Ålesund
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional district
of Sunnmøre
, and the center of the Ålesund Region
. It is a sea port
, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau
architecture
.
Ålesund town is the administrative centre of the municipality as well as the principal shipping town of the Sunnmøre district. Ålesund municipality has a population of 42,982 as of 2010, while the greater Ålesund area has a population of 46,471 (this also includes most of neighboring Sula as well).
) and it received town rights
in 1848. On 1 January 1875, part of Borgund
(population: 902) was transferred to the town of Ålesund. In 1922, another part of Borgund (population: 1,148) was transferred to the town of Ålesund. On 1 January 1968, most of the neighboring municipality of Borgund
(population: 20,132) was merged into Ålesund. This merger more than doubled the population of Ålesund, for a new total population of 38,589. On 1 January 1977, the island of Sula and some small surrounding islets (population: 6,302) were separated from Ålesund to form a separate municipality.
word kaupang means "marketplace
" or "town
", thus the market town for Borgund. The Old Norse
form of the current name was Álasund. The first element of that (probably) is the plural
genitive case
of áll which means "eel
" and the last element is sund which means "strait
" or "sound
". Before 1921, the name was written Aalesund.
was granted on 1 April 1898. The arms symbolize the importance of fishing
for the town. The type of ship
was typical for the ships used in the 18th and 19th century and is taken from a drawing made in 1762. The waves and fish
were added to the drawing in the arms.
The arms are shown in the Kaffe Hag album
with the boat sailing right instead of sailing left.
has five parishes with a total of six churches, within the municipality of Ålesund. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Nordre Sunnmøre.
), the 10th century founder of the dynasty of the dukes of Normandy
, hailed from the community of Giske
, north-west of Ålesund. At least three statues of Rolle exist: in the town park in Ålesund, in the city of Rouen, France
, and in Fargo, North Dakota, United States
.
In the night of 23 January 1904, the town was the scene of the Ålesund Fire
, one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the entire town was destroyed during the night, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the town in the middle of the night with only a few minutes' notice. Only one person died in the fire, the 76-year old Ane Heen, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter.
Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany
had often gone on vacation to Sunnmøre
. After the fire, he sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters and barracks
. After a period of planning, the town was rebuilt in stone, brick, and mortar in Jugendstil
(Art Nouveau), the architectural style of the time. The structures were designed by approximately 20 master builders and 30 Norwegian architects, most of them educated in Trondheim
and Charlottenburg, Berlin
, drawing inspiration from all over Europe
. To honor Wilhelm, one of the most frequented streets of the town is named after him.
The town has an unusually consistent architecture, most of the buildings having been built between 1904 and 1907. Jugendstilsenteret
is a national interpretation centre
, visitors can learn more about the town fire, the rebuilding of the town and the Art Nouveau style. Ålesund is a partner in the Art nouveau network
, a European network of co-operation created in 1999 for the study, safeguards and development of the Art nouveau.
The term "Little London" was often applied to the community during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
due to the Norwegian resistance work that took place here. Among other things, the city was central to the flights to Shetland, Scotland
and England
.
: Hessa
, Aspøy
a, Nørvøya
, Oksnøya, Ellingsøy
a, Humla
, and Tørla
. The town centre is located on the islands Aspøya and Nørvøy, while Heissa and Oksnøya contain residential areas.
The second largest island, Elingsøya, used to be accessible only by boat or by road via Skodje
municipality, but an undersea tunnel
was built in 1987 to make travelling between the island and the town centre more convenient. The tunnel is 3481 metres (11,420.6 ft) long, and was upgraded in 2009.
Situated 236 km north northeast of Bergen
, Ålesund is adjacent to the Hjørund
and Geiranger
fjord
s, the latter being on UNESCO's
list of World Heritage Sites.
The municipality covers an area of 93 square kilometres (35.9 sq mi). The population (2010) is 42,982, making the population density of 460.5 PD/km2. The population of the agglomeration
, which includes parts of the neighbouring municipality of Sula, is 45,299. The municipality also contains three smaller separate urban area
s on the island of Ellingsøy
a: Hoffland
, Årset
, and Myklebost
with a total population of 1,204. Other villages include Løvika
and Spjelkavik
, both on Oksenøya
.
is a mere -11 C.
