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Vøringsfossen

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Vøringsfossen is a famous waterfall located in Norway. It is situated at the top of the Måbødalen valley. This site sits within the Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county. The falls are a major tourist attraction for travelers. They are located near Norwegian National Road 7. This road connects the cities of Oslo and Bergen.

The waterfall is the 83rd highest in Norway based on its total fall. The name Vøringsfossen comes from the old verb *vyrða*. This word means to esteem or revere. The second part of the name, *fossen*, is the definite form of *foss*. In English, *foss* means waterfall. Another official name for this place is Vøringen.

A small river called the Bjoreio flows into the falls. This river has a hydroelectric dam in the Sysendalen valley. The dam is located above the waterfall. This dam regulates the volume of water in the river. People use the water for power development. However, there are specific rules for the water flow. During the summer, the flow must remain above its natural rate.

For a long time, only local people knew about the falls. This changed in 1821 when Professor Christopher Hansteen visited. He was traveling to the Hardangervidda plateau for astronomical observations. He wanted to estimate the height of the waterfall. He used a pocket watch to time falling stones. He threw stones from the edge and measured the time. Later, in 1893, the height was measured with a string. This revealed a real height of 182 meters.

Tourism at the falls grew significantly in the late 1800s. In 1880, Ola Garen decided to build a hotel at the top. Visitors had to use a path with 1,500 stairs up Måbøbjerget. A bridle path was also built in 1872 for English tourists. In 1891, a new road and tunnels were built along Eidfjordvandet. That same year, the Fossli Hotel was completed. The architect was Frederik Konow Lund. He designed it in the Art Nouveau style. Workers had to carry all building materials on horseback.

Around the year 1900, large cruise ships began visiting Eidfjord. Passengers were transported up the valley by horse and wagon. The famous composer Edvard Grieg was also a frequent visitor. He kept a log cabin nearby. Today, the site remains a very popular destination. The waterfall has a total drop of 182 meters. It also features a major drop of 144 meters.

Safety is an important part of visiting the falls today. There are several warning signs about the danger of falling. New measures to prevent deaths were planned for 2015. In 2020, a new stairway bridge opened for visitors. A pedestrian bridge also spans the deep ravine. This bridge is 140 meters long. It was designed by Carl-Viggo Holmebakk. A helicopter was used to place the sections across the ravine. One side of the bridge is higher than the other. Some have described it as looking like a collapsed scaffold.

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