Jostedalsbreen National Park is a national park in Norway that encompasses the largest glacier on the European mainland, Jostedalsbreen. The park was established by royal decree on 25 October 1991, and then in 1998, it was enlarged to the northwest. The park now covers 1310 km2, with the glaciers covering about 800 km2 of the park.

Location

The park lies in the municipalities of Luster, Sogndal, Gloppen, Sunnfjord, and Stryn, all of which are in Vestland county. There are three museums and also visitors centers: the Breheimsenteret in Jostedalen, Jostedalsbreen nasjonalparksenter in Oppstryn (Stryn Municipality) and Norsk bremuseum in Fjærland (Sogndal Municipality).

Topography

The highest peak in the park is Lodalskåpa at 2083 m. The glacier's highest point, Brenibba, lies 2018 m above sea level while its lowest point is 350 m above sea level. The glacier has shrunk in recent years, and there are ruins of farms that were overtaken by the glacier in 1750.

Name

The park was named after the main glacier in it, Jostedalsbreen. The first element of that name is the name of the old municipality Jostedal, the last element is the finite form of the word bre which means "glacier".