Ålesund has the most important fishing harbour in Norway. The town's fishing fleet is one of the most modern in Europe. Ålesund and surroundings also has a large furniture industry. Some well-known household items are manufactured here. In the 1950s and 1960s, Ålesund was one of the chief stations of the herring
fishery business.
In relation to the relatively large fishing fleet belonging to Ålesund and nearby harbours a large shipbuilding and ship equipment industry has evolved. There are not any yards building ships in Aalesund any more, the last shipyard - Liaaen Shipyard evolved into ship repairs and since late 1990s has mainly been serving the offshore industry through the company Liaaen Technology that merged and rebranded to Strata Møre in 2007. In the close by communities however shipyards continue to operate successfully: STX Europe Ulstein Verft, Kleven Maritime, Havyard Group.
When oil was found in the North Sea
in the 1970s the local fishing fleet ship owners seized the opportunity and rebuilt fishing vessels to serve the infant oil exploration and production industry. Soon they were able to build purpose designed offshore vessels at local shipyards to serve the North Sea oil adventure even better. Today this has become a cornerstone industry in and around Ålesund through leading offshore supply ship owning companies Farstad, Bourbon, Olympic, Havila, and Rem. Serving the ship building industry a large number of equipment manufacturers has evolved: http://www.rolls-royce.com, Odim, Sperre, Optimar, Ship Equip, Jets and many more.
To the east of Ålesund lies the village of Sykkylven
. The Ekornes
factory, producing furniture such as the StressLess chair. Håhjem, another village near Ålesund, contains the headquarters of the Stokke company. Ålesund is also one of the harbours at which the Hurtigruten
arrives two times per day. Ålesund is a popular tourist attraction, both due to its pittoresque town center and its proximity to major fjords. The Atlanterhavsparken aquarium is other touristic attaction.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/europe/article6328447.ece
, and from Maråk on Geiranger
fjord another strikes inland to Otta
. The railway line Raumabanen
starts at Åndalsnes
, 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) east of Ålesund, going to Dombås
, then southwards on the Dovrebanen
railway to Lillehammer
and Oslo
. Ålesund is a port of call for passenger and freight vessels travelling between Bergen
, Kingston upon Hull
, Newcastle
, Hamburg
, and Trondheim
, including the Hurtigruta (Norwegian Coastal Express) cruise ships, which arrive in Ålesund twice a day.
The town's airport, Ålesund Airport, Vigra
, has several daily flights to/from Oslo
, Bergen
, Trondheim
, and Copenhagen
. It also has several weekly flights to/from Riga
(Riga International Airport
) (AirBaltic
) and London
(London Gatwick Airport
).
Lately, there have been suggestions of a high speed rail link to Oslo as well as metro-style local services to meet the needs of the expanding population of the town.
The Norwegian Centre of Art Nouveau Architecture, Jugendstilsenteret
, is situated in Ålesund. Its a museum and competence center with exhibitions telling the story of the town fire and Art Nouveu/Jugendstil in Norway and Europe.
The local football team, Aalesunds Fotballklubb (AaFK) was founded in 1914. The team played in the Norwegian premier league for the first time in the 2003 season. The club won its first Norwegian FA cup in 2009 and won again in 2011. The team's new arena, Color Line Stadion, opened 16 April 2005, and is located approximately 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) outside the town centre. AaFK's supporter club is called "Stormen" and has about 2,000 members.
The local newspaper is Sunnmørsposten
, founded in 1882 and published six days a week. Ålesund is the site of the annual Norwegian Food Festival.
(Norwegian: Høgskolen i Ålesund, with approximately 1,800 students and 150 employees. The Ålesund School of Art is a school for visual arts
located in Ålesund. The Norwegian School of Management
had a campus in Ålesund, but it closed on 1 August 2008.
Ålesund videregående skole, also known as Latinskolen, formerly Aalesund Lærd- og Realskole, is the oldest secondary school
in Ålesund, having been established in 1863. Of the six upper secondary schools
in Ålesund, including Latinskolen, Fagerlia videregående skole is the largest with room for approximately 1,000 students.
A new International school will be opened for children aged 5–15 in Ålesund in 2012.
