Rjukan Falls | |
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Rjukanfossen | |
View of the falls | |
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Location | Telemark, Norway |
Coordinates | 59°51′59″N 8°28′44″E / 59.866257°N 8.4789004°E |
Type | Plunge |
Number of drops | 1 |
Longest drop | 104 metres (341 ft) |
Rjukan Falls (English)[1] or Rjukanfossen (Norwegian) is a waterfall in the western part of the Vestfjorddalen valley in Tinn Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The 104-metre (341 ft) tall waterfall is located on the river Måna, about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the west of the town of Rjukan.[2][3]
Historically, the waterfall was a major tourist attraction, being one of the first floodlighted waterfalls by electricity produced by the same waterfall. In 1905, the waterfall and surrounding river were harnessed by the Vemork hydro-electrical power plant to produce power for the saltpetre production at a nearby Norsk Hydro factory.[2]