History

Located in the picturesque municipality of Stranda, Geiranger is a tranquil, bucolic village that sits right in the heart of historic Western Norway. Its most well-known historical era coincided with the rise of the Vikings—a seafaring people active throughout Europe during the Middles Ages. Technological innovations in Norway’s western counties effectively increased local agricultural activity, and thus the size of its population. New land to distribute became increasingly rare, forcing the inhabitants to look to the sea for opportunity. Using a uniquely slim, single-mast vessel known now as the “Scandinavian longship,” hundreds of people subsequently departed Western Norway to distant destinations. One common practice of the Vikings was to raid the shoreline of Europe for resources. Some of those warriors succeeded in carving out feudal fiefdoms—including powerful kingdoms—within the areas they conquered. But many others peacefully interacted with different European societies, establishing trading posts all over the continent. The Vikings were even known to harbor merchant colonies as far away as central Russia and the Middle East. A few adventurous bands of Vikings also sailed for long distances to remote landmasses like Iceland and Greenland, which they settled starting in the 10th century. In fact, modern archeological evidence has revealed that the Vikings managed to colonize Newfoundland, calling the location “Vinland” in contemporary accounts.

While the age of the Vikings has long since ended, many sites around Western Norway still preserve the rich history that they left behind. One of the most enduring landmarks to this heritage site is the medieval Urnes Stave Church, located at the end of the Sognefjord. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Urnes Stave Church was first built during the 12th century. Many scholars believe the building is among the best surviving examples of Viking culture, especially as it evolved throughout the High Middle Ages. (The church is still occasionally used for special events, although it stopped providing regular services in the 19th century.) Nevertheless, modern Western Norway is also a popular tourist attraction due to its wealth of natural wonders. Indeed, the region is widely celebrated for its fjords—long, deep waterways that receding masses of ice cut into the earth eons ago. Known for their beauty, the fjords are the region’s most enduring physical feature. The United Nations has even identified two of the largest fjords in the area—Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord—as one if its highly respected UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In fact, the head of the awe-inspiring Geirangerfjord lies right next to the village of Gieranger! Guests today can access this beautiful natural wonder from the Hotel Union Gieranger, which is replete with many terrific places to go hiking and sightseeing. Perhaps some of the most popular destinations within the greater Geirangerfjord are two waterfalls known as the “Seven Sister Falls” and the “Suitor.”

When the Hotel Union Geiranger first debuted at the end of the 19th century, architect Christian Thams specifically chose Norwegian vernacular architecture to help craft its appearance. Indeed, Thams had incorporated nearly the same exact designs used to build another hotel that had been developed around the same time in Øye. Both buildings displayed a brilliant blend of architectural themes—referred to colloquially as “byggeskikk”—that hailed from building techniques originally founded centuries prior. He made use of design motifs from Norway’s medieval period, namely the process of raising an interlocking timber frame latched together with corner notches. In some cases, the structure was supported via a “post and lintel” system, in which widely spaced vertical posts supported horizontal ones. Steeply pitched roofs reinforced by several intricately laid beams topped the building, while wallboards known as “pilli” constituted the exterior walls. Christian Thams also incorporated ancient Norse iconography throughout the façade, too, including the busts of mythological creatures like dragons and serpents. Known as “Dragestil,” this practice was part of a much larger Romantic movement within Norway toward the end of the 19th century. Architects like Thams had hoped the utilization of such historic symbolism would help preserve the past in the face of rapid modernization. In turn, the unique architecture would then support a shared sense of national identity that could further bind the country together. Nevertheless, the Hotel Union Geiranger’s rich appearance ultimately played a key role in the development of its reputation as a premier holiday retreat.

However, Thams had also constructed the Hotel Union Geiranger to resemble aspects of a Swiss chalet. Swiss chalets were once rustic cottages that first emerged as seasonal farmhouses around the height of the Middle Ages. Indeed, the chalet was a refuge for Swiss cattle herders, who would bring their livestock up into the Alps during the warmer months. The house itself functioned as a secondary home, within which the farmers would create a variety of dairy products for trade. But the chalets lost their original purpose as time passed, gradually turning into quaint seasonal vacation homes. The main reason behind the transformation was the emergence of the Alps as a popular tourist destination in the 19th century, specifically among the British and the French. They eventually discovered the many chalets scattered around the country and began buying them up in great numbers. The foreigners subsequently renovated the chalets to reflect their romanticized views of alpine life in Switzerland. Soon enough, the new iteration of the chalet had swept across the country. Many natives went as far as to alter their own homes to resemble the aesthetic, essentially making the architecture “Swiss” in the process. Many large-scale commercial buildings in Switzerland eventually showcased the style, too, including restaurants, storefronts, and hotels. A few Swiss construction companies even created premade chalets for people in other nations throughout Europe, especially in Scandinavian countries like Norway. The chalets—and their spinoffs—were typically very beautiful, despite the rusticity of their layout. Set upon a rectangular foundation, the buildings were most easily recognized for their gabled roofs and facades of carved, wooden details.

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