Ljøen Viewpoint

Here, between two long and dark tunnels, a spectacular panoramic view opens up—across the Geirangerfjord, the Sunnylvsfjord, and the mighty, majestic Sunnmøre Alps. Ljøen Viewpoint is a popular stop for visitors, but few realize that these towering mountain slopes are under daily surveillance. In 1934, not far from here, a large chunk of mountain collapsed into the Tafjord. The resulting tsunami devastated entire communities and claimed the lives of 40 people in the villages of Fjørå and Tafjord. It remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in Norwegian history. Since then, people living along the fjords of Sunnmøre have lived with the constant threat of landslides. This fear even inspired filmmakers to create Norway’s first disaster movie, The Wave. In the film, the mountainside known as Åkerneset gives way, triggering a giant wave that sweeps through the fjord and destroys almost everything in its path—straight into the heart of Geiranger.