Grense Jakobselv & King Oscar II Chapel
Grense Jakobselv
A small village at the mouth of the Norwegian-Russian border river, where a stone church built in 1869 asserted sovereignty, and across the water lies the Russian coast.
Grense Jakobselv lies about 60 km east of Kirkenes. The Jacobselv, the Norwegian-Russian border river, flows into the Barents Sea here. In 1869, to assert Norwegian sovereignty over this coast, the village built a stone church named after King Oscar II, the king of the united Sweden-Norway. The village has only a few houses, and Russia lies just across the river. The pebble beach by the sea is open and desolate, and in summer you can see the midnight sun. Roads run close to the border. Crossing it, making gestures to the other side, or photographing Russian military installations is prohibited. Winter road conditions depend on the weather.
Opening hours
All day; church open in summer
Nearby sights
- Storskog Border Crossing
- King Crab Safari
- Liberation Monument
- Andersgrotta Bunker
- Borderland Museum
- Pasvik Valley
- Kirkenes Snowhotel
- Høyde 96 Observation Tower