Sognefjellsvegen
Encyclopedia
The Sognefjellsvegen or Sognefjellsveien (Route 55) is the highest mountain pass road in Northern Europe
. It is located in Oppland
and Sogn og Fjordane
counties
in Norway
. It is a national tourist road and starts in the village of Lom in the municipality
of Lom
, it then travels over the Sognefjell mountain area, and it ends in the village of Gaupne
in the municipality of Luster
. The road was opened on 16 July 1938. The road passes through the Jotunheimen
, Hurrungane
, and Breheimen
mountains. The highest point is Fantesteinen at 1434 metres (4,704.7 ft). During the winters there is a lot of snow, and so the road is closed from November through May. The road passes between Jotunheimen National Park and Breheimen National Park
.
, lake Bøvertunvatnet, and then the Bøvertun rest area. The rest areas of Krossbu and Sognefjellshytta are located beside the road high up in the mountains. Upon entering Luster, the road passes the lakes Prestesteinsvatnet
and Hervavatnet with the mountain Fannaråki
, just south of the road. Descending into the valley, the road passes the hotel Turtagrø
, the villages of Skjolden
, Luster
, Høyheimsvik, and Nes before finally reaching Gaupne
which is along the Sognefjord
.
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. It is located in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
and Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
counties
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is a national tourist road and starts in the village of Lom in the municipality
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
of Lom
Lom, Norway
Lom is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fossbergom....
, it then travels over the Sognefjell mountain area, and it ends in the village of Gaupne
Gaupne
Gaupne is a village which is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village has a population of 1,075. The village is located along the Gaupnefjord, an arm of the Lustrafjord, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of...
in the municipality of Luster
Luster, Norway
Luster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
. The road was opened on 16 July 1938. The road passes through the Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen
Jotunheimen is a mountainous area of roughly 3,500 km² in Southern Norway and is part of the long range known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The 29 highest mountains in Norway are all in Jotunheimen, including the very highest - Galdhøpiggen...
, Hurrungane
Hurrungane
Hurrungane is a mountain range in the municipalities Luster and Årdal in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway...
, and Breheimen
Breheimen
Breheimen is a mountain range in Sogn og Fjordane and Oppland counties in Norway. The area lies west of Jotunheimen , north of the Sognefjord, and south of the Nordfjord and Riksvei 15...
mountains. The highest point is Fantesteinen at 1434 metres (4,704.7 ft). During the winters there is a lot of snow, and so the road is closed from November through May. The road passes between Jotunheimen National Park and Breheimen National Park
Breheimen National Park
Breheimen National Park is a national park that was established in 2009. The park is located in the municipalities of Skjåk and Lom in Oppland county and in Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
.
Route
The road passes the villages of Galdesanden, Spiterstulen, and Elveseter, then the mountain GaldhøpiggenGaldhøpiggen
Galdhøpiggen is the highest mountain in Norway, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, at 2,469 m above sea level...
, lake Bøvertunvatnet, and then the Bøvertun rest area. The rest areas of Krossbu and Sognefjellshytta are located beside the road high up in the mountains. Upon entering Luster, the road passes the lakes Prestesteinsvatnet
Prestesteinsvatnet
Prestesteinsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway, with a small part of the lake crossing over into the neighboring municipality of Lom . The lake sits at an elevation of above sea level. It lies along the south side of the Sognefjellsvegen road, just...
and Hervavatnet with the mountain Fannaråki
Fannaråki
Fannaråki is a mountain in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The tall mountain is located in the Jotunheimen National Park, just south of the lake Prestesteinsvatnet and the Sognefjellsvegen road...
, just south of the road. Descending into the valley, the road passes the hotel Turtagrø
Turtagrø
Turtagrø is a hotel in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway, near Hurrungane in Jotunheimen. The hotel has been a central meeting place for mountaineers from the late 1800s.-Location:...
, the villages of Skjolden
Skjolden
Skjolden is a village in the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Lustrafjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. Skjolden is the innermost point of the Sognefjord, and is the length of the Sognefjord is measured from Skjolden to Ytre Sula island...
, Luster
Luster, Norway
Luster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
, Høyheimsvik, and Nes before finally reaching Gaupne
Gaupne
Gaupne is a village which is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village has a population of 1,075. The village is located along the Gaupnefjord, an arm of the Lustrafjord, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of...
which is along the Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes