Berlevåg (village)


Berlevåg is the administrative centre of Berlevåg Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located on the northeastern coast of the Varanger Peninsula along the Barents Sea. The village lies along Norwegian County Road 890, just east of Berlevåg Airport. The Hurtigruten coastal express boats stop daily at Berlevåg. The village has a population of 948 which gives the village a population density of. About 95% of the municipal residents live in this village.
Berlevåg is one of the largest fishing villages in Finnmark county. It has several fish processing plants, a large harbor, and public services. Berlevåg Church is located in the village, and Kjølnes Lighthouse is located about to the east of the village. There are four large breakwaters protecting the village from the ocean. They were built between 1913 and 1975.
Berlevåg Airport is located near the village. The Hurtigruten boats also stop here.

History

Near the end of World War II, the Germans retreated from Finnmark county from September 1944 to February 1945 and they used scorched earth tactics and all buildings in Berlevåg were burned down.
Berlevåg became famous when the movie Heftig og begeistret had great success in 2001. The movie was about the Berlevåg Men's Choir. Berlevåg is also known for being the setting of Karen Blixen's novel Babette's Feast.