Honningsvåg is a city in the municipality of Nordkapp, Finnmark County, in the extreme northeastern part of Norway. Find this charming fishing village on the large Magerøya island and explore a destination that is an important port of call for many cruise ships. Honningsvåg is also home to the famous Bamse dog statue and one of the few local churches not destroyed during World War II.
The name Honningsvåg means “the bay lying beneath the mountain Hornungr.” Hornungr is believed to be the ancient name of the high peak located near the village it is now known as Storefjell. Visit one of Norway’s smallest cities and discover a location where the first people settled more than 10,000 years ago.
Honningsvåg kirke (Honningsvåg church) is a lovely building in a neo-Gothic style that seats over 200 people. It was built in 1885 by Jacob Wilhelm Nordan, a Norwegian architect considered one of the most prolific church architects in the country. Visit the church for its great historic importance. It stands as a symbol of unity and hope. By the time the war ended, most of the buildings had been destroyed and the church became a home for the people of Honningsvåg while the town was being reconstructed.
While you are visiting Honningsvåg, make sure you stop at the museum Nordkappmuseet. In this local heritage museum find out more about life in the region, from the Stone Age to the modern day. Learn about the destruction of the town during the war and the work of reconstruction. See historical artifacts and photos and enjoy the beautiful art collection.
Near the tourist center in Honningsvåg, see the renowned statue of the Bamse dog. Bamse (teddy bear) was a Saint Bernard dog that became a symbol of freedom for Norway and the mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during World War II. He was a brave and kind dog that lived on a ship that patrolled the Honningsvåg coast during the war.
