Tolga: Discover History, Culture and Nature

Tolga: local history and special discoveries

There are many different ways to get to know Tolga: an octagonal wooden church, a historic settlement centred around a smelting works, and a farm museum all tell the story of the area. There are also nature and culture trails, Olsok events and Hamran Ski Park. When planning your vacation, you can decide whether you want to focus mainly on culture, nature or sporting experiences.

Tolga Church is in the centre of the town. Built of wood in 1840, it has an octagonal floor plan. The history of Tolgen hytteplass also has a specific connection to the region: in the 1660s, this historic settlement developed around the smelting works established by Røros Kobberverk. Several well-preserved farmsteads stand in Gata. Malmplassen, with Hyttstua and an information point, is also in the centre of Tolga. Together, these places reveal different aspects of local life and history, without reducing Tolga to a single attraction.

Farm history and summer experiences

Dølmotunet is an old farm museum in the centre of Tolga. It consists of nine buildings preserved in the condition they were in when they were built. During the summer season, Dølmotunet offers children the chance to meet animals. On selected days, the Eldhuset also hosts traditional baking or handicrafts. These seasonal activities offer a different experience from a tour focused mainly on the buildings and their history. If you are travelling with children, you can make these experiences a focus of your summer plans; however, baking and handicrafts are only available on selected days.

Olsok is also a highlight of the summer events calendar in Tolga municipality: the festival is celebrated every year with a varied programme of more than 40 cultural events. This offers a different way to experience culture than visiting historic sites and buildings. While Dølmotunet and Tolgen hytteplass offer insights into past ways of life and work, Olsok centres on a diverse cultural programme.

Ski jumps and nature trails

Hamran Ski Park is in the centre of Tolga and is a year-round facility open to everyone. It includes four floodlit ski jumps, with heights of 10, 20, 40 and 60 metres, as well as three local ski cross facilities. The different sizes of the jumps and the ski cross facilities give the park a distinct sporting profile. If you would like to take these kinds of activities into account when choosing a holiday destination, they offer another reason to consider Tolga alongside its cultural and historical attractions.

The Tjønnhauan nature and culture trail is in Grantævet, between Tolga and Vingelen. It passes through forest and marshland and along waterways, with 20 informative stations on the theme of forests. Art and culture enthusiasts can also visit the Kunst- & Kulturløype, a cultural trail for art and cultural experiences near the centre of Tolga. You can also discover Vingelen as another destination.

A nearby destination, Gammelbrua is about 1.5 km north of Tolga on Provincial Road 30. The bridge has a distinctive design with a span of 32 metres, described as the largest in Norway. Its location also makes it easy to place this excursion in context. When looking for a holiday rental, it helps to first decide what you would most like to focus on during your stay: Tolga’s cultural and historical sites and activities in the centre, the nature attractions around Tjønnhauan, or the sporting facilities at Hamran Ski Park each offer a different experience.

For the broader travel guide: Tolga.