Kåfjorden, Fjord and mining settlement in Alta, Norway
Kåfjorden is an 8-kilometer-long fjord that branches from Altafjorden and features steep cliffs with deep water along its edges. The waterway today is crossed by a bridge built in 2013, which carries European route E6 across the fjord.
The settlement began when copper mining started in 1826, bringing thousands of workers, especially from Cornwall in England, to this fjord region. Mining operations ended in 1909, marking the close of a prosperous period that had transformed the area.
The Kåfjord Church built in 1837 shows British architectural style and reflects the community of English miners who lived here. The building shapes the local landscape today and tells the story of when foreigners came to work in this remote place.
Visitors cross the fjord on the E6 bridge, which offers views of the water and cliffs from the road above. Stopping points near the bridge and along the main route allow time to see the landscape properly.
The German battleship Tirpitz anchored in Kåfjorden during World War II and was attacked by British midget submarines in 1943. This event made the fjord a center of dramatic naval action that people still discuss today.
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