Bench of the Week, Norway, Røros

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History
Røros municipality has been used by the South Sami people for reindeer herding up until today. Known for its copper mines, Røros is one of Norway's two nationally significant mining towns with activity starting in the 17th century (the other one being the "silver-town" Kongsberg, see Kongsberg Silver Mines).

Røros was burned to the ground in 1678 and 1679 by the Swedish Army during the Scanian War.


Røros and its people were made famous to Norwegians at the turn of the 20th century by semi-fictional author Johan Falkberget, who told the story of the mining community from the perspective of the hard-tested miners at the bottom of the social ladder.

With its authentic wooden buildings, Røros was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1980.

More benches in Røros!

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RuneE of Visual Norway
began this informal meme on "Bench of the Week". Please visit his site for other participants. PERBS has a whole site dedicated to benches called "For the Love of Benches", which is going on for two years and every day she posts a new bench.Her friend Malyss. has shown more than 600 benches on a site called "benchesonmyway".

ABC Wednesday R for Røros

One of the most interesting towns I ever saw is Røros, in Norway. In 1644 copper ore was found in the mountains by accident . Legend has it that hunters chased after a deer which ran into the mountain and in its flight he kicked some earth away and revealed a copper veine. I don't know what happened to the deer, but life in Røros changed for ever after this. In the following year the first furnace was built near a waterfall in the river. Workers flooded to Røros to work in the copper foundry. Farming became a secondary occupation. The town has retained much of its original character, with houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. The street pattern in the centre of the town is the same as it was constructed in the
1600s. The last time Røros was burnt was in 1678. For over 250 years Røros was among Norway's most important mining towns. The smallest houses near the furnace were occupied by short term workers, widows, gypsies musicians and unwed mothers.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with R.

I am away on a holiday and shall answer all comments when I return.

Røros

The mining town of Røros, which I visited in 2006, was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1980.In 1644 copper was found in the Røros
mountains and in the following year the first furnace was built near a waterfall in the Hitterelva (=Hitter river). Workers flooded to Røros from near and far, to work in the copper foundry.
 


The town has retained much of its original character with houses and farms from the 18th and 19th centuries. The street pattern and farming properties in the centre of the town are the same as was originally constructed in the 1600's.Røros has not burnt since 1678 when the Swedes set fire to the place.
For over 250 years Røros was among Norway's most important mining towns. Between 1644 and 1977 over 100,000 tons of copper and 525'000 tons of sulphor pyrite were produced here.Enormous waste heaps provide evidence of these mining activities.
 
 
 

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