Norddalsbrua by the Ofoten Line

The Norddal Bridge towers high above Norddalen, where the Ofoten Railway follows a raw and steep landscape east of Narvik. Here, railways, mountains, steep mountainsides and the story of how Narvik was built as an ore town and hub meet. The bridge was put into use in connection with the opening of the Ofot Line in 1902. The Ofot Line was built to transport iron ore from the Swedish ore fields to the ice-free port of Narvik, and the Norddal Bridge became part of this demanding railway line between the fjord and the sea. The bridge was constructed in Germany, transported in parts up Norddalen and assembled in a short time. With its 180 meters in length and up to 40 meters above the valley floor, it was a central part of the line until 1988. The Norddal Bridge was also built with a military function. The Armed Forces demanded a larger bridge on the field that could be blown up if enemy forces invaded the country. During the Battle of Narvik in April 1940, Norwegian forces attempted to blow up the bridge, but the damage was limited, and the Germans repaired it shortly after. In this way, the bridge became a symbol of Norwegian resistance, immortalized in the war drama on Netflix; Narvik. In 1988, part of the Ofot Line was given a new route past the old bridge. Today, Norddalsbrua is preserved as a technical cultural monument. You can experience the bridge from Rallarveien, where a nice and wide old construction road leads to a marked lookout point. For many, the bridge is a strong symbol of Narvik's war and industrial history, and of the navvies who built the railway in a harsh and weather-exposed terrain.