Romsdalsfjord
| Romsdalsfjorden | |
|---|---|
  Romsdalsfjorden Location in Møre og Romsdal | |
| Location | Romsdal, Møre og Romsdal |
| Coordinates | 62°39′08″N 7°15′41″E / 62.6523°N 7.2615°ECoordinates: 62°39′08″N 7°15′41″E / 62.6523°N 7.2615°E |
| Basin countries | Norway |
| Max. length | 88 kilometres (55 mi) |
| Settlements | Molde, Åndalsnes |
Romsdalsfjorden is the ninth longest fjord in Norway. It is 88 kilometres (55 mi) long and located in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county. It flows through the municipalities of Midsund, Haram, Vestnes, Molde, Nesset, and Rauma. The deepest point in the fjord is just southwest of the town of Molde, where it is 550 metres (1,800 ft) deep.[1]
The western inlet of the fjord is generally considered to be between the island of Dryna (in Midsund Municipality) and the village of Brattvåg (in Haram Municipality). A second inlet is to the north, through the Julsundet strait, bound by the island of Otrøya to the west and Molde Municipality to the east.
The fjord branches off to the minor Tresfjorden and Tomrefjorden to the south, while the main body continues an east-west bound direction. The fjord then forks into three main branches: Moldefjorden (which flows into the Fannefjord) runs past the city of Molde north of the Molde Archipelago; Langfjorden, the longer arm of the fjord, with its branches Karlsøyfjorden, Rødvenfjorden, and the picturesque Eresfjorden, in the middle; and finally the southern arm past the town of Åndalsnes, terminating in Isfjorden.
From Eastern Norway, you can reach the fjord through the Gudbrandsdal valley at Lesja, down the Romsdal valley to Åndalsnes. This is also the terminus of Raumabanen railway line.
Veøya—the holy island—is located at a junction between the three main branches of the fjord. This island was the foremost medieval trading center between Trondheim and Bergen. The Medieval Church of St. Peter (Old Veøy Church), from the late 12th century, is now a museum, but still hosts occasional services.
Wolf Larsen, the main character in Jack London's novel 'The Sea-Wolf' claims that he was born in the vicinity of Romsdalsfjorden.
References
- ↑ Store norske leksikon. "Romsdalsfjorden" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-10-21.