The Battle of Narvik

The Battle of Narvik is not just one place. It is a story that lies in the entire landscape around the city: in the Ofotfjord, on the mountainsides, along the Ofotbanen railway and in the center of Narvik. Narvik was strategically important because iron ore from the Swedish mines in Kiruna could be transported out via the ice-free port throughout the year. On April 9, 1940, the German attack on Norway and Denmark began. In Narvik, the fjord, the harbour, the railway and the mountains quickly became part of a larger war. The fighting at Narvik lasted from 9 April to 10 June, when the Norwegian forces capitulated. During these weeks, Norwegian and allied forces fought German forces on land, at sea and in the air. On 28 May, Narvik was recaptured, before the Allies later withdrew. After what is considered the largest battle on Norwegian soil, a bombed-out city remained, with 64 sunken ships in the fjords, 86 planes lost and great human losses. Today, guests can encounter this history in several ways, with Narvik War Museum as a natural starting point in the city center. It tells the story of the battles of Narvik, World War II in Northern Norway and the connection between the outbreak of war in 1940 and our own time. The museum provides space for knowledge, reflection and reflection. History can also be experienced out in the landscape. On the Family Walk in Underground Bunkers, families get close to narrow, dark and damp bunker and tunnel facilities along the Ofotfjord. Through Experience the story below the surface – with an underwater drone, guests can see live images from a shipwreck from the sea battles, without diving themselves. With the Arctic Train, you follow the Ofoten Line towards Bjørnfjell and the landscape that made Narvik strategically important. At Sildvik in Rombaksfjorden, guests can also experience the shipwreck Z2 Georg Thiele from land, where the bow is still visible on the shore.