Røros World Heritage Site – The Church
Røros Church in Norway – its reputation preceded it and my only chance to visit was offered to me when I was in Trondheim, Norway. Of course, I leapt at the chance. Walking through a living World Heritage Site, is not something one gets to do every day. Built during Norway’s golden age of copper mining, the church in Røros dates back to 1780 and is nestled amongst classical Norwegian village architecture.
Initially the church was closed and locked when I arrived, but my intrepid Norwegian friend was not to be deterred and energetically sought out a nearby caretaker who lived in one of the neighbouring wooden homes, who was then kind enough to open the church and give the “Australian,’ a short tour.
This was greatly appreciated.
The guide told us the church has been extensively renovated and restored in recent years, as it frequently plays host to popular concert series and services, often attended by the Norwegian Royals. Isn’t it stunning?
Røros is a town high up in Eastern Norway, not far from the Swedish border. Dotted with historic wooden houses and the large copper mine turned museum, the copper mine flourished from 1644 right up until 1977.
The mine is now a museum and the town’s Instagram-worthy architecture has been reincarnated as home to a range of craft artisans, gourmet food purveyors selling their local products, such as cheese and flatbread, in Instagram- worthy shops, as well as boutique objects popular with tourists. The walk along the main street is a delight.
The working life of the town’s citizens in the past was never easy, being as it was, a mining frontier town set high in the mountains on the border of Sweden. Conditions in the mines were neither comfortable nor healthy, it seems and the citizens a resilient lot, coping with difficult work and the threat of marauding Swedes over the border. You can re-live a little more of their history and life in the extensive displays at the museum, located at the mine’s site.
[Note: Signs were in English.]
Contrastingly, modern day Røros is peaceful quiet and colourful. The old wooden houses are beautifully maintained and the town continues to be a World Heritage Site in which people actually work and live out their daily lives.
Every February, the town hosts an annual Winter festival. I imagine there would be quite a different colour on the ground this time of year than when I completed my walk in early Summer.
Røros is also a place that tries to re-invented itself from its mining past by being sustainable and enjoyable for visitors. They try to preserve local nature, culture and environment, and tourists love it. I wrote more on a prior post about the history of Røros and its Mining Museum.
Something other regional towns might ponder about.
Lovely!
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Thank you so much, Cindy.
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Røros has its own unique charm Amanda. It’s like you’re in a different era. Beautiful 🙂
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That is so right, Lorelle! One could easily imagine stepping back four hundred years when walking down the streets.
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Very Interesting. It all looks so well looked after, unlike old mining towns in the uk which get run down and forgotten. It looks like a real good day out Amanda.
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It was a wonderful walk, Gavin. I treasure my memories of that time. I love wandering around old towns, but it is a shame to hear that England doesn’t value its industrial history so well. They could resurrect those mines into something marvellous, too?
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In some places o believe they do
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There are loads of possibilities but I assume funds might be a problem for some municipalities to start the transformation. A community market is a good start.
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I probably need to look at this more really. It could be there are museums built around towns like this here, I just haven’t heard of them.
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If not, you could always suggest it to the local authorities.
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What a most interesting place!
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Thank you, Sue. Have you ever travelled up that way?
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Never, alas!
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If you do, I can recommend quite a few places to go to see some special things.
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😊
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What a privilege to be admitted to the church like that, Amanda! And what a lovely place 🙂 🙂 Just a bit ‘fresh’, I imagine, at this time of year. Thanks so much for the link!
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Yes, this walk took place a while ago! I was so very lucky to be able to see inside. My friend is very energetic and persuasive, so I knew when she set off to find someone, we would somehow be looking inside. I am lucky to have her as a friend.
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Fabulous. So glad you could see inisde of the church. The town is lovely Amanda 🙂
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Have you ever been to Norway, Brian? It is a very special place!
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No I haven’t…..it’s on the list 🙂
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I can make some recommendations when you do.
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Excellent
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This is a lovely place, well photographed. Many year ago we visited, I think in the 70’s. It is very beautiful – love the houses.
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Awwww…. I want to go back to Vikingland!! 😉 Beautiful post! xx
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It does pull at the heart strings! Have you visited Norway when you lived in Denmark?
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I did on one of my trips… Briefly, but still spent a day in Oslo before I took a ferry to Christianshavn Dk. I really enjoyed my time there… The opera house alone is worth the trip 😉
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Oh Nice! You must go back and ‘besøke videre’ – there is so much to see, especially on the west coast with the fjords.
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What a lovely place to visit.. 😉 love the wooden buildings..
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They are really pretty, Lisa. It is hard to believe they are from the 17 -18th century, being so well preserved.
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