, Denmark
, since 1947 Västerås
, Sweden
, since 1947 Lahti
, Finland
, since 1947 Akureyri
, Iceland
, since 1949 Borgo a Mozzano
, Italy
, since 1979 Tacoma
, USA, since 1986 Ville d´EU
, France
, since 1996 Peterhead
, Scotland
, since 1967
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
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 is part of the traditional district
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
of Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
, and the center of the Ålesund Region
Ålesund Region
The Ålesund Region is a metropolitan region in Møre og Romsdal county in western Norway. It consists of a number of municipalities, centered around the city/municipality of Ålesund....
. It is a sea port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Ålesund town is the administrative centre of the municipality as well as the principal shipping town of the Sunnmøre district. Ålesund municipality has a population of 42,982 as of 2010, while the greater Ålesund area has a population of 46,471 (this also includes most of neighboring Sula as well).
General information
The port of Ålesund 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...
) and it received town rights
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
in 1848. On 1 January 1875, part of Borgund
Borgund, Møre og Romsdal
Borgund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla, Tørla, and Ellingsøya, as well as parts of Oksenøya, Hessa, and Nørvøya, plus many minor islands throughout the area...
(population: 902) was transferred to the town of Ålesund. In 1922, another part of Borgund (population: 1,148) was transferred to the town of Ålesund. On 1 January 1968, most of the neighboring municipality of Borgund
Borgund, Møre og Romsdal
Borgund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla, Tørla, and Ellingsøya, as well as parts of Oksenøya, Hessa, and Nørvøya, plus many minor islands throughout the area...
(population: 20,132) was merged into Ålesund. This merger more than doubled the population of Ålesund, for a new total population of 38,589. On 1 January 1977, the island of Sula and some small surrounding islets (population: 6,302) were separated from Ålesund to form a separate municipality.
Toponomy
A part of the town was originally known as Kaupangen Borgund. The Old NorseOld 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....
word kaupang means "marketplace
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...
" or "town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
", thus the market town for Borgund. The 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....
form of the current name was Álasund. The first element of that (probably) is the plural
Plural
In linguistics, plurality or [a] plural is a concept of quantity representing a value of more-than-one. Typically applied to nouns, a plural word or marker is used to distinguish a value other than the default quantity of a noun, which is typically one...
genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of áll which means "eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
" and the last element is sund which means "strait
Strait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...
" or "sound
Sound (geography)
In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight and wider than a fjord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land ....
". Before 1921, the name was written Aalesund.
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...
was granted on 1 April 1898. The arms symbolize the importance of fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
for the town. The type of ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
was typical for the ships used in the 18th and 19th century and is taken from a drawing made in 1762. The waves and fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
were added to the drawing in the arms.
The arms are shown in the Kaffe Hag album
Coffee Hag albums
The Coffee Hag albums were published in the early 20th century by the Kaffee Handelsgesellschaft AG in Bremen, Germany, starting with heraldic stamps and collector's albums....
with the boat sailing right instead of sailing left.
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has five parishes with a total of six churches, within the municipality of Ålesund. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
Diocese of Møre
The Diocese of Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop and cathedral are located in the county administrative center of Molde...
and the Rural Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
(Prosti) of Nordre Sunnmøre.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ålesund | Ålesund kyrkje | 1909 | Aspøy Aspøy Aspøya is an island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located between the islands of Hessa and Nørvøya, and it is the location of the 1905 Ålesund Fire.... a (Ålesund town) |
| Skarbøvik Kyrkje | 1995 | Heissa | |
| Volsdalen | Volsdalen kyrkje | 1974 | Nørvøya Nørvøya Nørvøya is an island in the municipality of Ålesund, Norway. It is the larger of the two islands containing the city center of Ålesund, the other being Aspøya, located to the west... (Ålesund town) |
| Borgund | Borgund kyrkje | 1130 | Borgund Borgund, Møre og Romsdal Borgund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality consisted of the islands of Sula, Humla, Tørla, and Ellingsøya, as well as parts of Oksenøya, Hessa, and Nørvøya, plus many minor islands throughout the area... /Nørvasund |
| Ellingsøy | Ellingsøy kyrkje | 1998 | Ellingsøy Ellingsøy Ellingsøy or Ellingsøya is the northernmost island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. With an area of , Ellingsøy is the second largest island in the municipality. The island is located northeast of the town of Ålesund, north of the islands of Nørvøya and Oksenøya,... a |
| Spjelkavik | Spjelkavik kyrkje | 1987 | Spjelkavik Spjelkavik Spjelkavik is part of the town of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway—it is also called "Vika" by many locals. Spjelkavik is located on the island of Oksenøya, at the intersection of the highways and , just west of the lake Brusdalsvatnet. The villages of Breivika, Myrland, and... |
History
Legend has it that Gangerolf (outside of Norway better known as RolloRollo of Normandy
Rollo , baptised Robert and so sometimes numbered Robert I to distinguish him from his descendants, was a Norse nobleman of Norwegian or Danish descent and founder and first ruler of the Viking principality in what soon became known as Normandy...
