Grimstad
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder
county
, Norway
. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Other notable places in Grimstad include Eide
, Fevik
, Fjære
, Landvik
, Prestegårdskogen
, Reddal
, and Roresanden.
It is a little maritime town set among many small island
s (Skjærgård
). There is a harbor
, 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
.
). On 1 January 1878, part of the neighboring municipality of Fjære
(population: 948) was transferred to Grimstad. Again, on 1 January 1960, another part of Fjære (pop: 344) was transferred to Grimstad. Finally, on 1 January 1971, the rural municipalities of Fjære (pop: 6,189) and Landvik
(pop: 2,781) were merged into the town of Grimstad (pop: 2,794) to form a significantly larger municipality with a total population of 11,764 at the time of the merger.
The site of the town was originally the port (Old Norse
: stoð) of the old Grøm farm. The exact meaning of the name Grøm is uncertain, but it is derived from a river name Gró or Gróa which means "the growing one".
were granted in 1899 and were based upon a seal of the city dating back to 1847. The arms show a brig
as a symbol for the importance of shipping to the city.
, Christian II
of Denmark–Norway
(1513–1523) attempted to recover his kingdoms. A tempest scattered his fleet off the Norwegian coast, and on 24 October 1531, they took refuge at Grimstad. On 1 July 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, Grimstad became a recognized harbor
. By 1747, Grimstad was identified as a sailing community and a recognized haunt of smuggler
s.
During the Napoleonic Wars
, England blockade
d Norway. In 1811, an English brig entered the harbor to capture blockade runner
s, but was vigorously repulsed and did not return.
John Frederik Classen, who owned the Frolands Værk
(an ironworks
), obtained concessions to export and import through Grimstad and bypass Arendal with its customs
dues. Grimstad was awarded market town status in 1816.
boarding preparatory school. It is also the location of the Bibelskolen in Grimstad (BiG)
, a private Lutheran bible school. The University of Agder has its faculty of engineering
seated here. A student dorm called "Grøm" is also in Grimstad.
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. The lakes Syndle
and Rore
are found in the northern part of the municipality. Landviksvannet and Reddalsvannet lakes are found in the southern part of the municipality, near Reddal
.
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 Teater
at Fjæreheia
, an open-air stage located in a disused stone quarry
.
Shopping is also available in Oddensenteret along the harbour. (The view from Oddensenteret is seen in the panorama photo above.)
The Homborsund lighthouse
station is located within the municipality. Grimstad is also home to the Nøgne Ø
brewery
.
Köping
, Västmanland County
, Sweden
Asikkala
, Southern Finland
, Finland
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Other notable places in Grimstad include Eide
Eide, Aust-Agder
Eide is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located within the municipality of Grimstad in the traditional district of Sørlandet. Eide had an area of , of which is mainland.-Name:...
, Fevik
Fevik
Fevik is a village area in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder, Norway. The village has an area of and has a population of 5,394 people, most working in Arendal or central Grimstad. The village is located on the ocean coast about northeast of the city of Grimstad and about south of the...
, Fjære
Fjære
Fjære is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. Fjære municipality was located to the north of the town of Grimstad, and the name is still used to refer to that area, which is now a part of Grimstad.-Name:...
, Landvik
Landvik
Landvik is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It was located to the west of the town of Grimstad in southern Norway. Today, the name Landvik is still used to designate the westernmost part of the town of Grimstad, near the Prestegårdskogen housing development.-Name:The...
, Prestegårdskogen
Prestegårdskogen
Prestegårdskogen is a village area located in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The population was 245 in 2005.It was originally the farm estate of the priest of Landvik. The farm was passed from priest to priest from 1684. More recently, a neighborhood called...
, Reddal
Reddal
Reddal is a village in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the western part of the municipality in the Landvik area, about west of the city center of Grimstad...
, and Roresanden.
It is a little maritime town set among many small island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s (Skjærgård
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
). There is a harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
, a long pedestrian shopping street, a small market square
Market square
The market square is a feature of many European and colonial towns. It is an open area where market stalls are traditionally set out for trading, commonly on one particular day of the week known as market day....
, a church, and a museum dedicated to the early life of Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
, who served as an apprentice
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
to Grimstad’s local pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
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
Terje Vigen
Terje Vigen is a poem written by Henrik Ibsen, published in 1862. Much of the story and setting is from the area around the town of Grimstad in southern Norway where Ibsen lived for a few years in his youth...
.
