Grimstad
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Grimstad kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Aust-Agder | ||
| District | Sørlandet | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-0904 | ||
| Administrative centre | Grimstad | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2007) | Hans Antonsen (V) | ||
| Area (Nr. 275 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 303 km² (117 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 272 km² (105 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| - Total | 19,809 | ||
| - Density | 64.4/km² (166.8/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | 14.4 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 50 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Bokmål | ||
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| Website: www.grimstad.kommune.no | |||
Grimstad is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet.
Grimstad was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipalities of Fjære and Landvik were merged with Grimstad January 1, 1971.
It is a little maritime town set among many small islands (Skjærgård). There is a harbour, a long pedestrian shopping street, a small market square, a church, and a museum dedicated to the early life of Henrik Ibsen, who served as an apprentice to Grimstad’s local pharmacist Reimann, from 1844 to 1847, before leaving Grimstad in 1850. Ibsen's intimate knowledge of the local people and surroundings can be seen in his poem Terje Vigen.
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[edit] The name
The site of the town was originally the port (Norse stoð f) of the old farm Grøm. (The exact meaning of the name Grøm is uncertain, but it is derived from a river name *Gró or *Gróa 'the growing one'.)
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from 1899 (based upon a seal from 1847). It shows a brig.
[edit] Geography
Grimstad is a coastal municipality in Aust-Agder county bordering on the Skagerrak. The municipality is bordered by Arendal in the east, Froland and Birkenes in the north, and Lillesand in the west. In 1971 the municipalities of Landvik and Fjære were combined with Grimstad.
[edit] History
Grimstad lies within the boundaries of the ancient parish of Fjære.
It is reportedly first mentioned as a harbor in the 1500s. Eight years after he was deposed, Christian II of Denmark & Norway (1513 – 1523)) attempted to recover his kingdoms. A tempest scattered his fleet off the Norwegian coast, and on October 24 1531, they took refuge at Grimstad. On July 1 1532, he surrendered to his rival, King Frederick I of Denmark, in exchange for a promise of safe conduct. King Frederick failed to honor his promise and imprisoned Christian until he died.
An inn is recorded at Grimstad as early as 1607.
In 1622 it became a recognized harbor.
By 1747 it was identified as a sailing community and a recognized haunt of smugglers.
During the Napoleonic Wars England blockaded Norway. In 1811, an English brig entered the harbor to capture blockade runners, but was vigorously repulsed and did not return.
John Frederik Classen, who owned the Frolands Værk (an iron works), obtained concessions to export & import through Grimstad and bypass Arendal with its customs dues. Grimstad was awarded market town status in 1816.
[edit] Key attractions
The Maritime Museum (accessible by boat trip), the comprehensive City Museum and the Norwegian Horticultural Museum, are all popular among tourists, as are the wealth of exhibitions and concerts that the town hosts. The town is also a popular destination for summer vacationers, and supports a robust shopping milieu during the Christmas season. During summer, Grimstad plays host to the Norwegian Short Film Festival, which attracts film enthusiasts from far and near. Another popular attraction is the Agder Theatre at Fjæreheia, an open-air stage located in a disused stone quarry, and not to forget that you can shop at the world famous Oddensenteret.
[edit] Famous residents
- Henrik Ibsen(1828 - 1906), Playwright - wrote his first drama, Catalina in Grimstad.
- Knut Hamsun (1859 – 1952), Author
- Roald Dahl (1916 - 1990), Author - visited grandparents and summered at the Strand hotel in Fevik in Grimstad.
- Sverre Hassel (1876 - 1928), polar explorer - accompanied Roald Amundsen to the South Pole.
- Tryggve Gran (1889 - 1980), polar explorer and flight pioneer.
- Thor Hushovd (1978), road bicycle racer, first Norwegian to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, and also the first Norwegian to win the green jersey, and second Norwegian to win a stage.
- Dag Otto Lauritzen (1956), road bicycle racer, first Norwegian to win a stage in the Tour de France.
[edit] Education
- Drottningborg, a private Lutheran boarding preparatory school
- Bibelskolen in Grimstad (BiG) a private Lutheran bibleschool
[edit] Located in Grimstad
- University of Agder has its faculty of engineering seated here.
- Homborsund lighthouse station
- Agder Theatre at Fjæreheia.
- Norway's Short Film Festival.
- Grimstad Sjømannsforening
- Nøgne Ø, a Grimstad brewery
[edit] References
- Adventure Roads in Norway by Erling Welle-Strand; Nortrabooks, 1996. ISBN 82-90103-71-9
- Norway', edited by Doreen Taylor-Wilkie; Houghton Mifflin, 1996. ISBN 0-395-81912-1
- South Norway by Frank Noel Stagg, George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1958.
[edit] External links
- Grimstad - Norway (Tourist Information)
- Statistical information about Grimstad - in Norwegian
- Map of Aust-Agder including Grimstad municipality
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