World Heritage Photos

Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: Copper was found in the Røros Mountains in 1644. The first furnace was built near a waterfall in the river Hyttelva in 1646, and workers flooded to Røros to work in the copper foundry. The Røros Mining Town was founded on account of the copper mines in 1644. The Circumference is the name of the area that was drawn as a circle, based on the discovery of copper ore in the Røros Mountains. Røros Copperworks was awarded the rights to the natural resources and provided with the necessary labour to extract copper ore within the Circumference. The Røros Church was built of stone and completed in 1784, its tower is adorned with symbols of the mine. It is one of Norway's largest churches and also one of the ten most important churches in Norway. The mines are located outside of Røros. A guided tour of the Olavsgruva allows visitors to wander through more than 300 years of mining history. The tour extends 500 metres inside the mountain and 50 metres under ground level. The Winter Route was used from November to May. At that time, there were no railways and no cars, the goods were transported by sleighs. The winter routes formed a large network over the country, linking the copper mines to the main roads. The mines were closed after 333 year of mining. Røros Mining Town and Circumference gained status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1980. World Heritage Art: Winter in Røros.

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1. 

   The wooden houses and church of the Røros Mining Town. Copper ore was found in the Røros Mountains in 1644. Røros was founded as a mining town in 1644 when the first copper ore was found and workers flooded to Røros to work in the copper foundry. Røros Mining Town and the Circumference gained the status as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1980.

2. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The Circumference is the name of the area that was drawn as a circle, based on the discovery of the copper ore in the Røros Mountains. The Røros Copperworks was awarded the rights to the natural resources and provided with the necessary labour to extract copper ore within this Circumference.

3. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The Smelthytta is building that houses the furnace. The Smelthytta (the Smeltery or the melting hut) was the main building of the smelting works. In its time, the Smelthytta was the centre point of the Røros mining community. From 1646 until 1953, the smelting of copper took place in the Smelthytta.

4. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The Slegghaugan are enormous heaps of slags close to the Smelthytta. The Smelthytta was destroyed by fire in 1975, but the Smelthytta was built up again. Nowadays, the Smelthytta, the furnace building, houses a museum showing the history of Røros and the Røros Copper Works.

5. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The town of Røros and the church of Røros viewed from the Slegghaugan. The Røros Church was built of stone and completed in 1784. The tower is adorned with symbols of the mine. The Slegghaugan are heaps of slags near the Smelthytta. The Slegghaugan is one of the most characteristic aspect of the Røros Mining Town.

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   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The river Hyttelva is running through the Old Røros Mining Town. The Smelthytta, the Smeltery or melting hut, is situated on the banks of the river Hyttelva. In 1646, the first furnace was built near a waterfall in the river Hyttelva. Røros Mining Town and Circumference were declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1980. 

7. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The mining town of Røros is also called 'Bergstaden' which means 'mining town'. Røros is one of the two historic mining towns in Norway, the other is the 'silver town' of Kongsberg. Røros is located in central Norway, 386 km north of Oslo, close to the border of Sweden.

8. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The bell Hyttklokka and the wooden houses. The old bell Hyttklokka was used to notify workers at the smelthytta, the smelter hut, when work started and finished. The bell was probably also used as a warning system in case of disasters such as fires and mining accidents.

9. 

   Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The hyttklokka and the Røros Church. The church is standing on a majestic location high above the wooden houses of the Old Røros Mining Town. The Røros Church was built in the 18th century, during the golden age of Røros Copper Works, built 'in God's honour' and as a adornment to the town.

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    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The Church of Røros was consecrated in 1784. The church is one of the largest stone churches in Norway, the church is ranked among the ten most important churches in Norway by the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Røros Mining Town and the Circumference was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980.

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    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: One of the buildings of the Olavsgruva Mine. The Olavsgruva Mine is situated about 13 km north of Røros. The guided tour takes visitors through the Nyberget Mine dating from the 17th century and the Olavsgruva Mine dating from the 20th century. The Røros Copperworks operated from 1644 until 1977.

12. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The Olavsgruva warming room. The warming room is situated below ground level. From 1937 until 1972, the Olavsgruva was the most important mine of the Røros Copperworks. The Olavsgruva was left almost as it was when mining stopped in 1972. The copper mines of Røros were closed after 333 year of mining.

13. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: A guided tour of the Olavsgruva allows visitors to wander through more than 300 years of mining history. The tour extends of about 500 metres inside the mountain and 50 metres under ground level. The mines of the Røros Copperworks, the Olavsgruva, the Nyberget and Nye Solskinnet, are situated outside the Røros Mining Town.

14. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: A slag stone street called the Sleggveien. Slag stone is a by-product of the metallurgical smelting process. One of the wooden houses was occupied until 1950. Today, the Sleggveien is part of the Røros Museum. An episode of the TV series Pippi Longstocking was filmed in the Sleggveien.

15. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The small houses along the Sleggveien street were inhabited by craftsman, unmarried people and casual labourers who had no homestead. The wooden houses along the Sleggveien have been restored in their traditional style by craftsman of the Røros museum.

16. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The characteristic wooden houses of the old mining town. The old mining town of Røros contains about 80 wooden houses. Many of the 17th and 18th century houses retain their dark pitch-log façades. The mining town of Røros was founded to house the hundreds of miners.

17. 

    Røros Mining Town and the Circumference: The mining area around Røros. The historic Winter Route formed a large network over Norway and Sweden, linking the copper mines to the main roads, there were no railways and no cars at that time, the goods were transported by horses and sleighs in winter. The winter routes were used from November to May.