iron production was no longer economically viable at Lesjaverk, and the works were closed in 1812. The abandoned mines at Gruvlia, Håmårfossen and Stellsteinberget, as well as the former iron smelter and charcoal kilns can still be seen. A historical path with signs provides the visitor with an overview of the original operation; the oldest ironworks of this magnitude in Norway. The village lies at the east end of the bifurcation lake Lesjaskogsvatnet. This lake originally only flowed west into the Rauma river at the village of Lesjaskog and onwards through the magnificent Romsdalen valley. A high dam was constructed by the Lesja Iron Works in the 1660s to improve transportation caused the water to also flow eastward into the river Gudbrandsdalslågen. The lake lies at an elevation of above sea level and it covers about in area. The people who established the Lesja Verk built their own church (Lesjaverk Church) for the workers in 1695, but the church building was moved to Lesjaskog in 1855. The church in Lesjaverk was a satellite church of that in Lesja, as was the Folldal Church which served the Folldal works (Folldal Verk) copper mines. Per Berg reports, “When the sexton Ola Kring died in Lesja in 1751, Frederik Wiborg was appointed sexton there and was presented to the congregation on the third Sunday following Trinity. There certainly wasn't anything very special about being a teacher in Ringsaker, if he was willing to change that for being a sexton. No house or land went with the post and the work was hard. In the Lesja parish there were three satellite churches - Lesjeverk, Dovre, and Folldal. The travel distances were great and it could be very difficult in the winter.” During the German invasion of World War II, while retreating from Oslo half the Government stayed for one night at Lesjaverk, eight days before evacuating to London. King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav traveled over high-mountain roads, leaving Vågåmo on 17 April 1940 and passed through Lesjaverk on the way to Molde. With the evacuation of the King and the Cabinet from Molde to Tromsø on 29 April, and the allied evacuation of Åndalsnes on 1 May, formal Norwegian military resistance to the German invasion in Southern Norway came to an end. References External links Lesjaverk Lesja Villages in Innlandet Populated places on the Gudbrandsdalslågen