Historic Experiences

Inside Gaustatoppen there is an extensive mountain facility with rooms, halls and technical functions. Here you will find the Lytte- og sendesalen (Signals Hall), the heart of the installation’s communications operations, alongside offices, technical rooms and the so-called Kongeloungen (The King’s Lounge). The facility was not only a workplace – people lived here for extended periods, with their own living quarters and amenities deep inside the mountain at the summit of Gaustatoppen. Everything was connected by Gaustabanen, which transported personnel and equipment hidden from view. Together, the rooms tell a rare story of everyday life, preparedness and secrecy during the Cold War, at the top of Norway.

After the Second World War, the world entered a new and tense era in which information, communication and preparedness became critical. When Norway became a member of NATO, Gaustatoppen assumed a central role in the alliance’s military communications network. With its elevation, location and wide view over large parts of the country, the mountain became a strategic point for surveillance and communications. Plans for tourism were quickly set aside, and the facility inside the mountain was developed under strict secrecy. For several decades, Gaustatoppen was a quiet but crucial link in Norway’s and NATO’s readiness, a high-technology installation built for a time defined by mistrust, tension and constant vigilance.

In order for the installation at the top of Gaustatoppen to function year round, all transport had to take place quietly, efficiently and independently of weather conditions. The solution was Gaustabanen – a completely unique funicular built inside the mountain. Through horizontal tunnels and steep gradients, the railway transported people, equipment and supplies safely up and down, well out of sight. Gaustabanen connected the entire facility and made it possible to operate a staffed, high-technology installation under extreme conditions. Without this connection, the secret inside Gaustatoppen would never have become a reality.