), the 10th century founder of the dynasty of the dukes of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, hailed from the community of Giske
Giske
Giske is an island and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies north-northwest of the town of Ålesund in the Sunnmøre traditional district. The municipal center is the village of Nordstrand on the island of Valderøy. Other population centers include the villages of Roald and...
, north-west of Ålesund. At least three statues of Rolle exist: in the town park in Ålesund, in the city of Rouen, France
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, and in Fargo, North Dakota, United States
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
.
In the night of 23 January 1904, the town was the scene of the Ålesund Fire
Ålesund Fire
The Ålesund Fire happened in the Norwegian city of Ålesund on 23 January 1904. It destroyed almost the whole city centre, built mostly of wood like the majority of Norwegian towns in that era.-Fire:...
, one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the entire town was destroyed during the night, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the town in the middle of the night with only a few minutes' notice. Only one person died in the fire, the 76-year old Ane Heen, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter.
Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
had often gone on vacation to Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
. After the fire, he sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters and barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
. After a period of planning, the town was rebuilt in stone, brick, and mortar in Jugendstil
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
(Art Nouveau), the architectural style of the time. The structures were designed by approximately 20 master builders and 30 Norwegian architects, most of them educated in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and Charlottenburg, Berlin
Charlottenburg
Charlottenburg is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, named after Queen consort Sophia Charlotte...
, drawing inspiration from all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. To honor Wilhelm, one of the most frequented streets of the town is named after him.
Jugendstilsenteret
Jugendstilsenteret is a national Art Nouveau Centre located in the former Swan Pharmacy building in central Ålesund, the Art Nouveau town of Norway....
is a national interpretation centre
Interpretation centre
An interpretation centre, or interpretive centre, is an institution for dissemination of knowledge of natural or cultural heritage. Interpretation centres are a kind of new-style museum, often associated with visitor centres or ecomuseums, and located in connection to cultural, historic or natural...
, visitors can learn more about the town fire, the rebuilding of the town and the Art Nouveau style. Ålesund is a partner in the Art nouveau network
Réseau Art Nouveau Network
Réseau Art Nouveau Network was established in 1999 by European cities with a rich art nouveau heritage. Enterprise and commitment are the Network's chief hallmarks; as well as championing a rigorously scientific approach, it aims to keep professionals informed and to make the general public aware...
, a European network of co-operation created in 1999 for the study, safeguards and development of the Art nouveau.
The term "Little London" was often applied to the community during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
due to the Norwegian resistance work that took place here. Among other things, the city was central to the flights to Shetland, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Geography
The municipality of Ålesund occupies seven of the outer islands in the county of Møre og RomsdalMøre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
: Hessa
Hessa
Heissa or Hessa is an island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the westernmost island in the municipality and it is located west and south of the island of Aspøya, south of Giske and Valderøy, east of Godøya, and north of Sula.The island contains mostly...
, Aspøy
Aspøy
Aspøya is an island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located between the islands of Hessa and Nørvøya, and it is the location of the 1905 Ålesund Fire....
a, Nørvøya
Nørvøya
Nørvøya is an island in the municipality of Ålesund, Norway. It is the larger of the two islands containing the city center of Ålesund, the other being Aspøya, located to the west...
, Oksnøya, Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy or Ellingsøya is the northernmost island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. With an area of , Ellingsøy is the second largest island in the municipality. The island is located northeast of the town of Ålesund, north of the islands of Nørvøya and Oksenøya,...
a, Humla
Humla, Norway
Humla is a small island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the Åsefjorden south and west of Oksenøya, north of Sula, and northwest of Tørla. The island was part of the municipality of Borgund until 1968 when it was merged into Ålesund. Humla is...
