhere and took the men by surprise. It clearly had an effect on the town.

    Kiberg

    The trial took place at Vardøhus Fortress in 1621. Mari Jørgensdatter, a woman from Kiberg, was interrogated under torture. She confessed that Satan had come to her in Christmas 1620 and asked her to follow him to her neighbour, Kirsti Sørensdatter. He asked if she would serve him, and she said yes. They went to Kristi and together the women flew to the mountain Lyderhorn in Bergen, over 1,600km away, to attend the Sabbath with the devil. On top of Lyderhorn they went to Satan’s Christmas Party with dance and drink, and then flew back to Finnmark, though Kirsti decided to take the long way home by sea. Lyderhorn is mentioned in many witchcraft trials as a place where the women would meet with the devil.

    Vardohus Fortress, where many of the witchcraft trials took place.

    Mari confessed that the witches had caused the great storm, and that they had sexual intercourse with devils while the men were at sea. Another woman being interrogated, Else Knutsdatter, confirmed that the witches had tied a fishing rope three times, spat at it and untied it, after which “the sea rose like ashes and people were killed”. Else was seen in the company of demons and was exposed to the ordeal of water.

    Kirsti Sørensdatter was confirmed by many of the women to be the leader. She was arrested when she arrived back from Bergen via ship. Kirsti was married to a wealthy merchant Anders Johanssen from Helsingør in Denmark, where it was said she learned sorcery from an old woman. Under torture, she confirmed everything. Kirsti was sentence to be burned alive at the stake on 28 April 1621.

    That was the end of the first wave of witchcraft trials.

    The Witch Trials of 1651

    This phase in witchcraft resulted in the death of 17 women by burning. It centred around women having caused – or attempted – to have caused ship wrecks by use of witchcraft.

    The Witch Trials of 1662-63

    The final phase of witchcraft trials is considered to be one of the biggest in Scandinavia. Thirty women were put on trial, accused of sorcery and making pacts with the devil. One was sentenced to a work house, two tortured to death, and eighteen were burned alive at the stake. The trial centred around the belief that the women had been partying with the Devil. To be honest, the parties with the Devil actually sound quite nice. But that’s not the point. The parties took place on a mountain called Domen, which overlooks the town of Vardø.

    The mountain Domen, seen from Vardø, where women supposedly met with the devil.

    It started with Dorthe Lauritzdatter was brought in to Vardøhus Fortress for questioning. Local man Lauritz Braas claimed that two of his servants, who had recently died, claimed to have been bewitched by her. Four witches led by Dorthe in the shape of a dove, eagle, crow and swan were to have opened their “wind-knots” over the sea to make a boat sink, but the plot failed because the crew prayed to God. Dorthe was burned at the stake.

    The next was Ingeborg Iversdatter, who confessed during an interrogation on 26 January 1663 that she and Sølve Nilsdatter had celebrated Christmas on Kiberg. They had transformed themselves into cats and crawled under a gate to meet Maren Olsdatter and Sirgi Klockare, who were incarcerated for witchcraft. They broke into a basement and drank lots of wine while Satan held a candle for them. Sølve had drunk so much that Satan had a hard time getting her on her feet and back to jail. The priest of the fortress pointed out that this must have been the reason why alcohol disappeared from the basement. Sølve later confessed to the giant witches sabbath that had taken place on the Dovrefjell mountains in southern Norway, where witches had arrived in the shapes of dogs and cats to drink and dance with Satan.

    Maren has a sad story. When she was twelve, her mother was executed for sorcery. She had been taken care by her aunt for several years before her aunt was also burned. Maren was interrogated and she claimed to have visited Hell, where she was given a tour by Satan. She later visited a sabbath on Domen, where Satan played dancing music on a red violin and gave the witches beer before following each of them home personally. The court asked her who she had seen there, and she gave the names of five women. All the women Maren mentioned were burned to death in Vardø on 20 March 1663.

    The last accused witches were brought in on 25 June 1663. Maren told the court that she had been forced to lie against other people, denouncing them for witch craft. She said that the now-exiled Anne Rhodius had forced her to do it. The court sentenced Maren for having lied and to stay for some time in the work house in Bergen. However, it is likely she didn’t do that as there is documentation that she lived in Vardø after 1663.

