Ivar was one of Norway’s, indeed arguably the worlds, finest woodcarver! This picture is but a corner of the great reception hall in the hotel, which houses a significant part of his output! There was invariably a dragon theme to his carvings and Balestrand is knowing as the Dragon village.

The chair on the right is the VERY chair in which Kaiser Wilhelm was sitting when informed of the assassination of the Archduke that led to WW I. Indeed I am now sitting in it as I write. 

On the walls are examples of tapestries woven by Ivar’s wife – they were a very talented family.