Larvik
43 125 ( March 31, 2013 )
Larvik is a city and the largest municipality in the Norwegian Vestfold. The municipality is bordered to the north by Lardal, to the east by Anbu and Sandefjord and to the west by Porsgrunn and Siljan. The city of Larvik is a port and industrial city and is located 105 km southwest of Oslo. The municipality also includes the villages of Stavern, Nevlunghavn, Helgeroa, Kvelde and Tjølling. Larvik is located in a region of volcanic origin and is the namesake for the rock Larvikite, a rare natural stone that is mined in the area surrounding the city. Larvik is part of the Gea Norvegica Geopark, which belongs to a network of European Geoparks and to the support of the UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks. Southeast of the city leads one of the largest Norwegian rivers, the Numedalslågen, in the Skagerrak. A mineral spring near the city of origin is known in Norway Farris mineral water. Larvik has a moderate coastal climate with mild winters and warm summer weather.
History
On September 29, 1671, the Office was ( as were at that time the fiefs called ) Brunla raised to a hereditary county called " Laurvik " and transferred the king's brother Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve. The county encompassed Larvik and Sandefjord municipalities including Tjøme and large parts of Kodal. It should be the most valuable of the entire county Danish-Norwegian kingdom. Larvik received its market rights in 1671 after the city was previously subordinate Tønsberg. However, they remained in the county and integrated without any special privileges as other trading places, but experienced its first boom by the rapidly growing timber trade.
The city of Larvik experienced its greatest prosperity to the so -called " Count Time ", as Larvik was a county, were invested with the Danish nobles. The counts were:
- Count Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve (1671-1704)
- Count Ferdinand Anton Danneskiold - Laurvig (1704-1754)
- Count Frederik Ludvig Danneskiold - Laurvig (1754-1762)
- Count Christian Conrad Danneskiold - Laurvig (1762-1783)
- Inheritance dispute (1783-1785)
- Count Christian Ahlefeldt - Laurvig (1785-1791)
- Count Frederick Ahlefeldt - Laurvig (1791-1805)
The names " Gyldenløve " and " Danneskiold " were the nichterbberechtigten extramarital sons of the Danish-Norwegian kings reserved.
The fort in the district Stavern was an important site for the fleet of Admiral Tordenskjold during the Great Northern War 1709-1720. 1750 created a naval base in Stavern by the Danish-Norwegian king Fredrik V. and founded the Fredriksvernverft that were in 1828 moved to Horten.
In the 19th century, an ironworks was built. She had to fight soon with the cheaper competition from Sweden. But in the 1840s the iron works was given access to the American market and was able to hold on the basis of better quality with rod despite higher commodity prices. The plant reached its highest production rate by 1850. 1865 followed the collapse, as in England and Sweden, the iron ore was smelted with coal. The business moved to the woodworking and built a steam-powered sawmill in 1865, 1871 was added another steam saw. Around 1870 a shipyard was founded by the ship designer Colin Archer in Larvik, on among other things the Fram was built with the Amundsen and Nansen conducted their research trips.
Traffic
Larvik has a daily ferry connection with the M / S Superspeed 2 of the Color Line to Hirtshals (until 2005 to Frederikshavn ) in Denmark.
Larvik is connected since 1881 at the Vestfold train from Drammen to Skien.
Attractions
- The Maritime Museum shows the close connection of the city with seafaring from the earliest beginnings of the ships built by Colin Archer to the expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl.
- Herregården ( manor house ), distinguished Norwegian Baroque building, former residence of the Danish governor and Count Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve.
- Fredriksvern Verft, park in the district of Stavern with 17 listed buildings from the 18th century.
Sports
Sporty flagship of the city is the women's handball club Larvik HK, which was 14 times Norwegian champion in 1994 and 2011, the EHF Champions League won.
Twinning
Sons and daughters of the town
- Colin Archer (1832-1921), ship engineer
- Omre Arthur (1887-1967), writer and translator
- Erling Tambs (1888-1967), writer and sailor
- Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002), scientist and ethnologist
- Frank Sachnowitz (1925-1943), victims of the Holocaust
- Arne Nordheim (1931-2010), composer
- Ingvar Ambjørnsen (* 1956), writer, spent his childhood in Larvik
- Anne Holt (born 1958 ), Norwegian crime writer
- Terje Gewelt ( born 1960 ), jazz and fusion bassist
- