Engeløya
| Engeløya | |
|---|---|
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| Waters | Vestfjord |
| Geographical location | 67 ° 57 ' N , 15 ° 4' E |
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| length | 16 km |
| width | 5 km |
| surface | 69 km² |
| Highest elevation | Trohornet 649 moh. |
| main place | Climb |
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Engeløya is an island in the Norwegian municipality of Steigen in Fylke Nordland . The island is located on the southeast side of the Vestfjord opposite the Lofoten Islands . The main town of Steigen gave the municipality its name. Today it is administered by the mainland in Leinesfjord . The connection to the E 6 is via the Riksvei 835 and the Engeløybruene bridge, which was completed in 1978 . The 360 m long structure was inaugurated by King Olav V.
General
Due to the influence of the Gulf Stream , Engeløya is an ancient cultural landscape that has been used for agriculture from the Bronze Age until today. Countless archaeological finds report the prominent position of Engeløya in the history of Hålogaland , today's "Helgeland", which in the Viking Age (800–1050 AD) roughly corresponded to the areas of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark .
This is also supported by the Steigen church, the oldest parts of which date from the 13th century. It is therefore the oldest church building north of Trondheim . Over the centuries it has suffered many fires and storms. The last restoration took place in 1965 and was based on the medieval architectural style, which can also be found in the southern Norwegian church of Sola .
If Engeløya was the capital of the north then, it is now on the archaeological map. It can monoliths , rock carvings _ (Sandvågen altar), farms, ports, settlements (Bø ringtunm, Vollmoen) and barrows be explored on a historic trail by bike or on a hike. Steigen's saga play , which is performed in an amphitheater, offers a great insight into this period .
The island also has the largest population of sea eagles in Northern Europe, which can be explained by the mild Gulf Stream climate and the abundance of fish in the Vestfjord. Hundreds of whales visit the fjord in autumn to hunt the large schools of herring.
To the north-west of the island you can find the remains of one of the largest fortifications of the Second World War - the Dietl Marine Coastal Battery. The battery was built from 1942 to 1944 and was equipped with three 16 inch rapid-loading cannons C / 34. It was supposed to cover the southern entrance to the Narvik ore port through the Vestfjord . The cannons were scrapped in 1956, the cannon bunkers and other facilities were preserved. A cannon bunker is now a museum with restored ammunition, machine and storage rooms.
