Båtsfjord

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Båtsfjord

The next port of call for the Hurtigruten is Båtsfjord, a small town on the rough coast of the Varangerhalvøya peninsula.

Båtsfjord is also the administrative centre of the Båtsfjord municipality, which has 2070 inhabitants.

This has been a municipality since 1868, first under the name Vardø herred (rural district), and then renamed to Båtsfjord in 1957. Before 1868 this district was part of Vardø.

Total area of Båtsfjord municipality is 1.433,21 km², which from 1.419,77 km² is land area.

fishing vessel in Båtsfjord harbour Båtsfjord has a very important fishing harbour, with appr. 10.000 vessels each year, and a great fishing industry. (Photo:Klaus Spörl/HRG archive).

In the old days, the Båtsfjord municipality had many fishing villages, but today, all the people of Båtsfjord is living in the community centre.

The Båtsfjord Church was build in 1971 and has 300 seats.

Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms shows a symbol of the importance which fishing industry has for Båtsfjord: A fish hook in silver on a blue background.

Båtsfjord has many findings from the ancient Stone Age, and one of them is fishing hooks with a shape that is shown on the Coat of Arms.

It was granted 1985.

The Airport

The little town even has it's own airport. These photos shows the modern airport of Båtsfjord. They are both taken by Bernt Olsen Hagen.

The little town also of course has the daily calls of the Hurtigruten.

Abandoned villages

If you ever get the possibility to spend some time here, you should visit some of the abandoned fishing villages in Båtsfjord. The most popular one is Hamningberg. In our days, the village buildings are only used as accomodation during summer, and you will be impressed by these well preserved and charming little villages, which shows unique remains of complete old wooden houses in a region that was totally devastated by the Germans by the end of WW II.

The village of Sandfjord was the first to be abandoned. This was in 1946. Then the villages of Makkaur and Hamna was abandoned in 1950.In 1964 the time has come for Hamningberg.The sad history of these charming little fishing villages, was ended in 1989 when the village Nordfjord was abandoned.

In Båtsfjord you can find the northernmost Gannet colony in the world, with appr. 300 pairs.

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Our last presentation is Lofoten, the archipelago in Nordland County. Also take a look at our presentations of Svolvær, Stokmarknes and Sortland. Svolvær is the capital of Lofoten, while Sortland is known as the Blue Town of Vesterålen.

Stokmarknes is recognized as the "Home of the Hurtigruten", and here you also find the Hurtigruten Museum.