    The End of the Trials

    The trials ended thanks to Mandrup Pedersen Schønnebøl, who was a judge.He saw the madness of burning people alive on the basis of rumours and opposed public opinion by destroying the legal basis for burning accused witches. In 1687, a requirement for judgements in witchcraft cases to be heard at parliament before a death sentence could be carried out became law. Norway’s last known witch execution took place in 1695.

    Steilneset Memorial

    In Vardø you can visit Steilneset Memorial, which opened in 2011 to commemorate the victims of the witchcraft trials. The memorial was jointly commissioned by the town of Vardø, Finnmark County, the Varanger Museum and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration as part of the development of the National Tourist Routes in Norway. The memorial was designed by French-American artist Louise Bourgeois and Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The long timber walkway has 91 randomly placed windows representing those executed, each one accompanied by a text explaining each person. The second building has a metal chair with perpetual flames projecting through its seat.

    The attraction is open 24-7 and is free. When you step inside, be sure to look by the door. They have booklets with English translations of all the womens testimonies.

    Recommended Reading

    The witchcraft trials of Vardø are the basis for a book called The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave. It tells the story of the trials in Vardø through the eyes of Ursa, the new wife of a Scottish witch hunter, who leaves her Bergen childhood home for the wilds of Finnmark.

    You can see the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Mercies-Kiran-Millwood-Hargrave/dp/0316529257

    Vardø Travel Guide

    You can find more information about visiting the town of Vardø on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Vardø Travel Guide
  • National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Vadsø, Varangerbotn, Vardø

    Drive it Yourself: Varanger Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Varanger Tourist Road

    The Varanger Tourist Road is one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads and is definitely one of the most special. The Varanger Peninsula is a rugged mountain area partly covered in birch trees and partly above the tree line. Parts of the peninsula used to have an Arctic tundra climate but don’t any more. Still, the geology here is unique as most of the landscape was made before the last Ice Age. 

    The route is so special – you see lunar landscapes, flat plains, rolling hills and birch forests. You also pass sights with history and sites going back 10,000 years, abandoned fishing villages, and so much more. 

    Enjoy the Varanger Tourist Road. 

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    The Varanger Tourist Road

    Hamningberg

    This drive begins in Hamningberg, which is an abandoned fishing village with many buildings from before World War II. 

    Before the Second World War, around 700 people lived here. Hamningberg was one of the largest fishing communities in Finnmark and took part in the Pomor trade. However, the last three people left in 1978. 

    Hamningberg Article

    Vardø Municipality

    Vardø municipality is one of the first municipalities to be established in Northern Norway. The coat-of-arms is from 1898 and represents the sunshine, fishing boats, the ocean, and a large cod. In the chief is the year of the towns founding, 1789, along with the words “Vardöensis Insignia Urbis” which means “the seal of the town of Vardø”. In the lower part of the arms is the town motto “Cedant Tenebræ Soli”, meaning “Darkness shall give way to the sun”.

    Several Stone Age sites as well as sites dating from the Sami Iron Age have been found here. Vardø became a Norwegian settlement in the medieval period, and the first church was built here in 1307.

    Fishing and seafood processing are Vardø’s major sources of income. The municipality also has large seabird colonies on the islands of Hornøya and Reinøya.

    WWII Memorial

    Memorial

    Shortly after crossing into Vardø municipality you will pass this memorial on the left side. It is for three men who were executed here during World War II. 

    The drive from Hamningberg to Vardø is incredible. Be sure to stop as much as possible!

    Vardø

    The road does not go through Vardø, but the town is a short detour off the highway. I do recommend visiting the town – there’s a lot to see and do, and it also has a petrol station and some coffee shops. 

    Vardø Travel Guide

    Domen

    Viewpoint

    The mountain Domen is fairly unique thanks to its history. It has been known as ‘Heksefjellet’ (witch mountain) for a few hundred years as it’s believed that this is the place where the witches were meeting with the devil.

    The Vardø area was regarded as one of the worst areas in terms of the scope of the brutal witch hunts. In the year 1662/63 more than 30 women in Vardø were accused of witchcraft. Many of the women said that on the mountain Domen they had danced, drunk and consorted with the Devil. Domen was also where the ceremonies and sabbaths took place.

    It was believed that the devil lived in a cave in the mountain. Vardø’s location at what seems like the end of the world inspired speculation that this was the entrance to hell. This may explain why so much witch burning went on.

    Kiberg

    Village

    Kiberg was one of the largest fishing communities in the area during the 16th and 17th centuries, and was important during the Pomor Trade era. Kiberg is still important for fishing.

