Tag Archives: Tromsø

Happy Knitmas & Holidays, Merry Christmas

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Christmas 2020, so unlike last year due to the Corona virus, yet it will be another Knitmas for me. The holidays always seem to sneak up on me and suddenly there are only days left until Tiny Little Christmas Eve; 22nd of December. Despite the fact that I have worked with Christmas patterns for the Norwegian magazine Familien since July, so my first Christmas greeting I received from the handicraft editor back then. No wonder I loose track, really. Just like the previous years Michael and I will be celebrating Christmas Eve with my brother and his family, as well as my mum, but this time keeping the required Corona distance in between us.

I will take some time off to relax between knitting and pattern writing, before my next pattern release on 1st of January 2021.

Above is the interior of the Arctic Cathedral, photographed by Michael during our holiday in Tromsø in Northern Norway back in July. “The fantastic glass mosaic on the eastern side was added in 1972. The glass mosaic is one of artist Victor Sparre’s most prominent works. It depicts God’s hand from which departs three rays of light: one through Jesus, one through a woman and one through a man”. Continues on the webpage to the Arctic Cathedral. Beneath you can see Michael outside the main entrance on the western side of the Cathedral. You can see more photos from our trip to Northern Norway here: Postcard from Northern Norway and Tromsø Architecture and – of course – Northern Norway Knit Photos.

Stay well and safe! I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Knitmas and Holidays!

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Tromsø Architecture

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I wanted to share a selection of the photos Michael took of the architecture in Tromsø from our trip back in July. It was our first trip so far north, above the Arctic Circle, and we were so fortunate to have so many days with very warm temperatures for Northern Norway, that is; 24 degrees Celsius/75 degrees Fahrenheit, see the Postcard from Northern Norway. On top of our list to visit was the Tromsø landmark, the Ishavskatedralen/Arctic Cathedral and Michael chose our hotel Scandic Ishavshotel based on its location with a view towards it. The photo above is taken with a zoom in the evening after 7 PM, while I have captured Michael in action for scale in the photo below.

The architect is Jan Inge Hovig and the cathedral was dedicated on November 19, 1965. Above is the main entrance on the western side; it is surrounded by a large glass façade with a pronounced cross. The cathedral is built of eleven cast-in-place aluminium-coated concrete panels.

The view from the backside, which we saw first as we came walking from the Fjellheisen/Cable Car.

Below is the side view, where you can see the construction and the eleven panels.

The cathedral was open so we were able to take a close look inside too.

“The fantastic glass mosaic on the eastern side was added in 1972. The glass mosaic is one of artist Victor Sparre’s most prominent works. It depicts God’s hand from which departs three rays of light: one through Jesus, one through a woman and one through a man”. Continues on the webpage to the Arctic Cathedral.

Take a closer look at this photo and you will see the glass mosaic in one end and the organ at the other end of the church.

Next on our list was the Tromsø bibliotek/Library. The building was erected beneath the original roof of the old Fokus Kino/Cinema, drawn by architect Gunnar Bøgeberg Haugen and opened on th 16th of March 1973. The special roof construction was made inspired by the Spanish architect Félix Candela’s construction, often labelled candela shell.

The architect behind the library is HRTB AS. The building was opened in 2005 and offers amazing views of Tromsø. Yet, only a few of the study desks, with a view, in the reading room were taken on the day we visited the library.

The staircases criss-crossing the interior looked like an elaborate sculpture.

Lastly, I wanted to share the very distinctive building exterior of Polaria – the Arctic aquarium – that represents ice floes that have been pressed up on land by the rough seas of the Arctic. Do check out the sketch made by the architects; Jaf arkitektkontor AS.

I hope you will enjoy these photos from the architecture of Tromsø. I recommend you visit Tromsø and explore Northern Norway, when it is safe again to do so!

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Postcard from Northern Norway

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I have been to Northern Norway for the first time ever! Michael and I have spent four nights with my sample knitter Grete Jenssen & her husband Jan Sverre in Storsteinnes and three nights at Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromsø. We decided early in July to travel north and to meet Grete for the first time in real life. Grete and I have been in touch since 2012, when she found me on Facebook. It did not take long until I felt like I had know her for ages! Above you see the view of Tromsø from the Cable Car going up to the mountain ledge Storsteinen (421 m above sea level). The weather was surprisingly warm and summery with 24 degrees Celsius/75 degrees Fahrenheit for being so far north – a two hour flight from Oslo. Michael and I did not walk down, but there were plenty of people who did. The 1250 steps are built by sherpas and some of the stones had their names inscribed, see below.

We had a magnificent view of the cable car and the Arctic Cathedral, in the centre of the photo below, from our room at the Scandic Ishavshotel to the right.

Grete had researched what to do while we were staying with them and we happily agreed to hike to the Blåisvannet/Blue Lake in Lyngen on Friday and to visit Senja on Saturday. On our first day, it was raining heavily so we went for a short drive to see some rock carvings nearby. The rain stopped and we had a lovely walk.

Jan Sverre drove us for about two hours to the carpark about 4 kilometers from the Blue Lake and we quickly realised that we were far from alone. A number of Finnish families had driven across the border and prepared for the easy trek. The last part of the walk up to the lake involves climbing over large stones and scree. The blue colour is due to the high content of silt particles in the meltwater from the Lenangsbreen glacier.

Here you see a number of people on their way up to the lake and with shadow on the glacier at the top.

Senja is the second largest island in Norway and spectacular! We stopped at a Norwegian Scenic Route point with a view that took my breath away! Jan Sverre is photographing the view. You can read more the Norwegian Scenic Route at Senja here: www.nasjonaleturistveger.no.

The view the other direction give you an idea of the scale and ruggedness of these mountains facing the Atlantic coast.

Senja has amazing beaches but very cold water. We spotted a few children in the water but only one brave adult.

Here is Michael sitting at the smooth rock surface at Tungeneset with that view to the Okshornan/Ox horn cliffs. I should specify that all these photos are taken by me and not Michael.

The easy access to the rock surface from another Norwegian Scenic Route viewpoint. Do notice the rugged mountains and the people photographed to add scale.

The Midnight Sun from the beach in front of Grete’s house, taken 15 minutes past midnight. The brightly light nights made it difficult to sleep, but they were amazing. One more post from Northern Norway is coming, this time including some knits! We had a fabulous week in the north, and want to come back to see more! If you have not been, do add it to your bucket list for the future, when it is safe to travel abroad again! Stay safe and healthy! Regards from Northern Norway!

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