Hoverberget

Jämtland · Sverige · Natural site

In Scandinavia's deepest fissure cave lived the Hoverberg Giant, already there when Christianity reached the district – and he gave christening gifts by the spadeful of silver.

Hoverberget rises alone 255 metres above Storsjön on a peninsula in Berg, a porphyry mountain pushed eastwards out of the mountain range and left standing as an outlier. Inside it gapes the Hoverberg cave, at 170 metres the deepest fissure cave in Scandinavia, and the long cleft known as Rämnan. There, according to folk belief, lived the giant called the Hoverberg Man, already in residence when Christianity reached the district a thousand years ago. An account recorded in 1949 – taken down as far away as Tännäs in Härjedalen, showing how far the tradition travelled – tells how he was once invited to a christening feast. He brought a spade full of silver coins as his gift and asked: "Have you seen anyone give more?" When the answer was yes he said: "I'll not be the poorest", and gave another spadeful. In Jämtland folk belief the mountain is the summit of Åreskutan, torn off and hurled here.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Hoverberget?

Hoverberget ligger i Jämtland, Sverige.