Steilneset Witch Trial Memorial
Steilneset memorial in Vardø has been erected to commemorate the 91 people who were found guilty of witchcraft and burnt at the stake here. The artist Louise Bourgeois and the architect Peter Zumthor have joined in creating evocative space, a burning chair and a 100-metre long memorial hall that communicate this gripping story.
Varanger is about the long lines in the landscape as well as the long lines of history. Varanger not only offers a physical experience; you will also find serenity on this road. It is difficult to explain other than by saying that this is a place where you feel as if time stands a bit still. You drive past birch woods, marshland and a rugged cliff landscape. The light is special and the bird and animal life are unique. Species of birds that you can’t see anywhere else in the world are relatively easily accessible. It’s not only because of its geographical location that Varanger is perhaps the most exotic stretch. A trip along the route leading to the Arctic Ocean will reveal natural surroundings full of contrasts, and the lunar landscape out towards Hamningberg in many ways feels like this is a journey to the world’s end. If you drive along this road in the autumn perhaps you will experience the steely grey light, and the barren landscape will emerge as even more magical.
