Tromso, Norway
island
from the air
(old city off to the right)
Tromsø, town in northern Norway, capital of Troms County. Tromsø is located on the island of Tromsøy off the northwestern coast of mainland Norway, in the Norwegian Sea.
Stature of King Håkon VII in front of old city hall
It is the largest Norwegian town north of the Arctic Circle. Troms County includes the adjacent mainland; Tromsøy Island is linked to the mainland by a bridge.
coastal steamer docked at Tromso port
As the county seat, Tromsø is the administrative, communications, cultural, and educational center of northern Norway. It is also a fishing port with fish-processing industries. Other industries include shipbuilding, brewing, prefabricated houses, high technology, and tourism.
Roald Amundsen
pioneer of Artic and Antarctic exploration
(died in plane crash near Tromso)
current gateway to the Arctic
The town is served by an airport and is a starting point and support base for arctic expeditions. A meteorological station, an institute studying the aurora borealis, or northern lights, and the University of Tromsø (founded in 1968) are all located in Tromsø.
Link to Svalbard (Spitsbergen) page
Trondheim style (vertical) siding on building
Bergen style (horizontal) siding on building
1915 style building
Tromsø was founded in the mid-13th century, and granted a town charter in 1794. The Norwegian government was based in Tromsø for a short period during World War II (1939-1945).
older wooden cathedral
its interior
the catholic cathedral
(Northernmost in the World)The modern Tromsdal Church, built in 1965, is known as the "Cathedral of the Arctic;" there is also a wooden cathedral (1861) in the center of the town. Tromsø Museum contains an aquarium, and is devoted to natural history and to the history and culture of the Saami (Lapp). Population (1990) 51,218.
statue holding gull outside protestant cathedral
main shopping street with tourist train
child and flowers in square
