Located at the eastern end of the Hornindalsvatnet, Grodås is a small village on the road that links Ålesund and Bergen. It’s a popular base for exploring the surrounding lakes and mountains and is the birthplace of Norwegian sculptor Anders Svor.

Overlooking the Horndøla river is the Hornindal Church, which has been the main house of worship in Grodås since 1856. It was built by Ludolph Rolfsen on designs by Hans Linstow and is surrounded by a cemetery where Grodås’s most famous resident, Anders Svor, is laid to rest.

The artist’s life and work are celebrated at the Anders Svor Museum, which opened to the public in 1953. It’s operated by the Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum and houses around 450 of Svor’s sculptures, which combine Realism with a touch of Romanticism. Learn about his training as a woodcarver and his years spent working in Paris before returning to Oslo where he died in 1929.

Getting there

Grodås is just over two hours’ drive from Ålesund and Ålesund Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Buses connect Grodås to towns and villages across the region while the centre of the village is compact enough to explore on foot.