Nordvågen

You are now arriving at Nordvågen, which today is the only harbour on Veøya. In the Middle Ages there was one more harbour, it was called Sørvågen and was on the opposite side of the church. The particularly good harbour conditions and the island’s central location, meant that at one time it was Romsdal’s most important hub. The fjord made the island a lively trading town and a religious and cultural hub until the arrival of the Black Death in the 14th century. Here in Nordvågen many poles have been found protruding from the clay bed which have been dated to around the year 1200. These are the remains of the old Medieval harbour that was situated here. At that time the sea level was 2 metres higher than it is today. Further in, remains of a stone guards’ structure have also been found in the harbour area, which may indicate that there was a sailing barrier set up. This protected the boats from attacks and theft in the Middle Ages, the barrier had an opening in the middle allowing the ships to sail in and out. Today a sailing barrier is not necessary but keep the thought of Nordvågen as a busy port a thousand years ago in your mind when you land on the island. The pictures show amongst other things, the excavation of the harbour poles with Brit Solli and a drawing of how the harbour may have looked in earlier times.