North Cape
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The North Cape is a cape on the island of Magerøya in the region Finnmark in northern Norway nearby the town of Honningsvag.
[edit] Understand
The North Cape is located on a 307 m high, steep cliff and is often referred to as the northernmost point of Europe, located at 71° 10′ 21″ N 25° 47′ 40″ E. The North Cape was named by English explorer Richard Chancellor in 1553 when he passed the cape in the search for a Northeast passage. Famous visitors include King Oscar II of Norway in 1873 and Thailand's King Chulalongkorn in 1907. The North Cape is sometimes iluminated by the midnight sun and there is no sunset for several weeks in summer and in wintertime there is no sunshine but one can see the fascinating Northern Lights above snow covered mountains.
North Cape - A short history
The North Cape, the North Cape Horn has always been a well-known an important point of orientation for all boats and ships. The rock has had a great variety of names and it was only in the mid 16th century that it was given the present name.
In 1553 a english commander, Richard Chancellor passed the North Cape and named the cliff as the North Cape. From that time, it has been called the North Cape. At that time it wasn't exactly the center of interest. But only 100 years later, the first "tourist" was reported to have climbed up to the north cape plateau. He was an Italian priest called Fransesco Negri. It took him more than two years on foot, by boat, on horseback, on sleighs and on skis. In 1664, finally having reached his destination, he noted in his travel log: "Here i am now on the North cape, at the extream tip of Finnmark, really at the end of the world:"
In the 18th and 19th centuries, a journey to the North Cape was still an adventure - an expensive one. This is why there were quite a few high-ranking people aming the first tourists - Prince Luoise Phillippe of Orleans, Oscar the second, King of Norway and Sweden, King chualalonkorn King of Thailand (He got his name and date carved into a rock on the top of the plateau. This rock can be seen in the Panoramahall in front of the souvenirshop.) and Emperor Wilhelm the second, just to name some of them.
In 1875, London Travel agents Thomas Cook, organized the first group travel to the North Cape for 24 participants. At that time travelling to the North Cape was very different compared to how it is now. There was no road leading across the island to the plateau. Travellers were taken by rowing boat from Skarsvåg or Gjesvær to Hornvika, just below the north cape. From there they had to climb up the steep and rocky ravine, to reach heigh of plateau, about 307 meters. The first modest wooden buildings started to appear to the plateau. One of those was an hut "Stoppenbrink's Champange Pavilion.
In 1956 the road between Honningsvåg and North Cape was built. The North Cape Hall has not always been how it is today. The first building placed where the souvenirshop and entrance hall is located now. It was built in 1959. In 1988 the Hall was extended almost to it's present extent. The Thai museum was added in 1989. It owes it's existence to the visit of King Chulalonkorn in 1907. The King is regarded as a holy figure by Thais, and any places he visited are therefore sacred too. St. John's chapel was opened on St. John's Eve in 1990. In 1997 the Hall was further extended with the addition of the panoramic windows in the entrance hall and new staircase down to the cinema.
The monument of Barn av Jorden (Children of the Earth) is located on the right side from the main entrance to the North Cape Hall. It was produced in summer 1988 by seven children from different countries. The children were brought together to show that we could understand one another, work together and have fun regardless of their skin colour, religion, social, political or cultural background. Since 1989 the monument and the North Cape Hall have provided the setting for the annual Children of the Earth Prize Ceremony. The Price is awarded to a person or organisation who helps children in need.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By Car
The North Cape is on the northern end of European Route E69, which branches off E6 at Olderfjord. The road passes a deep undersea road tunnel with toll booth on the northern side collecting toll both ways, both for vehicles and passengers.
[edit] By Boat
The coastal steamer ("Hurtigruten") is a nice way to get to the North Cape. Busses take you from the harbour in Honningsvåg to North Cape. Lots of cruise ships also stop in Honningsvåg.
[edit] Get around
[edit][add listing] See
- Cinema
- Children of the earth
[edit][add listing] Do
Become a member of the Royal North Cape Club (RNCC) The Royal North Cape Club was formed in 1984, and membership restricted to people who have visited the North Cape. The idea of the Club is to create corps of ambassadors who will promote the North Cape as a tourist destination and attraction, while maintaining and protecting the unique nature of the place. Club members receive a lifetime's free entrance to the North Cape. The RNCC has it's own club Room beside the Grotta Bar. The midnight sun can be seen from 14th of May to the 31th of July. The sun reached it's lowest point at 00.14 - 00.24.
[edit][add listing] Buy
[edit][add listing] Eat
[edit][add listing] Drink
There is a bar with a magnificent view caved out in the cliff.
[edit][add listing] Sleep
[edit] Get out
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