Kongsvinger
Encyclopedia : K : KO : KON : Kongsvinger
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| County | Hedmark | |
| District | Glåmdal | |
| Municipality | ||
| Administrative centre | Kongsvinger | |
| Mayor (2003) | Arve Bones (Ap) | |
| Official language form | Bokmål | |
| Area - Total - Land - Percentage | 1,036 Square kilometre>km² 953 km² 0.32 % | |
| Population - Total (as of 2004>2004) - Percentage - Change (10 years) - Density | Ranked 57 17,380 0.38 % 0.6 % 18/km² | |
| Coordinates | ||
| [www.kongsvinger.kommune.no] [Data from Statistics Norway] | ||
Kongsvinger is situated on both sides of the river Glomma, where the south-going river takes a sharp north-westward turn. The Kongsvinger Fortress is the main landmark, situated on a hill west and north of the river. Kongsvinger is a regional center of the Glåmdal region, which is made up of the southern parts of Hedmark county. It is bordered to the East by Sør-Odal, to the North by Grue, and to the south by Eidskog. To the east it borders Sweden.
Kongsvinger existed as a trading center already by the middle ages, due to the accessibility by natural waterways. Viking chieftains reached Sweden by boat from Kongsvinger. Kongsvinger fortress was founded in 1669, and a star-shaped plan was laid out for the fortress. Work began in 1682 and it was finished in 1690 as part of a general upgrade to Norwegian fortresses. Today, Øvrebyen, the old uptown area around the fortress is dominated by wooden buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, laid out in the typical right angle square plan - by architect Cicignon - popular in this period.
In 1964 the Kongsvinger and the surrounding municipalities Vinger and Brandval were united into the present Kongsvinger Municipality. Kongsvinger has town status, and is thereby both town and township, governed by a town council under a mayor, elected by popular vote. There are also appointed executive officials, such as town commissioner or town director (rådmann), who is chief executive of the town/municipality, and its 700 plus workforce. There are 1530 businesses including forestry and farming, and 245 of these are retail outlets. There are one 25000 square metres (300 000 square feet) of mall situated in the downtown area. As well as downtown shopping streets, there are also a glass domed pedestrian shopping streets. The governmental regional hospital is also situated in Kongsvinger.
From 1983 to 1999 Kongsvinger`s soccer team Kongsvinger I.L. was holding a position in the Norwegian Premier league. It made some notable merits as participating in the Europen Cup and winning a silver medal during the 1992 season.
Districts
- Digerudlia
- Gjemselund
- Glåmlia
- Hexumløkka
- Holt
- Kurudlia
- Langeland
- Langerudberget
- Midtbyen
- Rasta
- Skriverskogen
- Stasjonssida
- Tråstad
- Vangen
- Vennersberg
- Øvrebyen
Major sights in Kongsvinger
- Kongsvinger Fortress,
- Museum of women's suffrage
- Øvrebyen (i.e. "Upper Town").
Famous people from Kongsvinger
- Håvard Gimse (1966–), pianist
- Levi Henriksen (1964–), writer
- Dagny Juel (1867–1901), poet
- Monica Kristensen Solås (1950–), polar adventurer
- Åse Wisløff Nilssen (1945–), politician
- Even Pellerud (1953–), soccer player and coach
- Bjørge Stensbøl, former chief of top-level athletics Olympiatoppen
- Tove Strand (1946–), politician
- Sverre Strandli (1925–), hammer-thrower
- Erik Werenskiold (1855–1938), painter and illustrator
- Thomas Strømstad 1972, writer and politician
| Municipalities of Hedmark |
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|---|---|
| Alvdal | Eidskog | Elverum | Engerdal | Folldal | Grue | Hamar | Kongsvinger | Løten | Nord-Odal | Os | Rendalen | Ringsaker | Stange | Stor-Elvdal | Sør-Odal | Tolga | Trysil | Tynset | Våler | Åmot | Åsnes | |
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