, and Tørla
Tørla
Tørla is a small island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It has bridge connections to Humla and to Oksenøya . The island is located in the inner part of the Borgundfjorden, south of Spjelkavik and just north of the island of Sula.The island was part of Borgund...
. The town centre is located on the islands Aspøya and Nørvøy, while Heissa and Oksnøya contain residential areas.
The second largest island, Elingsøya, used to be accessible only by boat or by road via Skodje
Skodje
Skodje is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is of the municipality is the village of Skodje...
municipality, but an undersea tunnel
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
was built in 1987 to make travelling between the island and the town centre more convenient. The tunnel is 3481 metres (11,420.6 ft) long, and was upgraded in 2009.
Situated 236 km north northeast of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Ålesund is adjacent to the Hjørund
Hjørundfjorden
Hjørundfjorden is a fjord in the traditional district of Sunnmøre in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord is an arm of the larger Storfjord that stretches south from Ålesund...
and Geiranger
Geirangerfjord
The Geiranger Fjord is a fjord in the Sunnmøre region of Møre og Romsdal county in Norway. It is in the municipality of Stranda. It is a long branch of the Storfjord...
fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s, the latter being on UNESCO's
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
list of World Heritage Sites.
The municipality covers an area of 93 square kilometres (35.9 sq mi). The population (2010) is 42,982, making the population density of 460.5 PD/km2. The population of the agglomeration
Agglomeration
In the study of human settlements, an urban agglomeration is an extended city or town area comprising the built-up area of a central place and any suburbs linked by continuous urban area. In France, INSEE the French Statistical Institute, translate it as "Unité urbaine" which means continuous...
, which includes parts of the neighbouring municipality of Sula, is 45,299. The municipality also contains three smaller separate urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s on the island of Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy
Ellingsøy or Ellingsøya is the northernmost island in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. With an area of , Ellingsøy is the second largest island in the municipality. The island is located northeast of the town of Ålesund, north of the islands of Nørvøya and Oksenøya,...
a: Hoffland
Hoffland
Hoffland or Hovland is a village in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the western end of the island of Ellingsøya, about northeast of the town of Ålesund and about west of the village of Myklebost....
, Årset
Årset
Årset is a village in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the island of Ellingsøya , about east of the village of Myklebost and about west of Tennfjord in Haram....
, and Myklebost
Myklebost, Ålesund
Myklebost is a village in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located on the south side of the island of Ellingsøya, about west of the village of Årset and about east of the village of Hoffland...
with a total population of 1,204. Other villages include Løvika
Løvika
Løvika is a village area in the municipality of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Løvika has approximately 200 inhabitants and is mostly known for its farming industry. It is located on the south side of Oksenøya island, southeast of Spjelkavik and northwest of the municipal center of...
and Spjelkavik
Spjelkavik
Spjelkavik is part of the town of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway—it is also called "Vika" by many locals. Spjelkavik is located on the island of Oksenøya, at the intersection of the highways and , just west of the lake Brusdalsvatnet. The villages of Breivika, Myrland, and...
, both on Oksenøya
Oksenøya
Oksenøya or Uksenøya is an island in the municipalities of Ålesund and Skodje in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Oksenøya has an area of . The Ålesund half of the island is home to about 24,000 people, the Skodje side has significantly less...
.
Climate
The city has a pronounced maritime climate with mild and windy winters; the coldest month of the year, January, has a mean temperature of 1.3 °C (34.3 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded at Ålesund Airport, VigraÅlesund Airport, Vigra
Ålesund Airport, Vigra is an airport which serves the city of Ålesund in Norway and the surrounding regions Sunnmøre, Nordfjord and Romsdal. The airport is located on the island of Vigra in the Giske municipality, northeast of Ålesund city centre and easily accessible through underseas tunnels...
is a mere -11 C.
Townscape
Economy
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
fishery business.
In relation to the relatively large fishing fleet belonging to Ålesund and nearby harbours a large shipbuilding and ship equipment industry has evolved. There are not any yards building ships in Aalesund any more, the last shipyard - Liaaen Shipyard evolved into ship repairs and since late 1990s has mainly been serving the offshore industry through the company Liaaen Technology that merged and rebranded to Strata Møre in 2007. In the close by communities however shipyards continue to operate successfully: STX Europe Ulstein Verft, Kleven Maritime, Havyard Group.