    Two women from Kiberg were burned at the stake during the 1621 witchcraft trials in Vardø. Their names were Mari Jørgensdatter and Kirsti Sørensdatter, and Kirsti was the last victim of the witchcraft trials.

    Kiberg was of strategic importance during World War II. The geographical proximity to the Soviet Union brought Russian and Norwegian people together. After the occupation of Norway, many locals went to the Soviet Union. Some returned and worked for the Soviet military intelligence services, with as many as 45 partisans in Kiberg.

    Their most important task was to pass on radio communications about the German shipping fleet. It has been estimated that around 80 German merchant ships were sunk on their way to Kirkenes due to the partisans passing on information. Around half the partisans were killed or executed during the war.

    In Kiberg you can visit the Partisan Museum, which is about the events here during World War II. 

    Vadsø Municipality

    Vadsø municipality is named after the town of Vadsø that we will soon be driving through. The coat-of-arms shows a reindeer as reindeer husbandry is common for the municipality and of great economic importance, especially for the Sami people.

    The municipality spreads across the southern coast of the Varanger peninsula. There are trees here as this part of the peninsula is sheltered from the sea, but the tree line is at around 200 metres above sea level.

    Skallelv

    Village

    Skallelv was originally one of the several purely Finnish communities in the area, populated at the end of the 19th century. The local people were known as Kvens, the North-Norwegian name for people of Norwegian-Finnish descent. Skallelv is one of the few remaining areas with buildings that were constructed before World War II. The oldest wooden houses here are from before 1860.

    Ekkerøy

    Village

    There has been settlement on Ekkerøy since at least the Middle Ages, and finds from the Viking Age have been found there. However, it is not known if Vikings settled there or if they traded there.

    Ekkerøy was an island until 1750, but now there is a land connection to the mainland. Ekkerøy was built up as a fishing village and at its peak had several landing piers, shops, a school, shrimp factory, fish oil processing plant, and dried fish racks. There were 270 people living there; today there are less than 50.

    Parts of Ekkerøy have been declared a nature reserve and the island also has a small bird cliff. In the breeding season, which is from May to September, the cliffs may be home to as many as 20,000 kittiwake pairs.

    The settlement of Ekkerøy was not destroyed during World War II. The well-preserved fish factory is now a museum with warehouses, a cod liver oil steamer, an old shop and an authentically furnished traders residence.

    Vadsø

    The only major town we drive through is Vadsø. There is a lot worth seeing here, so browse our separate travel guide page below. 

    Vadsø Travel Guide

    Vestre Jakobselv

    Village

    Vestre Jakobselv is a small village with around 500 people living here. It has a primary and secondary school. The village is popular for its salmon fishing as the Jakobselva river has its outlet here.

    Nesseby Municipality

    Nesseby is a small municipality located at the isthmus between the Varangerfjord and the Tana River at the entrance to the Varanger peninsula. The population lives in small settlements along the fjord and the Varangerhalvøya National Park is partly located in the park. The municipality is known for its interesting birdlife and also its tundra with areas of bog and marsh.

    Today the municipality is known as Unjárga-Nesseby, reflecting the Sami community who live here. Nesseby was the second municipality in Norway to get a Sami name. Most of the inhabitants are Sami and Sami is being taught as the first language in schools. In historic times, reindeer used to cross this area as part of their annual migration.

    This led the Sami to coming into the area. The area between Skippagurra and Varangerbotn is full of archaeological finds from different periods.

    The coat-of-arms represents a cloudberry plant.

    The municipality is the birthplace of Isak Saba, the first Sami to be elected to the Norwegian parliament.

    Mortesnes Site

    Historic Site

    Mortesnes is considered to be one of the richest and most diverse cultural areas in Europe. The uninterrupted timeline and cultural contunity makes the area special. The land here has remains from the past, documenting a 10,000 year history of unbroken settlement and provides a picture of key feature in the development of the settlement of Finnmark after the last Ice Age. The area also provides a picture of the background and emergence of Sami cultural features.

    There is a walking trail that you can follow. Here you can see traces of settlement in the form of tent rings and tufts on the shorelines according to the past sea levels. The area also contains a large, pre-Christian burial ground, which dates from approx. 1000BC to 1500AD. Over 400 graves are here. Various sacrificial places have also been found. The most famous monument here is Transteinen, which was believed to be smeared with cod liver oil to ensure good fishing luck.

