Lillehammer

Lillehammer, town, southeastern Norway, lying where the Lågen (river) flows into Lake Mjøsa (the largest lake in Norway) in the southern end of Gudbrands Valley (q.v.). Lillehammer was chartered in 1827. Industries include textiles, lumber, and paper and food processing. A gateway to picturesque Gudbrands Valley, it is a year-round resort. The open-air Maihaugen folk museum features Norwegian art and architecture. The authors Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Sigrid Undset lived in the vicinity of Lillehammer. Bjørnson’s home and farm, Aulestad, about 10 miles (16 km) northwest, is a national memorial. The town was the site of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Pop. (2007 est.) mun., 25,537.