When oil was found in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
in the 1970s the local fishing fleet ship owners seized the opportunity and rebuilt fishing vessels to serve the infant oil exploration and production industry. Soon they were able to build purpose designed offshore vessels at local shipyards to serve the North Sea oil adventure even better. Today this has become a cornerstone industry in and around Ålesund through leading offshore supply ship owning companies Farstad, Bourbon, Olympic, Havila, and Rem. Serving the ship building industry a large number of equipment manufacturers has evolved: http://www.rolls-royce.com, Odim, Sperre, Optimar, Ship Equip, Jets and many more.
To the east of Ålesund lies the village of Sykkylven
Sykkylven
Sykkylven is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Aure. Other villages include Ikornnes, Straumgjerde, and Tusvik.-General information:...
. The Ekornes
Ekornes
Ekornes ASA is a Norwegian furniture company. It is principally known for its luxury line of reclining armchairs and sofas sold under the trademark Stressless. The patented mechanism of knob-controlled friction sliders on steel tubing allows the recliners to adjust to shifting sitting positions...
factory, producing furniture such as the StressLess chair. Håhjem, another village near Ålesund, contains the headquarters of the Stokke company. Ålesund is also one of the harbours at which the Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...
arrives two times per day. Ålesund is a popular tourist attraction, both due to its pittoresque town center and its proximity to major fjords. The Atlanterhavsparken aquarium is other touristic attaction.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/europe/article6328447.ece
Transportation
From Øye at the head of Hjørundfjord a road strikes south to the NordfjordNordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
, and from Maråk on Geiranger
Geiranger
Geiranger is a small tourist village in Sunnmøre in the municipality of Stranda in Møre og Romsdal county, in the western part of Norway. It lies at the head of the Geirangerfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord. The nearest city is Ålesund...
fjord another strikes inland to Otta
Otta
Otta may refer to:* A preliminary name of the yotta SI unit prefix.* In Norse mythology, Hildisvini, also known as "Otta the Simple", who was Freya's lover.* Otta, Norway, a Norwegian town in Gudbrandsdal.* The Otta River in Norway....
. The railway line Raumabanen
Raumabanen
The Rauma Line is a long railway between Åndalsnes and Dombås in Norway. Running down the valley of Romsdalen, the line opened between 1921 and 1924 as a branch of the Dovre Line, which connects to Oslo and Trondheim. Originally intended as the first stage to connect Ålesund, and possibly also...
starts at Åndalsnes
Åndalsnes
is a town in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Åndalsnes is the administrative center of Rauma. The town has a population of 2,207...
, 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) east of Ålesund, going to Dombås
Dombås
The village of lies in the Dovre municipality and serves as an administrative center in the upper Gudbrandsdal, Norway. It lies at an important junction of roads: south leading to the current capital of Norway, Oslo, west via Lesja leading to Åndalsnes on the sea and north to the old capital,...
, then southwards on the Dovrebanen
Dovrebanen
The Dovre Line is the main line of the Norwegian railway system between Oslo and Trondheim. The 64 km section south of Eidsvoll has been replaced by the Gardermo Line, the only high-speed line in the country. The line between Eidsvoll and Dombås is from old times the Eidsvoll–Dombås Line. The line...
railway to Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
and Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Ålesund is a port of call for passenger and freight vessels travelling between Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, and Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, including the Hurtigruta (Norwegian Coastal Express) cruise ships, which arrive in Ålesund twice a day.
The town's airport, Ålesund Airport, Vigra
Ålesund Airport, Vigra
Ålesund Airport, Vigra is an airport which serves the city of Ålesund in Norway and the surrounding regions Sunnmøre, Nordfjord and Romsdal. The airport is located on the island of Vigra in the Giske municipality, northeast of Ålesund city centre and easily accessible through underseas tunnels...
, has several daily flights to/from Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, and Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. It also has several weekly flights to/from Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
(Riga International Airport
Riga International Airport
-Cargo airlines:*DHL Express*Inversija*RAF-Avia*Sprintair*TNT NV*Transavibaltika*UPS-Traffic statistics:Riga International Airport is one of three notable airports in Latvia. The other two are Liepāja International Airport and Ventspils Airport. Riga International Airport's biggest air carrier is...