    One of the oldest ski finds in Norway comes from one of the graves in the area and was found in 1853. The skis are from 400BC. Reindeer trapping facilities have also been found here, along with various materials, tools, and objects made of ceramic and metal.

    It is free to walk around the trail, and in summer they have a museum that you can visit.

    Nesseby Church

    Historic Church

    Nesseby Church is from 1858 and is the only wooden church in Eastern Finnmark that was not destroyed by the Nazis during World War II. Parts of the inventory are from the 17th and 18th centuries and some come from other churches. For example, the altarpiece is baroque and comes from the old Kiberg Church.

    Today the church is relatively the same as when it was built.

    Outside the church is Nesseby’s oldest building: an old log cabin. It was moved here in 1746 ad the door is from the 17th century and probably originates from the time that the church stood on Vadsø.

    There is a legend as to why Nesseby Church was saved. Sverre Raddum was the parish priest here during the war. He was a big, strong and rugged fellow, and known to be a tough guy. When the Germans were going to burn Nesseby Church, he stood on the steps and waited for them with the priests collar around his neck, and did not let them in. In German, he told them: “If there is someone who goes to church or a house of worship with evil thoughts, then they are guaranteed to be punished by higher powers”. The Germans immediately gave up bruning the church. Raddum saved his church.

    Gornitak Rasteplass

    Rest Area

    Gornitak (Sámi: Gorgŋetak) means ascent. This rest area lies on the Varangerfjord close into a mountainside under a high firmament and with a view to the sea in the east. The service facilities are housed in an old, restored stone building that served as an ammunitions store during the Second World War.

    Varangerbotn

    Village

    Varangerbotn is a small village that is the administrative centre of Nesseby. The population is around 341. In Varanger you can visit the Varanger Sami Museum, a museum for the history and culture of the Sami in Varangerbotn. The museum presents the Sea Sami history, Sami prehistory, and contemporary Sami culture.

    Next Drive

    Varangerbotn to Berlevåg

    Follow this isolated drive from Varangerbotn to Berlevåg in Finnmark. 

    Varangerbotn to Berlevåg
  • European Highways, Kirkenes, Road-trips, Vadsø, Varangerbotn, Vardø

    Drive it Yourself: Kirkenes to Vardø via the E6 and E75

    Drive it Yourself: Kirkenes to Vardø on the E6 and E75

    Here’s my guide to the drive from Kirkenes to Vardø on the E75. Looking for a drive that will take you through the rugged Eastern Finnmark? To be honest, when I did this drive I had it planned as more of a “A to B” type of drive. I wasn’t expecting the scenery to be so incredible! The drive on the E6 from Kirkenes to Varangerbotn is so rocky and wild, while the E75 becomes flat and barren. This drive is incredible.

    Part of this drive does make up the Varanger Tourist Road, but I have decided to write that as a separate article. For this article, I wanted to focus on this drive as though it were just a regular highway. Enjoy!

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

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    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.

    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

    Kirkenes to Vardø via the E6 and E75

    Kirkenes

    This drive begins in Kirkenes, which is one of the easternmost cities in Norway. It has a fascinating war and cultural history and is worth spending some time in.

    Kirkenes Travel Guide

    Russian border

    Border crossing/detour

    It is possible to drive to the Russian border, but you cannot cross the border into Russia. You will see signs pointing to Murmansk, which is approximately 255km (158 miles), or a 3 hour drive, away. On the border is a souvenir shop, restrooms, and signs pointing to Russia that you can take photos of. 

    Bjørnevatn

    Town

    The community of Bjørnevatn, also known as ‘the mining town’, has been of strategic importance for the development of Kirkenes. The mine is Europe’s largest open-cast mine and opened in 1906. It has since closed down. The mine did reopen in 2009, but shut again in 2015 due to lower costs from other countries. Today around 2,500 people live in Bjørnevatn.

    Garrison Sør-Varanger

    Military Barracks

    The garrison in Sør-Varanger is a military unit based at Høybuktmoen. The departments main task is to patrol and monitor the Norwegian-Russian border. The garrison consists mainly of conscripted soldiers, and there are 400 new conscripts every six months. They mostly tell tourists when they are wandering into Russia, but another goal is to monitor Russian activity on the border.

