The mythical Norwegian Trolls

Once upon a time, these strange and dangerous creatures roamed freely in the mysterious Norwegian mountains and forests. But the trolls only went out at night, in the dark. Because there was only one thing that could scare a real troll: The sunlight.

If they didn't hide in time, the first rays of the sunlight would turn them into stone. And that is why you can still see their faces and bodies carved into the mountain sides, cliffs and stones all around the country.

So, who are the trolls? They can be big and sinister, even gigantic, like a huge mountain, or they can be small and playful. Some have one head, others have three. And it is also common for many of them to have only one eye. Stomping their way out of the forest, trolls have made their impact on traditional folklore. Even though most people no longer believe in these mythical creatures, the stories about troll, jotner and nisser are still being told to children over and over again. Trolls are an important part of our cultural heritage, and all Norwegians can tell you what they look like and how they belong to the country's nature and traditions. But where did it all start?

The story of the trolls

"We don't know exactly when or where it started, however you will find them in our narrative tradition, and you can find them in our first written sources, sagas, from the Middle Ages. We don't know how old they are in people's imaginations, but it's old", says Ane Ohrvik, professor of cultural history and museology at the University of Oslo. She knows more than most about these mythical creatures.

With Norway's high mountains, deep fjords, large forests and dark winter nights, you can easily see a link to the supernatural. Whatever people don't understand, they need to explain in one way or another, and trolls were as good an explanation as any.

"Trolls are more of a fantasy figure than anything else, but many held the notion that nature was inhabited by different types of creatures and that humans lived side by side with these creatures, which were more or less visible and more or less dangerous. Some are more imaginative and part of the fantasy, while others were more real and people maybe took some precautions against them."

No matter the type of troll, they are mostly dangerous and obscure. Despite being stupid, they are known to sometimes set clever riddles you must overcome if you ever cross paths with one.

Troll Research

On June 17, 2023, what they call the world's first and only research station for the species of trolls opened in Rindal.

Home of the Trolls is not just a research station for trolls. It is also a nature-based experiential destination with activities, outdoor adventures, local food, and exotic accommodation options.

Troll fairytales

The folk tales about troll are both numerous and old. One of the first written sources where we meet a troll, is in the famous book of Edda, from around 1220. But most of the bedtime songs and adventure tales all Norwegian kids get to hear and to love, were preserved thanks to an adventurous duo named Asbjørnsen and Moe. In the same manner as the Brothers Grimm, Asbjørnsen and Moe collected tales from the Norwegian countryside from 1837-1871.

The trolls play the main characters in many of these very popular tales.

The famous troll painter

In the old tales, the trolls were cast in a poor light. Most of the time they were only described using words like "big", "strong" and "ugly". Today, you can ask any Norwegian what a troll looks like, and the answers will be very similar, thanks to the Norwegian painter Theodor Kittelsen.

Kittelsen is known for his illustrations of Norwegian folklore, and his work has characterized Norwegians' notions of trolls and other mythical creatures. Kittelsen's trolls are grotesque and creepy-beautiful, inspired by northern and eastern Norway's landscape. Kittelsen's interpretation of trolls has long been seen as the standard for what Norwegian trolls "actually look like".

Kittelsen was a distinctly literary visual artist, and wrote texts both within and accompanying his artwork. You can see many of this famous troll painter's works at The National Museum in Oslo. You can also visit Kittelsens house, Lauvlia, in Numedal. It is now home to a museum offering guided tours and a large collection of Kittelsen's sketches.

The legacy of Dovregubben

The most famous troll in Norway is no doubt the troll king of Dovregubben, invented by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in one of his most famous plays, Peer Gynt, which inspired composer Edvard Grieg to write the world-famous piece I Dovregubbens hall (In The Hall of the Mountain King).

Trolls on the big screen

Trolls have been depicted in popular culture numerous times, whether it's the sweet and kind trolls in the DreamWorks film Trolls, the big and stupid trolls from Lord of the Rings, or the animated trolls in the Netflix series Trollhunters.

But you need to watch the authentic Norwegian troll films to get the real deal. The Trollhunter (2010) utilized many aspects of Norwegian folklore in terms of how the trolls behaved and used Kittelsen's drawings as inspiration for the appearance of the trolls. The film has won multiple awards, both at home and abroad.

And now, the trolls are back! Netflix’s hit movie Troll (2022) became the most watched non-English film worldwide in its first week and a sequel is on its way. Stay tuned and get ready to see Norway’s trolls on the big screen once again.

In December 2022, the Norwegian movie Troll broke world records when it was released on Netflix. During the first week, it was watched over 75.86 million hours, giving it the biggest premiere week ever for a non-English language feature film on the platform. In the depths of Dovrefjell mountain, a troll is awakened after a 1,000-year-long slumber. The creature is destroying everything in its path and is rapidly moving towards the capital. How do you stop something you never even knew existed?

The film takes you through many famous parts of Norway, and you can follow in the footsteps of this famous troll!

If you want to learn more about trolls, these two are definitely good films to watch.

Trolls on the Internet

The trolls have also gone digital, and the bad behaviour of the trolls has even influenced modern language. Trolling has become an international expression for (you guessed it!) behaving in a rude and bad-mannered way on the World Wide Web. “Troll” has also become Internet slang for a person who intentionally tries to instigate conflict or hostility in an online social community.

But don't worry. The trolls you meet in Norwegian nature have probably been petrified for hundreds of years, and the small ones in the many souvenir shops are cute and kind enough to be taken home!

However, there are a few places that you have to look out for the real trolls that still roam the forests…

Where to find the trolls

There are many places in Norway with a connection to trolls. One of the most famous is Trollstigen, a road that twists its way up the mountain side through eleven hairpin bends. Here, you will find warning signs for trolls, be careful not to wake them up from their slumber!

Troll places can be found all over Norway, go exploring and find the trolls!

Below, you can read one of the stories passed down for generations: