Culture & history
Powerful stories and living traditions
Did you know that the brown cheese from Stordalen Farm has been named the best in the world? Or that the Gaustabanen was once part of a secret NATO military facility?
Rjukan, Gaustatoppen, and the surrounding villages offer a rich and vibrant cultural scene, where proud traditions are kept alive through activities all year round.
At the same time, this is a place where history has truly left its mark. With Sam Eyde’s vision to “put the Rjukan waterfall to work,” the industrial adventure began—
laying the foundation for Hydro and the development of Rjukan. Together with its dramatic wartime history, this has given the area a unique position — and a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Today, the combination of culture, nature, and history makes Rjukan a destination that engages and fascinates visitors from Norway and around the world.
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Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum – Vemork
At the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum at Vemork you can see the unique exhibition about WWII as well as the industrialization of Rjukan.
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Rjukan – Notodden on UNESCOs world heritage list
Rjukan is on the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage Site. The nomination is based on Rjukans industrial revolution. Read a summary of the nomination background.
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Gaustabanen
Gaustabanen is a funicular railway, inside Gaustatoppen. This is a very unique touristattraction. No similiar railway is to be found in North-Europe!
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Marispelet by the Rjukanfossen
The Marispelet is a gripping play: The love story about the strong-willed Mari and the poor boy Øystein, in a play acclaimed as one of Norway’s finest.
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Rjukanfossen
The Rjukan Waterfall is unfortunately much less impressive than it used to be as most of the water has now been diverted into pipes running to the Vemork power station.
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Selstali Seter
Selstali alpine pasture farm in Gausdal Valley at the foot of Mt.Gaustatoppen, is a genuine, Norwegian, alpine pasture farm.
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Håvardsrud Saeter
It is a great experience to come to a mountain pasture where the cows are grazing, and watch work being done the way it has been for hundreds of years
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Bergstaulen Seter
Bergstaul Seter is a mountain farm, situated by road 37, approx. 12 km west from Rjukan centre. The farm is mostly known for having the second best cheese in the world!
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Tinn Håndverkssenter
The centre’s objective is to preserve the rich handicraft traditions in Tinn and to offer local artists their own production and sales premises.
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The Giant Sun Mirrors in Rjukan
The sun mirrors bring sun down to Rjukan Square during winter months, when it is normally shady.
Historic hikes
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The Saboteur’s trail
Hike the Saboteur’s Trail from Rjukan Fjellstue to Vemork and experience WWII history, following in the footsteps of Norway’s brave resistance fighters.
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Ryes vei – The retreat
Ryes vei was used by the Norwegian saboteurs to escape after blowing up the heavy water factory during the second world war. Therefore Ryes vei is also called “The Retreat”.
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Kunstnerleden Oslo-Rjukan
Kunstnerleden is a historic cultural route that extend from the Oslo Kunstforening, located in the city’s oldest building on Christiania Square, to the Norwegian Trekking Association’s first tourist cabin at Krokan by Rjukanfossen
Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage
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Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum – Vemork
At the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum at Vemork you can see the unique exhibition about WWII as well as the industrialization of Rjukan.
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Rjukan – Notodden on UNESCOs world heritage list
Rjukan is on the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage Site. The nomination is based on Rjukans industrial revolution. Read a summary of the nomination background.
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Rjukanfossen
The Rjukan Waterfall is unfortunately much less impressive than it used to be as most of the water has now been diverted into pipes running to the Vemork power station.