    Kirkenes Airport

    Airport

    Kirkenes was originally built as a military air station by the Luftwaffe during World War II. The airport reopened for civilians in 1963 with a new terminal and extended runway.

    The airport has direct flights to Oslo and Tromsø through SAS and Norwegian, as well as Widerøe flights to Vadsø and other small coastal communities. 

    Neiden

    Village

    Neiden is regarded as the centre of Eastern Sami culture in Norway and a large proportion of the population are of Finnish descent.

     A large part of the population are Skolt Sami, which is the Orthodox Sami. In town is the Skolt Sami Museum from 2017, which is trying to preserve and present Skolt Sami culture. They also have an outdoor museum with preserved buildings from an old Skolt Sami settlement. It includes St. Georges Chapel, a Russian Orthodox chapel that was built in 1565.

    The Skolt Sami are a unique Sami group. They are more closely related to the Russians compared to the Finns or Norwegians and are regarded as a minority group amongst the Sami. They have been more severely impacted by land borders and country regulations than other Sami groups and are marked by high unemployment and low literacy rates. The Skolt Sami language is considered highly endangered and was only written down in 1992.

    There is a settlement called Neiden on the Norwegian and the Finnish side. The area used to be one settlement for the Skolt Sami, but when the borders were laid out in the 1850s they were separated. When the area was divided up, Neiden was forced to split across the countries.

    Neiden also has Neiden Chapel – built in 1902 as a Norwegian ‘dragestil’ (dragon style) church to symbolise the Norwegian state sovereignty in the area. It is a Lutheran church and is well worth seeing. The Norwegian government invited Norwegian settlers to the area, building the Lutheran church to counterbalance the Orthodox chapel.

    Skolt Sami Museum

    Museum

    The Skolt Sami museum is a cultural history museum dedicated to the Eastern Sami, or the Skolt Sami.

    Visit their website here: https://dvmv.no/en/vv-skoltesamisk-muse/avv-skoltesami-museum/

    Bugøyfjord
    Village

    Bugøyfjord is a small village along the Varangerfjord. It was a predominantly Sami community until the Kven people arrived in the 1860s. It was one of the first villages to be burned to the ground by Germans during the retreat in 1944.

    In the village is a memorial marker for John Savio. He is the first Sami person to have his own exhibition in the National Gallery in Oslo. He didn’t achieve fame during his life, but since his death has been recognised as one of the greatest Sami artists. He is also the only Sami artist to make a name for himself before World War II. He worked primarily in wood cuts.

    Nesseby Municipality

    Nesseby is a small municipality located at the isthmus between the Varangerfjord and the Tana River at the entrance to the Varanger peninsula. The population lives in small settlements along the fjord and the Varangerhalvøya National Park is partly located in the park. The municipality is known for its interesting birdlife and also its tundra with areas of bog and marsh.

    Today the municipality is known as Unjárga-Nesseby, reflecting the Sami community who live here. Nesseby was the second municipality in Norway to get a Sami name. Most of the inhabitants are Sami and Sami is being taught as the first language in schools. In historic times, reindeer used to cross this area as part of their annual migration.

    This led the Sami to coming into the area. The area between Skippagurra and Varangerbotn is full of archaeological finds from different periods.

    The coat-of-arms represents a cloudberry plant.

    The municipality is the birthplace of Isak Saba, the first Sami to be elected to the Norwegian parliament.

    Bugøynes

    Village/Detour

    Bugøynes was established by Finnish immigrants in the 19th century. They had left their own country due to political unrest and poor living conditions, and came to Norway with their experience in agriculture. They also quickly learned the knowledge of fjord fishing. The Finns also brought their religious traditions with them – a conservative Christian movement known as Læstadianism. It still holds a firm footing in the village.

    The village was saved from the destruction of World War II, so the Finnish architecture has been preserved. The Finnish influence is still strong here, and most of the people living here are of Finnish descent and have Finnish names.

    Bugøynes is around a 15-20 minute detour off the E6, but is well worth it. 

    Varangerbotn

    Village

    Varangerbotn is a small village that is the administrative centre of Nesseby. The population is around 341. In Varanger you can visit the Varanger Sami Museum, a museum for the history and culture of the Sami in Varangerbotn. The museum presents the Sea Sami history, Sami prehistory, and contemporary Sami culture.

