Helleren in Jøssingfjord (UNESCO)

You may have driven past them – or perhaps seen them in a photograph, a tourist brochure, a magazine, or a calendar – the two small houses beneath Helleren in Jøssingfjord. If you follow the North Sea Road, you will see them from road 44, in the innermost part of Jøssingfjorden between Egersund and Flekkefjord.

Helleren creates a natural roof and shelter, which humans have taken advantage of for millennia. It is a massive rock formation, with water dripping from heights of up to 10 meters. The roofs of the two houses are unhatched, as they are protected by Helleren. This is one of the reasons why a visit to Helleren is such a unique experience.

The two houses stem from the 19th century, but parts of the buildings are likely to be older. People have presumably lived in the area since the 16th century. Dalane Folkemuseum took over ownership and responsibility for the houses in 2002, when Titania AS handed them over to the museum.

UNESCO listed

Helleren in Jøssingfjord is part of the UNESCO listed Magma Geopark. The same goes for Trollpikken (the troll’s dick), also found on this site.

How to get there

Helleren is located by Jøssingfjord in Sokndal municipality. The houses lie right by road 44, between Egersund and Flekkefjord, and are visible from the road.