The Village by the River

Olden has been a meeting place for people for a long time. Long before the roads arrived, long before the tourists, families lived here who made their living from what the land provided – fishing, farming, and livestock. The river was the lifeline, the fjord the road out to the world. Do you see the house up on the hillside? It is called Singerheimen – the Singer Estate. William Henry Singer was an American millionaire and painter who fell so deeply for the dramatic beauty of the Olden Valley that he settled here and stayed for many years. He painted the valley, the fjord, the light and the changing seasons – and he gave back to the community by building a farm, a studio and a chapel, which he donated to the local residents. Down in the village you'll find two churches, standing side by side. The older one dates from the 18th century and was built on the foundations of an even older stave church. The newer church was built in 1934 and is still in regular use today – but it has its own little secret: in 1967, a violent storm lifted the entire building and moved it 23 inches (60 centimetres) off its foundations. It was subsequently anchored to the ground with extra wire. The church is still there. And it doesn't move anymore. Olden village has around 500 residents, while the wider Stryn municipality counts roughly 7,000. Yet this small place has made a disproportionate mark on Norwegian culture. The outdoor and fashion brands Ricco Vero, Sunde and Skogstad all have connections to this area – labels born of exactly the landscape you can see around you right now.