Very Easy The silver mines at Kongsberg were Norway's largest mining operation, with over 80 different sites spread across the area. They operated from 1623 until 1958 and produced more than 1.3 million kilograms of silver. At their peak in the 1770s, over 4,000 people worked here, making it Norway's largest pre-industrial workplace. The mines supplied over 10% of the gross national product of the Danish-Norwegian union.
According to local legend, two children named Helga and Jacob were herding cattle on Gruveåsen hill in 1623 when their ox scraped the mountainside and exposed something shining. They took it home to their father, who melted it down and tried to sell it in Skien. The price he asked was so low that authorities arrested him as a suspected thief. Faced with hard labour, he revealed where he found the silver.
Today you can visit the King's Mine, which produced almost half of all the silver extracted from Kongsberg. A mine train takes you 2,300 metres into the mountain and 342 metres below the surface. The journey takes about 15 minutes and is very noisy, so ear plugs are provided. Once inside, a guided walking tour lasts around 60 minutes and covers 800 metres through tunnels and caverns. You'll see the original machinery, including a man engine from 1881, an ingenious mechanical lift that carried miners up and down. The temperature inside is a constant 6°C, so dress warmly.
The mines are located at Saggrenda, 8 km outside Kongsberg. Tours run daily during summer, with reduced hours on weekends and holidays from mid-May to mid-October. Book tickets online in advance as tours often sell out. Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure since the train does not wait. The tour involves climbing stairs equivalent to five floors and requires evacuating on foot in an emergency, so it's not suitable for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues. Children must be at least three years old, though five and up is recommended. Those with claustrophobia should consider carefully.
Outside the mine entrance, there's an activity area during summer where children can pan for silver and mint their own coins.