Trond Stegarud / Gaustatoppen BookingFor hundreds of years, the inhabitants of the tiny Norwegian town of Rjukan went without direct sunlight for almost half the year. Sam Eyde, the founder of the town, conceived the idea of building sun mirrors on the mountain as far back as 1913. Local residents now enjoy an approximately 6,500 square foot ellipse-shaped beam of sunlight into the town square. Modern technology keeps Rjukan lightUnique as it may seem, Rjukan’s sun mirror system is not a world first. World Heritage SiteThe town received a further boost in 2015 when the area was designated Norway’s eighth UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Source: Forbes April 24, 2019 11:37 UTC