Type Valley glacier Area 48 km² | Location Luster, Norway | |
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Similar Breheimsenteret, Jostedalsbreen National Park, Briksdalsbreen, Nærøyfjord, Norwegian Glacier Museum | ||
Nigardsbreen is a glacier arm of the large Jostedalsbreen glacier. Nigardsbreen lies about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the village of Gaupne in the Jostedalen valley, Luster, Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located just west of the Jostedøla river.
Contents
Map of Nigardsbreen, 6871 Jostedal, Norway
The Breheimsenteret museum is located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) south in the village of Jostedal. In front of the Nigardsbreen is the lake Nigardsbrevatnet where there is a small boat to transport visitors to the glacier. There is also a bus to take visitors to the glacier.
HistoryEdit
During the first half of the 18th century, the glacier expanded due to cold weather. Then during the winters of 1741-1744 were extremely cold. Apples and pears did not ripen during the summer and the bee populations perished. Between 1700 and 1748, the glacier moved forward about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) completely covering and crushing the "Nigard" farm (hence the name of the glacier). By 1748, the Nigardsbreen covered about 48 square kilometres (19 sq mi). From 1930 until 1939, the glacier retracted again.
SafetyEdit
In 2014 two tourists died as a result of being crushed by ice.