Åndalsnes is a town in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It serves as the administrative center of Rauma Municipality. The town is located along the Isfjorden, at the mouth of the river Rauma, at the north end of the Romsdalen valley.
Geography
Åndalsnes is situated at the shores of the Romsdalsfjord, where the river Rauma meets the sea. The river flows through the Romsdalen valley, which features some of the most dramatic scenery in Norway, including Trollveggen (the Troll Wall), a cliff formation with a vertical drop of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The village of Isfjorden lies about 7 km to the east, Veblungsnes lies just to the west across the Rauma river, and Innfjorden lies about 10 km to the southwest.
Area and Population
The town covers an area of 2.16 square kilometres (530 acres) and had a population of 2,483 as of 2024, giving it a population density of 1,150 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,000/sq mi).
Climate
Åndalsnes has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), with relatively mild winters, cool summers, and precipitation year-round. Late spring and early summer are the driest periods, while winter is the wettest. Due to its sheltered position in the fjord, it receives less precipitation than coastal locations such as Molde. The town experiences significant temperature swings in winter, with cold periods below −10 °C due to temperature inversions sometimes followed by mild spells exceeding 10 °C or even 15 °C caused by Föhn winds from the south-west.
History
The village of Åndalsnes was the administrative centre of the old Grytten Municipality from 1838 until 1964, when Grytten was merged with several other municipalities to form the new Rauma Municipality. Åndalsnes then became the administrative centre of Rauma.
During World War II, following the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, British troops landed at Åndalsnes as part of a pincer movement intended to capture the mid-Norwegian city of Trondheim. Lacking air cover, the forces were withdrawn in early May 1940.
In 1996, the municipal council of Rauma Municipality officially declared Åndalsnes a town (Norwegian: by).
Transportation
The European route E136 highway and Norwegian County Road 64 pass through Åndalsnes. The Rauma Line railway terminates at the port of Åndalsnes, with bus connections to the nearby towns of Molde and Ålesund. The harbour, called Tindekaia, is visited annually by many cruise ships.
Notable Features
Åndalsnes is known as "Norway's mountaineering capital" and is a hub for hiking, cycling, and skiing. The Romsdalsgondolen cable car, the longest in Norway at 1,676 metres, carries passengers from the fjord to the summit of Nesaksla. The town is also the gateway to the famous Trollstigen mountain road and the Romsdalseggen ridge hike. The local football club is Åndalsnes IF, and the local church is Grytten Church (located across the river in Veblungsnes).
