Rjukan lies at the bottom of a narrow valley in Tinn municipality, about two and a half hours from Oslo by car. The town barely existed before Norsk Hydro built their factories here in the early 1900s. The workers' housing, the town centre, the infrastructure, it was all built for the factory. That is part of why this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not just about individual buildings but the entire system: power plants, transport, and the company town that made it all run.
The area was actually one of Norway's first tourist destinations. In 1811, a geologist told the King he had found the world's tallest waterfall here. He was wrong, but tourists came anyway. Jules Verne visited in 1861 and later wrote a novel partly inspired by the area.
Then came the industry, and with it the most famous chapter: the heavy water sabotage of 1943. Norwegian commandos climbed down into this valley in winter, broke into the Vemork power plant, and destroyed the heavy water production that the Nazis needed for their nuclear weapons programme. The story has been told in films many times, but standing in the valley where it actually happened is different.
Unlike many famous sites in Norway, Rjukan is not yet overrun by tourists. The nearest cruise port is far away, and mass tourism has not arrived. Plan at least two days if you are new to the area. There is more to see here than most people expect.
The area was actually one of Norway's first tourist destinations. In 1811, a geologist told the King he had found the world's tallest waterfall here. He was wrong, but tourists came anyway. Jules Verne visited in 1861 and later wrote a novel partly inspired by the area.
Then came the industry, and with it the most famous chapter: the heavy water sabotage of 1943. Norwegian commandos climbed down into this valley in winter, broke into the Vemork power plant, and destroyed the heavy water production that the Nazis needed for their nuclear weapons programme. The story has been told in films many times, but standing in the valley where it actually happened is different.
Unlike many famous sites in Norway, Rjukan is not yet overrun by tourists. The nearest cruise port is far away, and mass tourism has not arrived. Plan at least two days if you are new to the area. There is more to see here than most people expect.