) (AirBaltic
AirBaltic
A/S Air Baltic Corporation, operating as AirBaltic and styled as airBaltic, is the Latvian flag carrier airline and a low-cost carrier, with its head office on the grounds of Riga International Airport in Mārupe municipality, near the capital, Riga...
) and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
).
Lately, there have been suggestions of a high speed rail link to Oslo as well as metro-style local services to meet the needs of the expanding population of the town.
Culture
Jugendstilsenteret
Jugendstilsenteret is a national Art Nouveau Centre located in the former Swan Pharmacy building in central Ålesund, the Art Nouveau town of Norway....
, is situated in Ålesund. Its a museum and competence center with exhibitions telling the story of the town fire and Art Nouveu/Jugendstil in Norway and Europe.
The local football team, Aalesunds Fotballklubb (AaFK) was founded in 1914. The team played in the Norwegian premier league for the first time in the 2003 season. The club won its first Norwegian FA cup in 2009 and won again in 2011. The team's new arena, Color Line Stadion, opened 16 April 2005, and is located approximately 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) outside the town centre. AaFK's supporter club is called "Stormen" and has about 2,000 members.
The local newspaper is Sunnmørsposten
Sunnmørsposten
Sunnmørsposten is a newspaper published by Mecom Group in Ålesund, Norway. Published in compact format six days a week, it consists of two sections; one for local news, sports and classified ads, and one for culture, weather, opinions and editorials and obituaries...
, founded in 1882 and published six days a week. Ålesund is the site of the annual Norwegian Food Festival.
Education
Ålesund has a university college, Ålesund University CollegeÅlesund University College
Aalesund University College is a medium sized institution of higher education in Norway with more than 2000 students and approximately 150 employees....
(Norwegian: Høgskolen i Ålesund, with approximately 1,800 students and 150 employees. The Ålesund School of Art is a school for visual arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
located in Ålesund. The Norwegian School of Management
Norwegian School of Management
BI Norwegian Business School former name BI Norwegian School of Management is the largest business school in Norway and the second largest in all of Europe. BI has in total 6 campuses with the main one located in Oslo.-History:...
had a campus in Ålesund, but it closed on 1 August 2008.
Ålesund videregående skole, also known as Latinskolen, formerly Aalesund Lærd- og Realskole, is the oldest secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Ålesund, having been established in 1863. Of the six upper secondary schools
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Ålesund, including Latinskolen, Fagerlia videregående skole is the largest with room for approximately 1,000 students.
A new International school will be opened for children aged 5–15 in Ålesund in 2012.
Notable residents
- Anton Ludvig AlvestadAnton Ludvig AlvestadAnton Ludvig Alvestad was a Norwegian politician and government minister for the Labour Party. Born in Sula, Alvestad was a baker by profession, and owned his own bakery. He was also active in the temperance movement. An active labour politician from an early date, he was among the founding...
, mayor and government minister (1928) - Helen BjørnøyHelen BjørnøyHelen Oddveig Bjørnøy is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician . From October 2005 to October 2007, she was Minister of the Environment in the Red-Green Coalition cabinet headed by Jens Stoltenberg...
, politician - Arnold EidslottArnold EidslottArnold Olav Eidslott is a Norwegian poet.He was born in Ålesund, and worked as a telegraphic engineer for the whole of his working life. Since 1986 he has been the poet laureate....
, poet - Jacob FjeldeJacob FjeldeJacob H. Fjelde was a Norwegian born, American sculptor.-Background:Jakob Henrik Gerhard Fjelde was born in Ålesund Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. His father, a carpenter and wood carver had moved to the United States in 1872, though Fjelde did not arrive there until about 1887. After arriving in...
, Norwegian-American sculptor - Peder Are Nøstvold JensenFjordmanPeder Are Nøstvold Jensen is a Norwegian far-right anti-Islamic blogger who writes under the pseudonym Fjordman. Jensen wrote anonymously as Fjordman starting in 2005, until he disclosed his identity in 2011. He has been active in the counterjihad movement, which argues that multiculturalism,...
