The story of Halde
The people of Halde
Why Alta?
Did you know that Alta has been a centre for Northern Lights research for almost 200 years? As early as 1838, the French Research-expedition to study the Northern Lights here. They chose Alta over coastal towns like Hammerfest because the sky over Alta had less cloud cover and better visibility.
The expedition's artist, Louis Bevalet, created detailed illustrations of the Northern Lights that caught the attention of scientists across Europe. Later, in 1892, the German Martin Brendel took the world's first photograph of the Northern Lights in Bossekop. Alta thus became a natural choice for scientists who wanted to understand the mystery of the Northern Lights - including physicist Kristian Birkeland.
The plan: A vision for the future
At the end of the 19th century, Norway was emerging as a nation with great scientific ambitions. Birkeland saw an opportunity to combine national prestige with advanced research. When he visited Alta in 1897, he quickly realised that Haldetoppen was an ideal location for a northern lights observatory, thanks to the mountain's high altitude and lack of light pollution.
He believed that the observatory would contribute to both scientific progress and practical innovations such as weather forecasting for the fishing industry in Northern Norway.
In 1899, Birkeland received support from the Norwegian Parliament to build observatories on both Haldetoppen and Talviktoppen. This marked the start of a project that would change our understanding of the Northern Lights.
A masterpiece in adversity
How do you transport tonnes of building materials and a large vault up a steep mountain? The answer is horse, cart and a lot of patience.
Building the facility at Haldetoppen was a huge logistical challenge. Materials had to be hauled up narrow, winding paths, and it took careful planning and great effort to get everything in place. The winters were particularly harsh, and the final stretch up to the summit was often impassable due to large snowdrifts. To solve this problem, a cable car was constructed that first travelled from the bottom of the zigzag slope to the observatory.
Later, the upper station was relocated so that it ended up on a flat area next to the main building. Despite these challenges, the construction of both the Halde and Talviktoppen observatories was completed in the same year that the Storting approved the project, which was an impressive achievement.
There was both electricity and a telephone connection to the top, and for its time the observatory was a technological marvel. The remains of both the telephone masts and the funicular railway can still be seen along the path to the top today.
From temporary to permanent
Haldetoppen had two distinct eras as a research centre. The first era, from 1899 to 1912, was characterised by temporary operations and seasonal projects. During this period, Kristian Birkeland led the research himself, with short stays on the mountain to make systematic observations of the northern lights.
At this time, only the «Borgen» observatory building had been erected at Halde. The observatory was not continuously manned, and its operation was largely dependent on Birkeland's initiative and efforts.
In the winter of 1899, Birkeland wintered at Halde, the same winter that Sæland wintered at Talviktoppen, which was also used as an observation site. In a letter Sem Sæland sent home to his brother, he describes his stay at the summit.
«No, but you can believe the mountains are beautiful now! Shining white wherever you look and with a blue sky so high and pure that I don't know what to say or do when I see all this. We won't see any more sun this year, but in the south, down with the hinnaleite, it's glowing like fire on the days when it goes round the mountain.‘
However, the valley top was only used for one season and was decommissioned in 1900.
The second era, from 1912 to 1926, marked a transition to permanent operation and establishment. As early as 1910, the government allocated funds to expand the observatory. A new building, the so-called main building, was completed in 1912 and Ole Andreas Krogness was appointed manager.
Only now did the observatory have a structured research plan. The work included systematic studies of the Northern Lights, the Earth's magnetic field and weather forecasting, which were of great benefit to the fishing industry in Northern Norway. During this period, Haldetoppen became an internationally recognised research centre, with permanent employees and continuous operation. As early as 1914, there was a need to expand the main building, and an extended building was completed in 1915.
The main building contained three separate apartments for the researchers and their families. In addition, a specially constructed vault was built for the magnetometer - a key instrument in Northern Lights research.
Pioneering work
The observatory at Haldetoppen was the world's first permanent observatory of its kind, and the research conducted up there changed our understanding of nature.
The research at Haldetoppen was the result of close collaboration between several prominent scientists. In addition to Birkeland, Ole Andreas Krogness, Olaf Devik and Sem Sæland contributed to geophysics, meteorology and instrument development. Together they conducted groundbreaking studies that established Haldetoppen as a leading institution in northern lights research.
The observatory's instruments, such as the magnetometer, played a crucial role in recording accurate data that confirmed Birkeland's theories. It helped lay the foundation for understanding the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetosphere. The results of this research are still central to modern geophysics and astrophysics over 100 years later.
Life at the top of the world
The observatory was not only a workplace, but also a home for the researchers and their families. So what was it really like to live at Haldetoppen?
Despite the isolation, life at Haldetoppen was characterised by joy and community. Three families lived there at the same time, including the family of Ole Andreas Krogness. His wife, Dagny, described the years at Haldetoppen as some of the happiest of her life. The apartments were decorated with ornate furniture, carpets and even a piano. Music, reading aloud and communal dinners played an important role in creating a vibrant everyday life at the top of the world. The cohesion between the families helped them through the long winter months, when the mountain was often isolated by snowstorms.
They even had a cow on Haldetoppen. The cow delivered milk to the families, and supplies such as food and firewood were transported up the mountain when the weather permitted.
