Beautifully situated on Westside of the Hardangerfjord, with a fantastic view of Folgefonna glacier and the mountains of Kvinnherad. Contains lovely bays, islands, and sherries which are attractive for both fishing and swimming. Runes, soapstone quarries, and burial mounds tell a story of thousands of years of settlement. The soapstone quarry in Ølve exported a large quantity of baking slabs in the middle Ages. From the 17th century onwards there was a development of mining for copper, pyrites and gold.
These villages, rich in traditions of agriculture, forestry, ship-building and fishing, presently have a population of about 1000 people.
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The largest employer of the area is the production of freefall lifeboats, Umoe Schat Harding in Ølve.
Tourist attractions to be seen are the Kirkhustunet village museum, Runic engravings at Hamarhaug, and Ølve Church with an altar painting from 1644 – a copy of Ruben’s altar painting from Antwerp Cathedral.
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