 | ||
| Rjukan | ||
| Fylke | Telemark | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | approx. 3,500 | |
other value for residents on Wikidata: 3171   | ||
| height | 296.4 m | |
| Tourist info | 47 35 09 14 22 http://www.visitrjukan.com/ | |
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Rjukan is a city in Southern Norway, on the southeastern edge of the Hardangervidda.
background
The small town of Rjukan is located in East Telemark in Vestfjorddalen, the south of the 1883 m high Gaustatoppen and to the west of the Hardangervidda is limited.
Among other things, Rjukan became known as a place where there is no sunlight for six months of the year: Due to the narrowness of the valley, it is dark throughout the winter in the place on the valley floor. This led to the creation of the Krossobanenthat the residents could use to drive up to the height of the mountains to get sunlight. There have also been plans for a long time to use large mirrors to direct sunlight into the place. At the end of October 2013, after many years of planning, three large heliostats were finally put into operation on the hill above the city. They direct sunlight onto the town's market square during the winter months.
Despite the lack of light, Rjukan was a magnet for tourists from an early age: the waterfall Rjukanfossen and the Gaustatoppen, the highest mountain in southern Norway, and the proximity to Hardangervidda made the place known as a travel destination. The Rjukan Railway to Tinnsjø, which was operated from 1908 (until 1991), and the railway ferry across the lake made it possible for travelers to reach the place in a very easy way as early as the early 20th century. However, the railway was primarily used for the construction of what was then the largest hydroelectric power station in the world, Vermork, for the aluminum producer's directly adjacent plant Norsk Hydro, built. Both structures led to a rapid growth of the place.
In particular, the work of Norsk Hydro brought world events to the small, otherwise rather remote place: During World War II, Rjukan, like all of Norway, was in the hands of the German occupying forces. The Germans were particularly interested in what was only produced in the Norsk Hydro plants in Europe Heavy water, which was needed for nuclear fission and thus for the production of nuclear weapons. Numerous acts of sabotage, in which both Norwegian resistance fighters and British and American soldiers were involved, directly involved the region in the war. However, several attempts to stop production failed. The transport of the heavy water to Germany was ultimately only prevented by the blowing up of the railway ferry across Tinnsjø by Norwegian resistance fighters, which drowned most of the heavy water, although many civilians also lost their lives. The industrial facilities around Vermork, preserved today as visitor centers, were opened in July 2015 UNESCO World Heritage Site recorded.
Today the place with the Gaustatoppen and the long kept secret, since 2004 publicly accessible Gaustabahn, the Krossobahn, the Rjukanfossen and the Vermork power station, which is now an industrial museum, offers a large number of attractions, complemented by the original landscape in the area. Even in winter, the region is known for its excellent opportunities for cross-country skiing.
getting there
By plane
The most suitable airport for further travel to Rjukan is the Oslo Airport Gardermoen.
By train
Since the closure of the Rjukan Railway, it is no longer possible to travel to Rjukan by train. For travelers from Oslo is in Kongsberg the closest train station, from where there are bus connections to Rjukan.
The train station in North Agutu at the Bradsbergbanen an arrival option with a bus connection.
By bus
Rjukan can be reached by bus from Oslo Kongsberg (1:30 h drive from Kongsberg).
Coming from the south coast you take in from the rail connection North Agutu the bus (approx. 1:40 h travel time).
Out Notodden it's 1:10 h drive to Rjukan.
In the street
By boat
mobility
Dynamic cardsTourist Attractions
- 1 Gaustatoppen The cone-shaped mountain is the highest mountain in southern Norway and (assuming good visibility) offers an overview of almost a sixth of Norway from the summit at 1883 m.
- 2 Gaustabanen
- 3 Rjukanfossen
- 4 Krossobanen, Kraftledningsveien 1, 3660 Rjukan. Tel.: 47 35 09 00 27, Email: [email protected]. Scandinavia's oldest cable car was built in 1928 to give the residents of Rjukan access to sunlight even during the winter months. The valley station is 403 m above sea level, around 1 km west of the city center. From there, the train takes visitors to the Gvepseborg mountain station at an altitude of 886 m in four and a half minutes. At the mountain station there is an observation tower from which one has a wide view of the surrounding mountains, especially the Gaustatoppen, and the Hardangervidda. A cafe at the mountain station is under construction. The mountain station is also the starting point for hikes and bike tours in summer and for alpine skiing, Nordic skiing or toboggan runs in winter.
- 5 Norsk Industrial Arab Museum, Vemork, 3660 Rjukan. Tel.: 47 35 09 90 00, Fax: 47 35 09 90 01, Email: [email protected]. The Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum is located in the former Vemork power station at the western end of the Rjukan Gorge. Here, among other things, the history of the Helter i Telemark, the Heroes of Telemark documented - the Norwegian resistance fighters who were significantly involved in 1944 in preventing the transport of the heavy water required for the production of nuclear weapons to Germany.
activities
shop
kitchen
nightlife
accommodation
- 1 Rjukan Hytte and Caravan Park, Gaustaveien 78, 3658 Milan. Tel.: 47 35 09 63 53, Email: [email protected].
- 2 Gaustatoppen Vandrerhjem, Kvitåvatnvegen 398, 3660 Rjukan. Tel.: 47 35 09 20 40, Email: [email protected].
- 3 The Lykkelige sportsman, Kvitåvatnvegen 461, 3660 Rjukan. Tel.: 47 406 96 330, Email: [email protected].
- 5 Gaustablikk Høyfjellshotell, Kvitåvatnvegen 372, 3660 Rjukan (A few kilometers west of Rjukan). Tel.: 47 35 09 14 22, Fax: 47 35 09 19 75, Email: [email protected].
health
Practical advice
- 1 Rjukan Tourist Information, Torget 2, 3660 Rjukan. Tel.: 47 35 08 05 50, Email: [email protected].
trips
literature
- Not a book, but a film enables you to get in the mood for the trip to Rjukan: The film, shot in 1964 Heroes of Telemark (German: Password heavy water) with Kirk Douglas and Richard Harris in the leading roles was filmed on location and gives an insight into the wintry Hardangervidda and the Rjukan 50 years ago. The Norwegian-English series also shows Kampen om tungvannet, which started in January 2018 on ARD under the title Saboteurs in the ice ran, aspects of what happened in Rjukan during World War II.
