Photo via Pexels. A general winter view of traditional red cabins in the Norwegian mountains, not a photo of Røros itself.
Most Norwegian towns are known for the water they sit beside. Røros is known for the ground beneath it. High on a cold plateau in Trøndelag, around 600 metres above sea level, this small town of roughly 5,500 people exists because someone found copper there in the 1640s. It kept mining for 333 years, and the result is one of the best-preserved wooden towns in Europe: a dark, low-slung jumble of timber houses, turf roofs and slag heaps that looks more like a film set than a place where people still go to the bakery.
This guide explains how Røros came to be, why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and how to visit it, whether you come for the famous February market or for a quiet winter weekend.
How a Copper Mine Created a Town
Røros was founded in 1644, after copper was discovered in the mountains nearby. The Danish-Norwegian crown wanted the metal, and a mining company, the Røros Copper Works, grew up around it. Miners, smelters, charcoal burners and farmers all arrived to serve the mines, and the town spread out in front of the smelter.
The company was not just an employer. For centuries it effectively organised the region’s economy, and the surrounding countryside was drawn into supplying it with timber, charcoal, food and transport. That is why UNESCO’s listing covers not just the town but a large surrounding landscape, known as the Circumference: the area in which the mine could claim resources, including forests, mines, farms and the old winter transport routes. Mining finally ended in 1977, after 333 years.
Why Røros Is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Røros joined the World Heritage List in 1980, and in 2010 the listing was widened to include the Circumference. What UNESCO protects is the whole system: the miners’ wooden houses, the smelter, the church, the mining sites and the landscape that fed them.
The town itself is made up of around 2,000 wooden buildings, many of them with the dark timber walls and sod roofs typical of the period. The streets bend and narrow, the houses are low, and many have small courtyards behind them. Nothing about the layout was designed for tourists, which is exactly why it is so atmospheric. If the idea of Norwegian wooden heritage appeals, our guide to the Norwegian stave churches covers the country’s other great timber tradition.
The Best Things to Do in Røros
Walk the old town
The simplest pleasure is just wandering. Start at the main street, Bergmannsgata, and follow the side lanes. The tourist office runs guided walks in summer, and it is worth joining one to learn which house belonged to which kind of worker. Look for the church, Bergstadens Ziir, which sits at the centre of the old town and was built to serve the mining community.
Visit the smelter museum
The Røros Museum is based in the old smelting works, Smelthytta, and tells the story of the copper industry that shaped the town for more than 300 years. It is a good first stop for putting the rest of the town in context, and it works well on a cold or wet day.
Go underground at Olavsgruva
Olavsgruva, a short drive from town, is one of the few mines in the area open for guided tours. You walk through the tunnels in a hard hat, hear how miners lived and worked, and learn why this region was so valuable. Dress warmly, as it stays cool underground all year round.
Explore the countryside
The Røros area sits at the edge of big, empty mountain country. Femundsmarka and Forollhogna national parks are both within reach, with hiking in summer and ski touring and cross-country skiing in winter. In winter you can also join a dog-sledding trip, and the cold dry air makes the landscape sharp and quiet. Our dog sledding guide explains what to expect.
Try local food
Trøndelag is Norway’s food heartland, and Røros leans into it. Look for local lamb, reindeer, cured meats, dairy and flatbreads. Reindeer in particular has deep roots here, as the area is part of the traditional territory of the southern Sámi. To understand that background, read about reindeer herding in Scandinavia and the wider story in Who Are the Sámi? If you enjoy Norwegian baking, try pairing a regional dinner with lefse, the soft flatbread that turns up across the country.
Rørosmartnan: The Winter Market
Every February, Røros hosts Rørosmartnan, a market that has run since 1854. It lasts around five days and fills the old town with stalls, horse-drawn sleds, live music and the smell of grilled meat and woodsmoke. Estimates of attendance vary, but it draws many tens of thousands of visitors, which is a lot for a town of this size.
Book accommodation well ahead if you plan to go, and bring serious winter clothing. February in Røros is cold, and the town has a reputation as one of the chillier places in southern Norway. If you love Nordic markets, our list of the best Christmas markets in Scandinavia has more seasonal ideas.
When to Visit
- February: Rørosmartnan, snow, sleds and crowds. The most atmospheric time, but you must plan early.
- Winter generally: long dark evenings, skiing and sledding. The town’s lights on snow are the classic image. See how Norwegians handle the dark months in our piece on the polar night.
- Summer: hiking, mountain biking, guided walks and the food season. Quieter, and easier to combine with a road trip.
- Autumn: colourful birch and mountain scenery with far fewer visitors.
Getting to Røros
Røros is about two and a half hours by road from Trondheim, and the railway runs there from both Trondheim and Oslo. The train is a very pleasant way to arrive, as the line climbs slowly into the high country. Many visitors combine the town with a longer trip through central Norway, so our 7-day Norway itinerary and the guide to famous landmarks in Norway are good places to build a route.
Practical Tips
- Stay in or near the old town so you can walk everywhere, and do book early for winter and for the market.
- Pack proper layers, wool and windproof outerwear, even outside mid-winter.
- Check the opening times of the museum and mine tours before you go, as they change by season.
- Allow at least two nights. A day trip skips the best part, which is the town in the evening once the coaches have left.
- Respect that people live here. It is a working town, not an open-air museum, so be considerate when photographing houses and courtyards.
Final Thoughts
Røros is a rare reminder that a place can be shaped almost entirely by one industry and still feel warm and alive after that industry has gone. The copper has been gone for decades, but the houses, the market and the stubborn mountain character remain. If you want a Norwegian trip that is about history, food and wide-open winter landscapes rather than fjords and crowds, put Røros on the list.
