Grimstad
Encyclopedia : G : GR : GRI : Grimstad
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| County | Aust-Agder | |
| District | Sørlandet | |
| Municipality | ||
| Administrative centre | Grimstad | |
| Mayor (2003) | Svein Harberg (H) | |
| Official language form | Bokmål | |
| Area - Total - Land - Percentage | 303 Square kilometre>km² 272 km² 0.09 % | |
| Population - Total (as of 2004>2004) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density | Ranked 50 18,740 0.41 % 14.4 % 69/km² | |
| Coordinates | ||
| [www.grimstad.kommune.no] [Data from Statistics Norway] | ||
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 younger years 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.
Geography
Grimstad is a costal municipality in Aust-Agder county bordering on the Skagerak. 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.History
Grimstad lies within the boundaries of the ancient parish of Fjære.It is reportedly first mentioned as a harbour 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 Værek (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.
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 milieau 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.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 hotell in Fevik in Grimstad.
- Sverre Hassel (1876 - 1928), polar explorer - accompanied Roald Amundsen to the South Pole.
Located in Grimstad
- Agder University College has its faculty of engineering seated here.
- Homborsund lighthouse station
- [Agder Theatre at Fjæreheia.]
- [Norway's Short Film Festival.]
- [Grimstad's own homepage]
- Nøgne ø is a Grimstad brewery
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.
External links
- [Grimstad - Norway (Tourist Information)]
- [Statistical information about Grimstad - in Norwegian]
- [Map of Aust-Agder including Grimstad municipality]
| Municipalities of Aust-Agder |
|
|---|---|
| Arendal | Birkenes | Bygland | Bykle | Evje og Hornnes | Froland | Gjerstad | Grimstad | Iveland | Lillesand | Risør | Tvedestrand | Valle | Vegårshei | Åmli | |
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