Botnhamn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Botnhamn is a small place in Northern Norway, located more than 300 km north of the Arctic Circle on the Northern part of the island of Senja. The place is spread out along the west side of the fjord of Stønnesbotn and is part of the Lenvik minucipality in Troms county. The population (2007) is 300. Botnhamn experiences warm summers, long and dark winters. Botnhamn is located about 28 km and 52 km North-West of Gibostad and Finnsnes, respectively.
Botnhamn is an old farmyard mentioned in historical writings around 1370 under the name Stufunes. There are several archaeological discoveries from the Stone, Iron and Middle Ages and the most known is The Silver Treasure of Botnhamnfrom approximately 1000 AC. The farmyard has probably been part of a chiefdom located on both sides of the outer Malangen Sound. In the 1600s Botn was a bailiff estate in Balstad jurisdiction. Through the establishment of trading activity at the end of the 1800s, Botnhamn grew to become a center in Hillesoy municipality.
Botnhamn is today a vigorous village with the ferry service Malangenforbindelsen connecting Senja with the island of Kvaløya. It makes the journey between Senja and Tromsø shorter with a crossing time of 45 minutes and driving time of 50 minutes.
