Henningsvær

Hen­nings­vær is on the sou­thern tip of Aus­t­vå­gøya, one of the lar­ge islands in Lofo­ten. Or to be pre­cise, it is on some small islets clo­se to Aus­t­vå­gøya. And this makes some of the charme of the place.

Hen­nings­vær had some of its heydays in the midd­le of the 19th cen­tu­ry, when it was deve­lo­ped in pri­va­te owners­hip. It got a hos­pi­tal with doc­tor, a light­house and other infra­st­ruc­tu­re and beca­me fol­lowin­gly an important har­bour for the regio­nal fishe­ry. During the Second World War, some of the faci­li­ties were des­troy­ed by the allies, which later led to punish­ment of the local peop­le by the Ger­man occu­p­y­ing for­ces! Around 1950, Hen­nings­vær saw some good years again with record cat­ches of fish and a popu­la­ti­on num­be­ring around 1000.

Today, the­re are less than 400, and fishing is still important for many. But they know how to par­ty during long, light sum­mer nights …

Pan­ora­ma: Hen­nings­vær

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