– The vulnerable area is under critical pressure. Therefore, we have completely stopped marketing the Marmorslottet and all signage has been removed. This is what the general manager of Visit Helgeland, Kitt Grønningsæter, says. Over thousands of years, turquoise meltwater from the Svartisen glacier has shaped a natural sculpture park, with gigantic potholes and spire-like designs in marble. For many years, the natural phenomenon, with the descriptive name Marmorslottet, was a relatively hidden gem. But in recent years, interest in the spectacular, naturally created sculpture landscape, which is part of the Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, has exploded. At Marmorslottet, large amounts of sand and mud have been dragged onto the marble by visitors with hiking boots. The gravel has caused the small stream bowl formations on the rock to wear down more quickly. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news Nearly 10,000 annual visitors have, however, led to so much wear and tear that the national park. Neither the path through the conservation area, nor the Marble Castle itself, is prepared for the increasing traffic that has arisen. This has led to a lot of wear and tear on the path, especially in steep sections where it has become up to ten meters wide. At the Marble Castle itself, you can see traces of wear from, among other things, bonfires and from people who have dragged gravel out onto the rock. In 2021, extraordinary measures had to be introduced to preserve the marble. Namely asking tourists and visitors to take off their shoes and walk barefoot or in the plinths to spare the marble. But the measures and signs have not helped. The unique sculpture landscape attracts thousands of tourists every summer. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news Now the situation is worse than ever, according to cave researcher Stein-Erik Lauritzen. – We are on our way to a situation like we have on Trolltunga and Lofoten, says Lauritzen, who is professor emeritus of speleology. He has conducted research in the area for many years. Already in 2017, he called for a national set of regulations for how caves should be protected. – This is what we call the tragedy of the commons, that a resource is destroyed by far too much traffic, says Lauritzen. Tagging in the marble at Marmorslotlett. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news – The traffic causes noticeable wear on the surfaces. Some very good suggestions have been made that you should go barefoot, but it would have been better if you had had a proper prohibition sign with a boot crossed out, says Lauritzen about the information poster in the car park. – It would have been better with a proper prohibition sign with a boot with a line across it, says Stein-Erik Lauritzen about the information poster in the car park. Photo: Johannes Sæheim Pedersen / news – Can’t see the signs The Swedish tourist Lucas Falk and his partner are spending their holiday in Norway. They have visited the Marmorslottet, but think it could have been more clearly signposted that you should take off your legs. And not least why. – At first I thought it was so that you could feel the depths under your feet. But when we read a little more closely, we understood that it was to avoid toiling too much on the rock, says Falk. Lucas Falk and his roommate spent the night in the car park at Marmorslottet. They had made the trip up the night before. Photo: Johannes Sæheim Pedersen / news He understands well why people do not take off their shoes before they move out onto the marble. – When people are out in nature, they just drive. They may not read the signs, so they go out on the rock and don’t see the signs until afterwards. Kitt Grønningsæter: Previously, Marmorslottet was actively used to market Rana by both the destination company Visit Helgeland and Rana municipality. That is now over. Both the State Administrator, the tourism industry and experts recommend taking off your clothes before going out on the marble. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news In September 2023, the State Administrator adopted a management plan for the nature reserve where the Marble Castle is located. The aim is to protect vulnerable nature. – Now we advise people to find other places to go. Like Svartisen or the caves on Helgeland, where you have guided tours, says general manager Kitt Grønningsæter of Visit Helgeland. The tourists have carved their names into the marble at the Marble Castle. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news The destination company is now working with the State Administrator on what measures are necessary to save the area from further wear and tear. According to the plan, a new information poster about the nature reserve and a permanent themed poster about the Marble Castle will be put up. Excerpt from the management plan Increased traffic and wear and tear to the Marmorslottet In recent years there has been a marked increase in the number of visitors to the nature reserve. The reason is the Marble Castle, which attracts both Norwegian and foreign tourists. Neither the path through the conservation area, nor the Marble Castle itself, is prepared for the increasing traffic that has arisen. This has led to a lot of wear and tear on the path, especially in steep sections where it has become up to ten meters wide. You can also see traces of wear and tear on the Marble Castle itself after, among other things, bonfires and from people who have dragged gravel out onto the rock with them. The gravel has caused the small stream bowl formations on the rock to wear down more quickly. The car park at the bottom of Langvassvegen is also not prepared for the increasing number of cars that arrive in the summer season. There are no toilets or waste stations, which has led to a lot of littering around the car park. In addition, smaller themed posters will be prepared about vulnerable cave and karst deposits that are planned to be placed at cave entrances. It is not desirable to make visitors aware of these occurrences before they possibly come across them on their own. Grønningæter clarifies that they are not the only ones involved in tourism in the area. – When we see that someone is marketing it, we advise them not to do it, and remind us that the work is ongoing. It is important that people are informed, but selling it as a nice place to go should definitely wait, says Grønningsæter. The river Glomåga has spent thousands of years shaping the Marmorslottet. Fisktjønna nature reserve. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news There are also several caves at the Marmorslottet in Rana municipality. Photo: Lars-Petter Kalkenberg / news Published 05.08.2024, at 15.24
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The marble castle in Rana is no longer marketed to tourists – news Nordland
