Boats in Svolvaer in lofoten islands with snow


Svolvaer has a population of about 4000 and is centre of administration in the Lofoten Island The oldest part of the town is on the island of Svinøya where the first trading company was established in 1828 The town s first shop opened on Svinøya combining fish buying with a bakery and later also a telegraph station Commercial fish buying during the Lofoten winter fishing season formed the basis for the town s existence As the town grew and developed a large number of rorbu cabins were built on Svinøya and on the surrounding islands These rorbu cabins were shacks used by the fishermen who came from far and wide to take part in the Lofoten fishery They consisted of two rooms one serving as living quarters where they cooked slept and repaired their nets and the other being used as a storeroom for nets bait and food supplies The Lofoten archipelago lies to the north of the Arctic Circle off the west coast of Norway separated from the mainland by Vestfjord From a distance the islands look wild and inhospitable a wall of mountains rising out of the sea but they have been settled since the Stone Age the inhabitants relying on fishing and agriculture as they still do today The islands rise majestically from the sea to a height of almost 1 000 meters The mountains are separated by swathes of green and the water s edge is fringed with white sandy beaches The water is green and clear and the views are awe inspiring The area around Lofotodden Point is characterized by a narrow coastline steep mountain formations and the strong tidal currents that flow between the islands The sea and the Ice Ages have formed deep fjords craggy peaks and a number of coastal caves In winter everything seems so much more wild and untamed with the sea pounding the shores and the Northern Lights illuminating the night skies


Size: 5894px × 3876px
Photo credit: © Elisa Locci / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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