røros - a northern jewel

Røros, NorwayWith its unique concentration of centuries-old houses in the Norwegian highland, Røros is one of the oldest wooden towns in Europe.

Mining created a unique mountain settlement, which has earned Røros a place on the Unesco World Heritage List .

Røros

Bergstadens Ziir ( Church of Røros )

Built in 1784, the church is still the only stone building in old Røros.

It was financed by Røros copperworks.

Details of the baroque interior, decorated with sky-blue marble patterns.

The organ dating from 1742 and still working comes alive with baroque music.

The church and the bell of the melting works.

RørosPopulation : 5.620UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980Røros mined copper from 1644 until 1986

Røros is one of the few old towns in Europe with streets from the 17th century, and wooden buildings in the town center.

In Røros, intimate streets with small shops and cosy cafés create an old time atmosphere.

Kjerkgata, main street

Market day

Stalls line the streets with dried meats, jams, breads, handmade crafts. Hot gløgg, pork chops, polser. coffee, and tea is for sale too.

You can find painters, potters, glass blowers, silversmiths and blacksmiths, working in quaint ateliers.

The atmosphere of Frøyas Hus, an exotic farm dating back to 1742 in the centre of Røros, now a gallery, shop, café, small hotel.

Frøyas HusMørkstugata, 4

The courtyard of a ceramic workshop. 

Røros is a living museum, and the entire town centre is protected.

The Slag road has the oldest houses of Røros

The street pattern and farming properties in the center of town are the same as were originally constructed in the 1600’s.

The history of Røros is linked to the copper mines, exploited for 333 years.

Grass-roofed timber houses.

There are about eighty wooden houses in the old center, some over 300 years old

Mining

A miners´ cottage.

Røros museum (Rørosmuseet ) Housed in ”Smelthytta” (the smelting hut)

One of the mine buildings, the furnace where copper ore was smelted, and the creek which provided power for the mining operations through numerous water wheels.

• waterwheels and lift mechanisms, horsedriven capstans and mine galleries

The museum displays waterwheels and lift mechanisms, horsedriven capstans and mine galleries

One of the working models of how the mine used to work.

http://www.rorosmuseet.no/

Winter images of Røros

The church and the bell of the melting workers.

Røros is one of the world’s coldest towns, with a temperature record of -50,4 degrees Celsius.

Kjerkegata

Kjerkegata, winter market day, about -25 º C

Bergmansgata

Very frozen creek

One-man, one-dog sledge

Bibliotek (Røros Public

Library)

Books, hot coffee and internet.

The old pharmacy (1830)

1856 protected house.

Christmas season

Around Røros

Eide fall

Kvitsanden, Norway's largest inland desert• Small 3km long and 1km wide desert

• Northernmost sand desert in the world.

Røros railway station. The building dates from when the railway was opened in 1878.

Train from Oslo to Trondheim in Røros station.

RørosSources(photos and text) :

http://www.flickr.com

http://www.panoramio.com/

http://www.trekearth.com/

http://www.pbase.com/

http://www.visitnorway.com

©Mario Ricca, 2008