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Gällivare
There are 16,000 km² of glorious Gällivare, which is well worth exploring even if it is the 20th time you’ve been to see us. Gällivare municipality is home to the magnificent Laponia World Heritage Site, where Samis and their reindeer live in harmony with nature. The landscape comprises mountains, bogs, primeval forests, glaciers and the largest fenland area in Western Europe. Laponia incorporates four national parks and several nature reserves, and has a multitude of animals and plants that are unique to the area.     



 

Multicultural with a rich history
In Gällivare different cultures have always lived side by side, ever since the Samis were joined at the foot of the Dundret mountain by the settlers and the navvies. The differences are still thriving, both among residents and among visitors. The main attraction in the summertime is the bright Midnight Sun and a visit to one of the two mines in the municipality, but there is much more to discover, as the local population will tell you if you ask. Many appreciate being close to nature, and being able to go fishing and hiking, while others prefer to spend their time in the town. In the summer the market is flourishing, and there are various events on offer, such as the annual summer market. The easiest way to learn about the area’s culture and history is by visiting Gällivare Museum in the centre of town. The large building, known locally as Centralskolan, also houses a Mosquito Museum, the tourist information office and a café. Gällivare has something for everyone, it is up to you to decide what you want to do – contact the tourist information office for more tips on activities and for assistance with booking whatever you decide to do!



World Heritage with a living Sami culture
There are 878 World Heritage sites in the world, only 25 of which combine cultural and natural heritage and one of these, Laponia, is in Gällivare. For an area to be designated as a World Heritage Site is has to be considered to be of ”outstanding value to the whole of humanity” and this is something that perfectly describes Laponia. This area is also one of only four World Heritage Sites that represent a landscape of an ancient culture – the landscape of the Samis. Today nine Sami villages remain and traces from 1,000 years of activity have been discovered in the area – in the form of physical cultural remnants such as traces of dwelling places and tools – but also through unspoken traditional knowledge about routes and sacred mountains, for instance.












Two mines in the municipality
The mining industry has been the driving force behind social development, and once hydroelectric power was expanded more of the mountain region was discovered and became accessible to tourists. In Gällivare there are two mines, both of which are open in the summertime to visitors over the age of 12. The age limit is due to the fact that production carries on at full tilt during visits. LKAB’s operations below the surface began on a small scale already towards the end of the 19th century, and they are constantly being expanded. AITIK open pit mine started operations in 1968 and is today one of the largest copper mines in Europe. The two mines are very different from one another, but both offer visitors an experience above the ordinary!


 



Did you know that ...
… the place name comes from the Sami word Jiellevárri, which means ”crevice in the mountain”.


… the expression ”Gällivare Häng” drop is said to derive from the drop seat trousers that the navvies wore when building the railways, including Inlandsbanan.

                                                                                         




Don't miss! Top of Dundret mountain. A nature reserve just round the corner is something many dream about, but that is what we in Gällivare actually have. You get a beautiful
view across the municipality, the well-known gropen and the midnight sun. On a clear day you can see as much as 1/11 of the area of Sweden from the top of the mountain.