The history of Finsehytta

Finsehytta

Finsehytta was taken over from the Directorate of Enemy Property in 1947 by the Norwegian Trekking Association and has been run as a serviced tourist cabin since 1949. Today it is one of the largest tourist cabins of the DNT. The unique nature at Finse attracts thousands of people every year who want to experience something different. Finsehytta is located between Hardangervidda and Skarvheimen and offers a number of different activities.

War

It was the Germans who built the foundation for what would later become Finsehytta. During World War II, they tried to build an airport on Hardangerjøkulen. This was one of many secret projects the Germans had during the war, and the reason why all trains that drove past Finse had to cover the windows so that passengers could not see out.

Airport

Plans to build the airport ended when the first plane to take off on the glacier fell into a crevasse, despite the many bags of sawdust that had been transported to Finse to cover the cracks in the ice. It was the Germans who built the barracks that today have become Finsehytta. The barracks were built for testing aircraft engines and Arctic equipment. After DNT took over the property, it has been completely renovated.

From the 1949 Yearbook

In the Norwegian Trekking Association's yearbook from 1949, the following is written about Finsehytta:

"During the autumn of 1948, Finsehytta was finished; Only minor interior work remains. The cabin will be opened on March 6, 1949 with the winter season until May 17. The prices of board and lodging are set by the Directorate of Prices. The association's members are entitled to priority for visits and permanent stays. The cabin has 56 beds divided into 2, 4 and 6 bed rooms. Anne Marie Eger, Ski, is employed as manager for 1949."

Managers at Finsehytta

Finsehytta has had several managers and managers, here is an overview of who has run the cabin over the years:

• Anne Marie Fretheim 1949-1971
• Guro and Pål Laingen 1972-1984
• Lars Åge Hilde 1985
• Gerd, Otto and Øyvind Næss 1985-1988
• Marit Josefsen and Kjell Magne Tangen 1989-2007
• Rigmor and Edvar Sæbø 2008- 2022
• Sonja Rykhus and Rune Sundt 2023 - 

Finse is discovered by the elite

Before Norwegians began to learn about the concept of leisure, British aristocrats had "discovered" Norway's fantastic mountain hiking and skiing opportunities. In 1860, "The Alpine Journal" described Finse as a paradise for mountain sports. It was also in this context that Finse became a popular place for the elite in Europe. Hiking in the mountains to enjoy yourself was still unfamiliar to Norwegians at that time. As the union with Denmark was dissolved and a wave of national romanticism came over the country, Norwegians began to have a culture that was strongly linked to nature also outside of work and livelihood. Nature was no longer ugly and dangerous, but something beautiful, something to be proud of. Polar explorers such as Fritdtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen become national heroes and we become a nation that strongly identifies with nature. The hotel Finse 1222 opened in 1909, and housed many prominent guests, both actors, adventurers and aristocrats.

Today, Finse is one place for all types of people. Skiing has long been woven into the Norwegian people's soul, and every Easter the mountains are filled with hiking enthusiasts of all ages, and from all walks of life.

DNT brings people and nature together

In 1868, the Norwegian Trekking Association is born. This organization was started by philanthropist Thomas Heftye and aimed to preserve nature while making it accessible to the general public. It started with the elite and aristocracy, but as ordinary people got more free time and better working and living conditions, more and more people began to use nature for recreation.

DNT is still working to bring nature closer to the people and maintains 20,000 trails and 7,000km of marked winter trails in Norway. DNT owns over 500 cabins spread across the country. 400 of these offer accommodation and are divided into 3 categories: Serviced, self-service and unserviced.

DNT is Norway's largest outdoor recreation association with over 290,000 members. The health-inducing benefits of fresh air and outdoor activities are well recognized; It reduces stress, improves fitness and concentration.

Rallarvegen- Cycle path through history and nature

Rallarvegen was built side by side with the new railway between Bergen and what was then Christiania (Oslo) in the early 1900s. The purpose was to transport equipment and goods for the ongoing work on the railway. The history of Finse as a village is closely linked to the construction of the railway. The community grew as a consequence of the construction and maintenance of the Bergen Railway. Together with tourism, the railway gave life to Finse.

Rallarvegen is named after those who built it: The navvies. These were workers who built roads and railways at this time. Many of them came from Sweden.

The railway employed many people, and at its peak there were over 200 people living at Finse. A vibrant community with church, school and shop.

Modernization and streamlining have made many of the railway jobs of the time redundant. Today, it is tourism that keeps Finse alive. The last railway jobs disappeared when Finse Station became unmanned in October 2016, and a more than 100-year-long chapter was closed. Today, tourists flock from all corners of the world to enjoy the same nature that the elite discovered in the 18th and 1900s. They cycle and enjoy the views along the road that the Navvies struggled to build and maintain at the beginning of the last century. The historical buzz can be found in old structures, bridges and buildings along the road.

The railway is still the lifeblood of Finse as a community. It brings goods and tourists every day throughout the winter and summer seasons. If you want to learn more about the history of this special, beautiful place, a trip to the Navvy Museum is recommended. It is open during the summer season.