Rjukan round Walk 1 h 2,7km

RJUKANHUSET Since Hydro took over thecommunity centre (built 1930)in 1935, it has been known asRjukanhuset. It is now ownedby the municipality and housesa cinema, school of arts andrestaurant.

RØDBYEN ANDTYSKERBYEN The vertically dividedwooden houses betweenTorget and Såheim wereplanned, designed andbuilt by Norsk Hydro ashomes for engineers andadministrators in the yearsup to 1920.

Såheim

Måna

Birkeland bru

WHITE-BACKEDWOODPECKER Look for the marks left by thisbird on the trees alongKjærlighetsstien.

SÅHEIM POWERSTATION In 1915, Hydro built thearchitect-designed “operahouse,” now under a pre-servation order.

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WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

A QUICK LOOK AT RJUKAN

VisitRjukan Torget 2 tel. 35 08 05 50 www.visitrjukan.com

RJUKAN CHURCH The original 1915 church burneddown during the filming ofHeroes of Telemark in 1965. The present church opened in1968.

Map: FossøyMarked path0 m 500m

Brattefjell-Vindeggen landskapsvernområde

Driving directionsPark in Rjukan town centre at

Rallarparken or Torget (free).

GPS: 32V 477231, 6637953

P

Distance to Rjukan town centre from:

Skinnarbu . . . . . . . . . . . 25 min 21,0 kmTinn/Austbygd . . . . . . . 30 min 31,0 kmRauland/Krossen . . . . . 45 min 47,0 kmHovin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 min 56,0 kmØyfjell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 hour 62,0 km

Family walk, 1 h round tripEasy goingElevation 300 m

Accessible May 1–November 1

Hiking map: Town map RjukanGeneral map: Rjukan 1614 IV

Nature and cultural historyEasy, family-friendly circular walk around town on fairly flat anddry paths, gravel and asphalt, with benches and picnic tablesalong the way. The route along the Måna river is suitable for wal-king with a stroller.

Follow Sam Eydes gate (street) through the town centre pastTorget (the market place) and turn left at Bøen Barnehage. Keep

straight on to the end of Skriugata, and then turn right up thestone steps to Kjærlighetsstien (Lovers’ Lane). At the end of thepath, turn right and take the steps down the hill by the hospital.From here, follow Sykehusvegen downhill past the church, overthe crosswalk at Sam Eydes gate and down to the Måna river.Before the tennis court, turn right to Rallarparken, which will bringyou back to Sam Eydes gate.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONAND ENERGY SOURCEAbout 99% of the electricity supplied toNorwegian homes is generated using hydropower. As you’ll see on your walk along theMåna, the river’s flow is low. This is theresult of a large-scale hydroelectric scheme,in which the Rjukanfossen falls gave birth tothe town and its factories, houses and peo-ple. In the course of a few years, NorskHydro harnessed the resources of the falls,the Måna river and Møsvatn lake to createan industrial town where previously therewere only farms. Development started in1907, and by 1911 Vemork power station wassupplying electricity to the first potassiumnitrate fertilizer plant. In its day, Vemork wasthe world’s largest hydroelectric power stati-on. In 1915 the second phase of the schemewas completed. Såheim power station, whichyou’ll see on your walk along the Måna, andanother potassium nitrate plant came onstream. Today, hydroelectricity generated inTinn district powers more than 190,000homes. The Rjukanfossen falls are allowed toflow in full spate during the Marispelet festi-val every summer.

Keen to learn more? Visit the well-preser-ved former power station at Vemork, now home to Norsk Industriarbeidermuseum.

Rjukanfossen White-backed woodpecker

200

9 Photo: Ove B

ergersen, Sigve Reiso, A

nders Borgehed, G

uro Lien

NEW LIFE FROM DEADTREESThe woods around Kjærlighetsstien are fullof natural treasures. Here you’ll find a lushmixed woodland with old and dying conifersand broadleaf trees. The area is a paradisefor a variety of insects, mushrooms, lichensand mosses. Over 15 threatened specieshave been recorded in the area, and there arelikely many more. If you’re lucky, you mightsee a white-backed woodpecker. Because itlikes to feed on insects living in dead broad-leaf trees, this choosy bird is threatened bymodern forestry techniques.

VESTFJORDDALEN’SINDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONIn the early 20th century, the arrival of indus-try changed life in Vestfjorddalen dramatical-ly. Between 1907 and 1920, the farms ofBøen and Saaheim were transformed intothe town of Rjukan. The population increa-sed from 369 to over 9,000 in 20 years. Alocal newspaper described the typical resi-dent: “He has something of a fairytale gla-mour about him, the citizen of Hydro town,which heavy industry has conjured forth withAmerican-like rapidity up there in the wilder-ness.” The pioneer town attracted fortunehunters and navvies as well as factory wor-kers and specialists. Norsk Hydro commissi-oned Norway’s leading engineers and archi-tects to design the entire town of Rjukan. In1925 the company owned 80% of the town.In the market place you can see a statue ofSam Eyde, Hydro’s first CEO and the town’sfounder, and in Rallarparken there is amonument to the navvies. Like the rest ofthe town’s cultural heritage, these twomonuments symbolize both cooperation andclass struggle. Today, Rjukan’s 3,365 inhabi-tants work in industry, public services, tou-rism, commerce and other sectors.

Please take all garbage home withyou. Dogs must bekept on a leash. You are responsible for your own safety. Enjoy the walk!

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Du finn fleire turtips på www.nasjonalparkrute.no