Hello and welcome to Vardø!

My name is Lars, and I'll be showing you the highlights of Vardø. I live in Vardø and am passionate about the history and culture of Finnmark.

This will be a tour...

Turn left here to walk along the path that runs in between the hotel and the shore.

The hotel is a good place to stay in Vardø. It's famous for the quality food, especially their seafood – adver...

Continue straight.

On your left is a bust of Willem Barentsz.

Barentsz lived from 1550 to 1597, and was a Dutch navigator and Arctic explorer. He is known for the three expeditions he took ...

You are now walking between the buildings of the local high school. As well as the usual subjects, there is special emphasis on the food and fishing industries.

Vardø is the easternmost city o...

The orange building coming up on your left is the Pomor Museum, in the warehouse called "Brodtkorpsjåene".

Stop for a moment in front of it.

The word pomor is Russian and means "those who liv...

Please turn left here at Kaigata and walk towards the building with the large steeple. This is Vardø chuch.

The church in Vardø dates back to 1307, when the oldest known church was consecrated. ...

Turn right to cross the road and walk in between the two buildings.

The red building on the left is Vardø Town Hall. With its monumental shape and strategic positioning, its the first thing you ...

When you get to the road, stop and look up to your left.

Can you see a white globular structure perched on top of Vårberget?

You might need to move further over to the right to get a better...

Now turn left to cross the road, then turn right to continue walking in the same direction you've been going.

Keep going.

The large building on your right, across the grass is the former Grand Hotel.

It was built in 1914 and dominated the center of Vardø. The hotel was built as an answer to increasi...

Turn left here at the top of Kongens gate and continue walking along Skippergata.

In august of 1944, the city was bombed by the allies. This resulted in most of the buildings being destroyed. S...

Now turn right to cross the street and continue along Andreas Lies gate, between the houses on the right and the open fields on the left.

I hope you're enjoying the tour so far. We're now about ...

You're now at Steilneset, and have reached the dark side of our history.

Stop here for a moment while I fill you in.

For those who believe in God – there is also a devil. The belief in evil f...

Please enter the cubed building.

As you can see, the buildings are both very unique in shape. The cubed building that houses Bourgeois' installation is fabricated from steel and tinted glass, fo...

Stop here for a moment at the entrance to the hall.

The witch trials here in Vardø are very well documented. The trials were meant to protect innocent citizens from the supposed dark side – the...

Please leave the Steilneset Memorial by crossing the small, wooden bridge, and follow the path that leads to the left.

The memorial was opened by the Norwegian Queen Sonja, on June 23rd, 2011. I...

Now turn left, and follow the path towards the fortress. But please be aware that in the wintertime, this path can be difficult to follow, and that you will need to follow the road instead. That wi...

Turn left here onto Festningsgaten and head towards the fortress. I'll meet you next to the statue of King Haakon.

Let's stop next to the statue of King Haakon and I'll tell you about the fortress.

The northern part of Finnmark in the 1200s was rife with fighting between the Norwegians and people from Kareli...

Turn left here onto Per Larssens Gate and keep going.

Now turn right to carefully cross the road and walk along Amtmann Lillienskjolds gate, staying on the right hand side of the street.

You're now walking along Amtmann Lillienskjolds gate.

Hans Hansen Lilienskiold was born in Bergen in 1650. He was a Norwegian lawyer, government official, civil servant and land owner.

Lilie...

At the end of this street, make a right turn over the small, wooden bridge, and cross the road towards the port.

Stay to the right of the small red house ahead.

You have now returned to Vardø Port, and it’s time for me to say goodbye. I hope you have enjoyed our tour through Vardø and its history.

Vardø has a rich past – and we hope a rich future. As th...