Lågen

Lågen, river, southeastern Norway. Rising in the Hardanger Plateau, the Lågen flows generally east and north, then southeast through Numedalen, a valley in Buskerud fylke (county), past Rødberg and Kongsberg, through Vestfold fylke and into the Skagerrak (an arm of the North Sea) at Larvik. With a total length of 209 miles (337 km), it is the third longest river in the country. Near Kongsberg, silver was mined from the early 17th century until the mid-20th century, and the oldest school of mines in the world (founded 1757) is in the town. Above Kongsberg, lumbering and hydroelectric power generation are the main economic resources; below Kongsberg, agriculture becomes important. Larvik is an important lumber-products centre on the southern coast. Small towns in the river valley have many interesting medieval stave churches.