An era comes to an end
In 1926, the Norwegian Parliament decided to close the observatory and research was moved to Tromsø. Although the decision was largely financial, the observatory had fulfilled its purpose and contributed to some of the most important discoveries in northern lights research.
During the Second World War, the buildings at Haldetoppen were burnt down by the German occupying forces, leaving only the walls standing. After a visit from Olaf Devik in 1974, Alta Historielag took the initiative to start restoring the buildings. Both Alta Municipality and the Norwegian Cultural Council contributed funds in 1982, and the restoration began. In 1985, Alta Museum took over the work.
Photo: Michal Siarek
Legacies
Today, Haldetoppen is more than just a memorial - it's a living part of Norwegian scientific history. A century later, the site is once again being used for research, now led by UiT - The Arctic University of Norway. The summit is also a popular hiking destination that many flock to in the summer, both on day trips and to spend the night in the observatory, which is now one of DNT's tourist cabins. In 2021, a dome was installed on the observation deck of the observatory - from here you have a view of the entire Alta area, weather permitting.
If you go to Halde in the autumn, before the snow settles, you may be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights dancing across the sky. So it's not hard to understand why this is the place to solve one of nature's great mysteries.
The story
The Recherche expedition
The choice of Halde as the location for the observatory was no coincidence. Alta is known to be one of the best places to study the Northern Lights, and it was particularly the pioneering research of the French Recherche expedition in 1838-1839 that made the area attractive to Northern Lights researchers. The researchers built small log cabins near Bossekop and their detailed illustrations of the Northern Lights made Alta famous throughout Europe.
The first photograph of the Northern Lights
In 1892, the first photograph of the Northern Lights was taken in Bossekop by the German Martin Brendel, who was part of a German Northern Lights expedition. This image is the oldest preserved and published photograph of the Northern Lights.
At the turn of the last century, at the time of the dissolution of the union, Norway sought respect through heroic deeds. In 1897, Professor Kristian Birkeland travelled to Alta to find a mountain peak suitable for measuring northern lights, inspired by previous important measurements in the area. In 1899, Birkeland persuaded the Norwegian Parliament to authorise the construction of observatories at Halde and Talviktoppen.
World War II
The Northern Lights Observatory at Halde played an important role in early research on the Northern Lights. The observatory survived until 1944, when it was burned down by the German occupying forces during World War II. Restoration of the buildings began in the 1980s, with the aim of preserving this important part of Norway's scientific heritage.
Today's stockpile
Today, Halde stands as a monument to the scientific achievements of the past and remains an attractive place for those wishing to experience the magical Northern Lights in their true element. Visitors can take the scenic walk to the old observatory and get a sense of what it must have been like to study the Northern Lights from this unique vantage point over a century ago. (Alta museum)
Sami folklore
In Sami folklore, háldi (plural: hálddit) are various guardian spirits that live underground, in mountains and mounds, and also in the sea. If the hálddit were treated with respect, they were helpers, but if they were treated badly, they would punish you. Háldi could also take in both children and adults, and they sometimes took children from their mothers' wombs.
Hálddit is also referred to as underground, but according to Ole Thommasen in The relationship of the patches the term is not correct. The Hálddit are supposed to live on earth, and have their uses and things, like we do, such as farms, churches, cattle and so on, but they cannot be seen with our eyes.
An ancient tradition, which is still practised by some, was to always check for peace and quiet when travelling to new places. If you couldn't sleep or felt any other disturbance in the place, it meant that subterraneans were already living there. This was a common practice if you were re-erecting a new range, tent, house or barn somewhere. If you feel uneasy, you have to find somewhere else, otherwise you won't have peace.
Hálddit takes children
When a woman is carrying a child, the eldritch began to keep an eye on her. There were therefore many things a pregnant woman should not do. Ole Thommasen describes it this way in Lappenes forhold:
1830s
The Recherche expedition
The choice of Halde as the location for the observatory was no coincidence. Alta is known to be one of the best places to study the Northern Lights, and it was particularly the pioneering research of the French Recherche expedition in 1838-1839 that made the area attractive to Northern Lights researchers. The researchers built small log cabins near Bossekop and their detailed illustrations of the Northern Lights made Alta famous throughout Europe.
1892
The first Northern Lights image
In 1892, the first photograph of the Northern Lights was taken in Bossekop by the German Martin Brendel, who was part of a German Northern Lights expedition. This image is the oldest preserved and published photograph of the Northern Lights.
1897
Respect through heroism
At the turn of the last century, at the time of the dissolution of the union, Norway sought respect through heroic deeds. In 1897, Professor Kristian Birkeland travelled to Alta to find a mountain peak suitable for measuring northern lights, inspired by previous important measurements in the area.
1944
World War II
The Northern Lights Observatory at Halde played an important role in the early research on the Northern Lights.
The observatory survived until 1944, when it was burned down by the German occupying forces during World War II.
1980s
The restoration of the buildings began in the 1980s, with the aim of preserving this important part of Norway's scientific heritage.
2024
Today's stockpile
Today, Halde stands as a monument to the scientific achievements of the past and remains an attractive place for those wishing to experience the magical Northern Lights in their true element. Visitors can take the scenic walk to the old observatory and get a sense of what it must have been like to study the Northern Lights from this unique vantage point over a century ago.