    E6 & E75 junction

    Roundabout

    This is where the E6 and the E75 separate. The E75 continues onto the Varanger peninsula towards Vardø, while the E6 goes towards Tana Bru and Lakselv. The roundabout in town marks the beginning the National Tourist Road for Varanger, one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads. I cover the tourist road in a separate article.

    Vadsø Municipality

    Vadsø municipality is named after the town of Vadsø that we will soon be driving through. The coat-of-arms shows a reindeer as reindeer husbandry is common for the municipality and of great economic importance, especially for the Sami people.

    The municipality spreads across the southern coast of the Varanger peninsula. There are trees here as this part of the peninsula is sheltered from the sea, but the tree line is at around 200 metres above sea level.

    Vestre Jakobselv

    Village

    Vestre Jakobselv is a small village with around 500 people living here. It has a primary and secondary school. The village is popular for its salmon fishing as the Jakobselva river has its outlet here.

    Vadsø

    The only major town we drive through is Vadsø. There is a lot worth seeing here, so browse our separate travel guide page below. 

    Vadsø Travel Guide

    Ekkerøy

    Village

    There has been settlement on Ekkerøy since at least the Middle Ages, and finds from the Viking Age have been found there. However, it is not known if Vikings settled there or if they traded there.

    Ekkerøy was an island until 1750, but now there is a land connection to the mainland. Ekkerøy was built up as a fishing village and at its peak had several landing piers, shops, a school, shrimp factory, fish oil processing plant, and dried fish racks. There were 270 people living there; today there are less than 50.

    Parts of Ekkerøy have been declared a nature reserve and the island also has a small bird cliff. In the breeding season, which is from May to September, the cliffs may be home to as many as 20,000 kittiwake pairs.

    The settlement of Ekkerøy was not destroyed during World War II. The well-preserved fish factory is now a museum with warehouses, a cod liver oil steamer, an old shop and an authentically furnished traders residence.

    Skallelv

    Village

    Skallelv was originally one of the several purely Finnish communities in the area, populated at the end of the 19th century. The local people were known as Kvens, the North-Norwegian name for people of Norwegian-Finnish descent. Skallelv is one of the few remaining areas with buildings that were constructed before World War II. The oldest wooden houses here are from before 1860.

    Vardø Municipality

    Vardø municipality is one of the first municipalities to be established in Northern Norway. The coat-of-arms is from 1898 and represents the sunshine, fishing boats, the ocean, and a large cod. In the chief is the year of the towns founding, 1789, along with the words “Vardöensis Insignia Urbis” which means “the seal of the town of Vardø”. In the lower part of the arms is the town motto “Cedant Tenebræ Soli”, meaning “Darkness shall give way to the sun”.

    Several Stone Age sites as well as sites dating from the Sami Iron Age have been found here. Vardø became a Norwegian settlement in the medieval period, and the first church was built here in 1307.

    Fishing and seafood processing are Vardø’s major sources of income. The municipality also has large seabird colonies on the islands of Hornøya and Reinøya.

    Komagvær

    Village

    Komagvær is one of the main gateways to the Varanger National Park, with a gravel road leaving from the town into the park. In the valley are many types of birds, including the Arctic Skua.

    Kiberg

    Village

    Kiberg was one of the largest fishing communities in the area during the 16th and 17th centuries, and was important during the Pomor Trade era. Kiberg is still important for fishing.

    Kiberg was of strategic importance during World War II. The geographical proximity to the Soviet Union brought Russian and Norwegian people together. After the occupation of Norway, many locals went to the Soviet Union. Some returned and worked for the Soviet military intelligence services, with as many as 45 partisans in Kiberg.

    Their most important task was to pass on radio communications about the German shipping fleet. It has been estimated that around 80 German merchant ships were sunk on their way to Kirkenes due to the partisans passing on information. Around half the partisans were killed or executed during the war.

    Vardø Tunnel

    Tunnel

    The Vardø Tunnel is a subsea road tunnel stretching 2.8km (9,400 ft) under the Bussesundet strait that connects the island of Vardøya to the mainland. The tunnel reaches a depth of 88m (289ft) and was opened in 1983.

    Vardø

    This drive finishes in Vardø, Norway’s easternmost city. Vardø is an important historic city and a fantastic place to base yourself while in Eastern Finnmark. 

    Vardø Travel Guide

    Next Drive

    Varanger Tourist Road

    Follow the Varanger Tourist Road from Hamningberg to Varangerbotn via Vardø and Vadsø. 

    Varanger Tourist Road