Monuments to visit Laponie

Building housing the democratically-elected Sami delegation to Norway's general elections. The president is Silje Karine Muotka. Guided tour every hour. The Saami delegation is elected every four years. Superb architecture, well worth a visit, and don't hesitate to enter if you can, as the wooden balustrades, lamps and large windows overlooking the forest give quite a magical impression, especially for such a public place! Library containing books in all Sami languages.

Library specialized in the Saami universe. A unique collection of Saami literature in several languages.

At 6 km, this lighthouse is a landmark on the steep coast overlooking the Arctic Ocean. It is one of the most mythical lighthouses on the entire coast. Since its automation in 1994, it also serves as an accommodation for visiting groups. The view is breathtaking and it is hard to imagine a better place to be if you are looking to get away from the crowds and reconnect with nature. This lighthouse has been classified as cultural heritage since 1998. It used to run on kerosene around 1900 and then suffered the hazards of history, particularly the Second World War.

The northernmost lighthouse in the world, located at the same latitude as Alaska. Visits are organized in the summer. It can be reached by a trail from Gamvik (5 km). The lighthouse is located in the middle of the natural park. The road that winds through the park was built in 1930. It leads to Varnesovnen, a cave used during the evacuations in the autumn of 1944. The lighthouse is now a lodge where you can stay between June and August every summer. A great opportunity for lovers of the great outdoors, hiking or fishing!

The Adolf Guns are the greatest guns in the world. They were built by the German occupiers during the Second World War and installed in the stronghold of Trondenes. Today, four are still in place but only one is fully preserved and maintained (in working order). These are the largest naval guns placed ashore during the Second World War in the whole of Europe. They formed Hitler's most powerful battery on his Atlantic Wall. Remembrance of a heavy and traumatic period for northern Norway as well.

Jarama Fortifications is a way to discover a part of the history of the region. After a ten-minute video, you can access these old trenches that date back to 1944. During the war in Lapland, Germany invaded this part of Finland. In the summer of 1944, they built fortifications to defend themselves from the Finns who were trying to regain ground. A few blockhouses remain from this period, which can be discovered behind the museum by walking through the trenches. Beware, it is easy to get lost!

According to Unesco's description, the Struve Arc stretches from Hammerfest to the Black Sea, crossing 10 countries over a distance of 2,820 km. The project was originally carried out by Friedrich Georg Wilhelm, and represents the first accurate measurement of a long meridian segment, helping to define and measure the exact size and shape of the Earth, and playing a key role in the development of Earth sciences and accurate topographical maps.

For more information, see the UNESCO website.

It is a building that houses the only state-sponsored Sami theater. The research center of the Sami Nordic Institute is also located here. The building is to be admired for its original architecture, which was awarded the Northern Norway Prize in 1987. It is one of the first buildings to be designed to fit in with Saami culture and climate conditions. There is also a library, a café and a cinema.

This lighthouse, which has not been inhabited since 1970, is a popular place for painters and writers. A pedestrian bridge links the lighthouse rock to the mainland. The only inhabitants of the place are about twenty eiders that come here to nest. Beware, the weather can change very quickly! At any moment, the elements can rage around this lighthouse isolated in the sea, so watch the weather forecast. In the summer, you will find a charming little restaurant that serves breakfasts with fresh homemade bread. Lunch and dinner.

Former presbytery, this room is today in the cultural centre of Nordland. It welcomed louis-philippe of Orléans in 1795, future king of France, when it when the Revolution. Remain today to admire the frescoes of 1754 painted by Gottfried Ezekiel in rococo style, probably the oldest in the country.

Thanks to the work of volunteers, this fort, a symbol of the town's resistance to the English navy, has been completely restored. The site was chosen as a millennium site. Completed in 1810, this military edifice was intended to defend the Norwegian coast against the English navy, and to protect grain imported from Russia despite the blockade to which the Norwegians were subjected. The fort never saw battle.

Ivalo was a gold mining town in the 1870s. The gold- and platinum-bearing Ivalojoki River attracted dozens of gold seekers in search of their fortune. Several symbols can be seen in Ivalo today. A statue of six gold miners at work stands in front of the Kultahippu ("gold nugget") hotel, while a giant Finnish sieve stands on Ivalo's northern traffic circle.

To find out more, visit the Gold Prospector Museum in Tankavaara, 60 km south of Ivalo.

This sculpture depicts 3 men and a woman holding a child. This monument commemorates the evacuation of the Petsamo (now Russian) region between 1920 and 1944. In the 1920s, this formerly Finnish region, populated by Sami Skolts, was annexed by the Soviets. The Treaty of Paris (1947) confirmed the annexation. During these 20 years, the Finnish population, mainly Skolt Sami, left the region, settling on the other side of the border, east of Lake Inari, in the villages of Nellim and Sevettijärvi.

There was a fort here as early as 1307, but the present star-shaped fortress dates from 1730 and is based on the French model, with fortifications that allow the enemy to be seen wherever he is. The Lushaugen Museum is dedicated to polar expeditions and local life. It is the most northerly fort in the world, nicknamed Norway's border post in the northeast. Events are organized from time to time: concerts, readings, and even a language café.