General information
The town of Grimstad was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). On 1 January 1878, part of the neighboring municipality of Fjære
Fjære
Fjære is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. Fjære municipality was located to the north of the town of Grimstad, and the name is still used to refer to that area, which is now a part of Grimstad.-Name:...
(population: 948) was transferred to Grimstad. Again, on 1 January 1960, another part of Fjære (pop: 344) was transferred to Grimstad. Finally, on 1 January 1971, the rural municipalities of Fjære (pop: 6,189) and Landvik
Landvik
Landvik is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It was located to the west of the town of Grimstad in southern Norway. Today, the name Landvik is still used to designate the westernmost part of the town of Grimstad, near the Prestegårdskogen housing development.-Name:The...
(pop: 2,781) were merged into the town of Grimstad (pop: 2,794) to form a significantly larger municipality with a total population of 11,764 at the time of the merger.
Name
The city's name was originally Grømstad, when Norway belonged to the Danish kingdom. The name was misunderstood and became Grimstad during the registration of Norwegian cities and small places.The site of the town was originally the port (Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: stoð) of the old Grøm farm. The exact meaning of the name Grøm is uncertain, but it is derived from a river name Gró or Gróa which means "the growing one".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were granted in 1899 and were based upon a seal of the city dating back to 1847. The arms show a brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
as a symbol for the importance of shipping to the city.
History
Grimstad lies within the boundaries of the ancient parish of Fjære. It is reportedly first mentioned as a harbor in the 16th century. Eight years after he was deposedDeposition (politics)
Deposition by political means concerns the removal of a politician or monarch. It may be done by coup, impeachment, invasion or forced abdication...
, Christian II
Christian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
of Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
(1513–1523) attempted to recover his kingdoms. A tempest scattered his fleet off the Norwegian coast, and on 24 October 1531, they took refuge at Grimstad. On 1 July 1532, he surrendered to his rival, King Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
, 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, Grimstad became a recognized harbor
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
. By 1747, Grimstad was identified as a sailing community and a recognized haunt of smuggler
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
s.
During the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, England blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
d Norway. In 1811, an English brig entered the harbor to capture blockade runner
Blockade runner
A blockade runner is usually a lighter weight ship used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait, as opposed to confronting the blockaders to break the blockade. Very often blockade running is done in order to transport cargo, for example to bring food or arms to a blockaded city...
s, but was vigorously repulsed and did not return.
John Frederik Classen, who owned the Frolands Værk
Froland
Froland is a municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Sørlandet. The administrative center is the village of Blakstad, which along with Osedalen form the main population center of the municipality....
(an ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
), obtained concessions to export and import through Grimstad and bypass Arendal with its customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
dues. Grimstad was awarded market town status in 1816.
Education
Grimstad is home to Drottningborg, a private LutheranLutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
boarding preparatory school. It is also the location of the Bibelskolen in Grimstad (BiG)
Grimstad Bible School
Grimstad Bible School is located in Grimstad, Norway.Grimstad Bible School is located four kilometers from the center of Grimstad. The distance to the sea is 150 meters....
, a private Lutheran bible school. The University of Agder has its faculty of engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
seated here. A student dorm called "Grøm" is also in Grimstad.
Geography
Grimstad is a coastal municipality in Aust-AgderAust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
county bordering on the Skagerrak
Skagerrak
The Skagerrak is a strait running between Norway and the southwest coast of Sweden and the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea area, which leads to the Baltic Sea.-Name:...
. The municipality is bordered by Arendal
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
in the east, Froland and Birkenes
Birkenes
Birkenes is a municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The village of Birkeland is the administrative center and about half of the municipality's residents live there...
in the north, and Lillesand
Lillesand
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Lillesand.-General information:...
in the west. The lakes Syndle
Syndle
Syndle is a lake in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It's located about northwest of the city center of Grimstad, in the Landvik area. Syndle has an area of about and flows into a small river on the northeast part of the lake which connects it to the neighboring lake...
and Rore
Rore
Rore is a lake in the municipalities of Grimstad and Arendal in Aust-Agder county, Norway. This lake, which is used as a reservoir, lies mostly in Grimstad. There is a public beach area at the southern end of the lake, near the Roresanden village...
are found in the northern part of the municipality. Landviksvannet and Reddalsvannet lakes are found in the southern part of the municipality, near Reddal
Reddal
Reddal is a village in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the western part of the municipality in the Landvik area, about west of the city center of Grimstad...
.
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 Teater
Agder Teater
Agder Teater is a Norwegian theatre based in Kristiansand. It was established in 1991, and has been the regional theatre for Agder since 1995....
at Fjæreheia
Fjæreheia
Fjæreheia is a former quarry where a characteristic red granite was mined. Since 1993 Fjæreheia has been a theatre for both the plays of Ibsen and modern rock musicals....
