The community in Rombaksbotn was established when the second attempt to build the Ofotbanen railway. Learn about the life in Rombaksbotn.
Rombaksbotn is primarily known as the construction town for the Ofotbanen line from 1898 to 1902. The community in Rombaksbotn was established when the second attempt to build the Ofotbanen railway started, serving as a kind of service site for the plant.
From being a farm, the place mostly consisted of 70–80 houses and about 500 inhabitants.
Steamships brought people and supplies here.
From Rombaksbotn, transport was continued on foot, by horse and cable car to the facility on both the Norwegian and Swedish sides.
Rombaksbotn became a hub with various offers for those who built the railway. The photograph shows the May 17 parade in 1900.
There were shops, hotels and cafes.
According to Rombaksvisa, not all services were equally positive:
And in Rombaksbotten lives a colony
living out of the sluice, you can see,
for several varieties are handed, stolen and plundered here,
and it does not help even though there are police
Rombaksvisa
Listen to Wigdis Aune Strømsnes and Vera Steine: who take us into the history of women’s encounters with Rombaksbotn. Hear their take on life in Rombaksbotn in their special and theatrical way.
The 43 kilometre long railway line from Narvik to riksgrensen is a continuous series of cultural-historical treats interspersed with beautiful scenery and dizzying views.
Electrification of the Ofotbanen railway
Electrification of the Ofoten Line - In 1923, the Ofoten Line switched from steam locomotives to electrically powered locomotives.
Opening of the Ofotbanen railway
On 15 November 1902, the Norwegian Ofotbanen railway was connected to the Swedish Malmbanan on the National Border. The following summer there was a tablecloth for a feast dinner and a royal visit.
Related Exhibits
17 May 1904
The children's parade in Narvik on 17 May 1904 passes Narvikgården led by the boys' corps tambur.
Narvik Municipal Photo Collection
Narvik Museum manages the Narvik municipal photo collection consisting of around 215,000 photographs. Part of the collection is presented on digitaltmuseum.no.
Playful children, the Monument of Freedom, the 4th Corner
"Playful Children" is cast in bronze and made by Thorsen who participated with the sculpture at the Autumn Exhibition in 1963. Narvik municipality bought the sculpture in 1963, and it was placed in Byparken in 1965 pending the final design of the Peat Area.