Molde is known as Rosenes By, the Town of Roses. The nickname dates from the late 1800s, when wealthy European tourists discovered that the Gulf Stream climate let gardens bloom far further north than expected. The roses are still planted everywhere in summer.
The town's main draw is the Moldepanoramaet: 222 mountain peaks visible in a single sweep across Romsdalsfjorden. The best viewpoint is Varden, a ten-minute drive above the centre. On a clear day the panorama stretches from the Romsdal alps to the snowfields beyond.
Moldejazz, founded in 1961, is one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It runs every July (week 29) and fills the town with outdoor stages, concerts in churches, and music on the waterfront. During the festival, Romsdalsmuseet, one of Norway's largest open-air folk museums, becomes a concert venue among historic timber buildings.
Like Kristiansund, Molde was devastated in April 1940. King Haakon and the government sheltered here after fleeing Nybergsund and Gudbrandsdalen. The famous wartime photograph of the king standing under a birch tree during an air raid was taken here on 29 April, moments before he was evacuated by British warship to Tromsø. The birch tree, known as Kongebjørka, still stands.
The town's main draw is the Moldepanoramaet: 222 mountain peaks visible in a single sweep across Romsdalsfjorden. The best viewpoint is Varden, a ten-minute drive above the centre. On a clear day the panorama stretches from the Romsdal alps to the snowfields beyond.
Moldejazz, founded in 1961, is one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It runs every July (week 29) and fills the town with outdoor stages, concerts in churches, and music on the waterfront. During the festival, Romsdalsmuseet, one of Norway's largest open-air folk museums, becomes a concert venue among historic timber buildings.
Like Kristiansund, Molde was devastated in April 1940. King Haakon and the government sheltered here after fleeing Nybergsund and Gudbrandsdalen. The famous wartime photograph of the king standing under a birch tree during an air raid was taken here on 29 April, moments before he was evacuated by British warship to Tromsø. The birch tree, known as Kongebjørka, still stands.