, noted counterjihadCounterjihadCounterjihad is an Islamophobic, far-right intellectual political current. The roots of the movement goes back to the 1980s, but it did not gain significant momentum until after the September 11 attacks.-Counter-jihad ideology:...
bloggerBloggerBlogger may refer to:* A person who writes a blog, or weblog* Blogger , a web service for publishing blogs...
known as Fjordman - Pauline FjeldePauline FjeldePauline Fjelde was a Norwegian born American painter, embroiderer, and textile artist.-Background:Pauline Gerhardine Fjelde was born in Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. She and her family immigrated to the United States in 1887. Pauline Fjelde is one of a lineage of family artisans...
, Norwegian-American painter, needlework artist and weaver - Hartvig KiranHartvig KiranHartvig Kiran was a Norwegian author, lyricist and composer from Ålesund.Kiran was brought up to introduce culture to the people. He was central in Visens Venner, and became involved in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation where he long presented Ønskediktet where people were introduced to...
, journalist, translator, author, song writer and composer - Bjørn Johan MuriBjørn Johan MuriBjørn Johan Muri is a Norwegian singer known for having taken part in Series 5 Idol in 2007 where he came runner-up....
, singer - John Arne RiiseJohn Arne RiiseJohn Arne Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008...
, football player - Bjørn Helge RiiseBjørn Helge RiiseBjørn Helge Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian professional footballer. He plays his club football for Fulham. He plays either a central midfielder or a right winger having joined Fulham in July 2009 from Norwegian club Lillestrøm, and is the brother of his Fulham team-mate John Arne...
, football player - Erik RolfsenErik RolfsenErik Rolfsen was a Norwegian architect.Erik Rolfsen was born in Ålesund, More og Romsdal county, Norway. Rolfsen took his final exams at Kristiansund Public School in 1924. He attended the Drawing Academy in Paris during 1926...
, architect - Arild RypdalArild RypdalArild Rypdal is a Norwegian author, pilot and engineer. He is famous for his MI6 stories from England. He commonly uses many characters in a story without having a clear main character.-References:...
, writer - Sigvart Høgh-NilsenSigvart Høgh-NilsenSigvart Høgh-Nilsen was a Norwegian pianist and composer.-Biography:He was born on April 29, 1880 in Ålesund, Norway to Sigvart Nilsen I and Sophie Marie Olesdatter . His mother was the daughter of Ole Mathias Pedersen...
, pianist and composer - Ingrid TørlenIngrid TørlenIngrid Tørlen is a Norwegian beach volleyball player. Her beach volleyball partner since 2002 has been Nila Håkedal. The pair competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece where they were placed 22nd.-References:...
, beach volleyballBeach volleyballBeach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
player - Nina LøsethNina LøsethNina Løseth is a Norwegian alpine skier, who represents Spjelkavik IL. She debuted in the World Cup in February 2006...
, alpine skier - Harald T. NesvikHarald T. NesvikHarald Tom Nesvik is a Norwegian politician. He is a member of the Progress Party and is perhaps most famous outside Norway for nominating Tony Blair and George W...
, politician, MP - Odd Arne WestadOdd Arne WestadOdd Arne Westad FBA is a Norwegian historian specialising in the Cold War and contemporary East Asian history....
FBABritish AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, Historian at London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
Twin towns — Sister cities
Ålesund is twinned with several towns RandersRanders
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
, Denmark
Denmark
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...
, since 1947 Västerås
Västerås
Västerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm...
, 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....
, since 1947 Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, 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...
, since 1947 Akureyri
Akureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, since 1949 Borgo a Mozzano
Borgo a Mozzano
Borgo a Mozzano is a town and comune in the province of Lucca, in northern Tuscany .-Main sights:Borgo a Mozzano is dominated by the presence of Ponte della Maddalena also called "del Diavolo" . The Devil's Bridge is located on the SP2 one kilometer north of downtown...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, since 1979 Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, USA, since 1986 Ville d´EU
Eu, Seine-Maritime
Eu is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.Eu is located near the coast in the eastern part of the department, near the border with Picardie.Its inhabitants are known as the Eudois.-Geography:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, since 1996 Peterhead
Peterhead
Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, since 1967
External links
- Municipality website
- Jugendstil Centre/Art Nouveau Centre
- Ålesund Hospital
- 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...