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10 of Norway’s top tourist attractions

Manish Rathi

When you think of Norway, it is easy to pillage the Vikings and scenic fjords. The light of summer is much more than midnight but there are picturesque waterfront roads, well-maintained wooden churches, and walking paths. Quaint medieval cities, full of modern services, await discovery. A summary of Norway’s major tourist attractions:

1. Geirangerfjord

It is possibly a fjord of Norway’s best-known tourist attractions. Geirangerfjord, situated in southwestern Norway near Ålesund, is one of the most beautiful fjords of this kind. Geirangerfjord is a natural beauty of deep blue water hidden by the spectacular cliffs and lush and green mountains over 1,000 meters ( 3,500 meters) high, extending over 15 kilometers (9 miles). There are many impressive waterfalls and lush scenery, with picturesque farms, in addition to the stunning landscape.

2. Bryggen

The Bryggen waterside, the casual museum that doesn’t feel like a museum, is a perfect location for travelers who get out of the “museum.” Classic buildings surround the waterfront by vessels just feet off the coast of Bergen. The scene is rather pictorial. Bryggen can easily be overlooked, since during the Middle Ages, during the Hanseatic League, Bergen had significance as a trading center for 400 years. 

3. Heddal Stave Church

The Church of Heddal Stave is the largest stave church in Norway, with its three ships standing proudly against the air. In the 13th century, the church, entirely made of wood, was constructed by five farmers in three days, according to local tradition. The church is still in use today for weddings and Sunday services in the summer months following restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries. The church is devoted to the Virgin Mary, located in Notodden.

4. Viking Ship Museum

The Vikings sailed the North Sea many centuries ago, striking fear that these fearsome warriors were about to conquer the heart of the area. Today, tourists can see some of these vessels that generate terror, without fear, as some of the great ships of the ninth century can be seen at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. The list includes ships from Gokstad, Oseberg, and Tune, including two of the world’s best-preserved wooden ships. The best-preserved ship is the Oseberg ship and was discovered on a farm near Osenberg in a burial mound. The museum also exhibits textile, household tools, and objects from the Viking graves.

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5. Jostedalsbreen Glacier

The best way of explaining Jostedalsbreen Gletscher, the biggest glacier in Europe, is maybe Icy and the scenic. The Jostedalsbreen Glacier National Park is situated in the south of Norway. Many, many years ago, local people might walk through the glacier and maybe harvest livestock on the way to the market, but today, as the glacier shrunk dramatically, this is not feasible. Walking and ice rink are approved, but sportsmen must be well equipped since they can be hazardous activities. It’s much safer and as beautiful to stroll around the park.

6. Nordkapp

Nordkap, North Cape, is a must to tourists who want to frolic under the sun at midnight, since between 14 May and 29 July there’s never sunset. It is linked to the international road network at the northernmost point in Europe. Since it’s 300 m above the Arctic Ocean on the far north, Nordkapp is primarily a summer destination with an annual attraction of approximately 200,000 guests. Nordkapp provides incredible panoramic viewing possibilities for walking under the Arctic sun or seeing puffins in their homeland.

7. Nidaros Cathedral

Während William the Conqueror in 1066 occupied the Vikings with building the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and conquered Great Britain. Nearly one thousand years later, Norway’s cathedral is the main church and the largest medieval structure in Scandinavia. In honor of Olav, a Viking leader, who later became a king and saint, the cathedral was constructed. In the 1030s, Olav was murdered in a battle in the vicinity of Trondheim. In 1066, his nephew started the construction of the Cathedral of Nidaros to house his body. The Duomo soon became an important destination for Norway’s pilgrimage.

8. Voringfossen

Vøringfossen was the most well-known waterfalls in Norway and ranks just 83rd on Norway’s highest waterfall, dropping 180 meters (600 feet) in one set of drop-offs. It is in Mabodelen, a narrow valley from Oslo to Bergen, which is Vøringfossen. Vøringfossen has been visited by tourists for nearly 200 years, and visitors need to walk up 1500 steps to reach their accommodation by building a hotel on top in 1880. The top is easier to reach these days, but it is not so high that it was constructed upstream due to a hydroelectric power plant.

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9. Urnes Stave Church

The church of Urnes Stavkyrkje or the church of Urnes Stave incorporates different types of architecture and is still built after 900 years. However, the construction material used in this church is remarkable: wood instead of conventional stone. Situated on the west coast of Norway, the church incorporates Celtic, Viking, and romantic elements in a majestically wooded church. Urnes was built in the 12th century, and it was one of 28 staves (wooden) churches and one of the oldest in Norway. Pre-Christian Norse culture and medieval Christianity have been related to artifacts.

10. Roros

Roros is an excellent place to learn about the extraction of copper as it happened a few centuries ago. The mining of copper began in the 17th century and lasted for over 300 years until 1977. The town comprises approximately 2,000 wooden structures, which are preserved in their blackened condition. Roros Copper Works established the city itself in 1646. The former mining operation, including the remains of a smelter, is surrounded by farmlands. The town is on the winter transportation road, which used to carry people and goods on frozen lakes, waterways, and rivers.


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