, an open-air stage located in a disused stone quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
.
Shopping is also available in Oddensenteret along the harbour. (The view from Oddensenteret is seen in the panorama photo above.)
The Homborsund lighthouse
Lighthouses in Norway
See also List of lighthouses in Norway for a sortable list of lighthouses.The coast of Norway is 100,915 km long and there have been a total of 212 lighthouses along it, but no more than 154 have ever been operational at the same time...
station is located within the municipality. Grimstad is also home to the Nøgne Ø
Nøgne ø
Nøgne Ø is an independent brewery, founded in 2002 by Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun in Grimstad, Norway.- Brief details :Nøgne Ø was founded late in 2002 by Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun. The brewery name, Nøgne Ø, is old Danish for "Naked Isle"...
brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
.
Notable residents
- Roald DahlRoald DahlRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
(1916–1990), author, visited his grandparents and summered at the Strand Hotel in FevikFevikFevik is a village area in the municipality of Grimstad in Aust-Agder, Norway. The village has an area of and has a population of 5,394 people, most working in Arendal or central Grimstad. The village is located on the ocean coast about northeast of the city of Grimstad and about south of the...
in Grimstad - Tryggve GranTryggve GranJens Tryggve Herman Gran DSC, MC was a Norwegian aviator, explorer and author. He was the first pilot to cross the North Sea.-Background:...
(1889–1980), polar explorer and flight pioneer - Knut HamsunKnut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
(1859–1952), author - Sverre HasselSverre HasselSverre Helge Hassel was a Norwegian polar explorer and one of the first five people to reach the South Pole.- Biography :...
(1876–1928), polar explorer who accompanied Roald AmundsenRoald AmundsenRoald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
to the South PoleSouth PoleThe South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole... - Thor HushovdThor HushovdThor Hushovd is a Norwegian professional road bicycle racer riding . He has signed for from 2012 onwards. He is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road...
(born 1978), road bicycle racerRoad bicycle racingRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
- 2010 World Road Race Champion, the first Norwegian to wear the yellow jersey and win the green jersey in the Tour de FranceTour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, and the second Norwegian to win a stage - Henrik IbsenHenrik IbsenHenrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
(1828–1906), playwright, wrote his first drama, CatalinaCatiline (play)Catiline or Catalina was Henrik Ibsen's first play. It was written during winter 1848-49 and first performed under Ibsen's name on December 3, 1881 at the Nya Teatern , Stockholm, Sweden...
in Grimstad - Dag Otto LauritzenDag Otto LauritzenDag Otto Lauritzen is a retired Norwegian professional cyclist. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles he won a bronze medal in the road race....
(born 1956), road bicycle racer, first Norwegian to win a stage in the Tour de France - Marius Nygaard Smith-PetersenMarius Nygaard Smith-PetersenMarius Nygaard Smith-Petersen was Norwegian-born American physician and orthopaedic surgeon.-Background:Marius Nygaard Smith-Petersen was born of a merchant marine family in the coastal town of Grimstad, in Aust-Agder county, southwest of Oslo, Norway. He emigrated with his mother to Milwaukee in...
(1886–1953), Norwegian AmericanNorwegian AmericanNorwegian Americans are Americans of Norwegian descent. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the later half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the 20th century. There are more than 4.5 million Norwegian Americans according to the most recent U.S. census, and...
physician and orthopaedic surgeonOrthopedic surgeryOrthopedic surgery or orthopedics is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system...
Twin towns — Sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Grimstad: Billund, Region Syddanmark, DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Köping
Köping Municipality
Köping Municipality is a municipality in Västmanland County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Köping.The municipality was created in 1971, when the former City of Köping was merged with the municipalities of Kolsva, Medåker and Munktorp forming a new municipality of unitary...
, Västmanland County
Västmanland County
Västmanland County is a county or län in central Sweden. It borders to the counties of Södermanland, Örebro, Gävleborg, Dalarna and Uppsala...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Asikkala
Asikkala
Asikkala is a municipality of Finland. Its seat is in Vääksy.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Päijänne Tavastia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
, Southern Finland
Southern Finland
Southern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland and Eastern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland and Russia.- History :...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Grimstad - Norway (Tourist Information)
- Map of Aust-Agder including Grimstad municipality
- Agder Theatre at Fjæreheia
- Norway's Short Film Festival
- Grimstad Sjømannsforening
- http://nb.gravatar.com/djscob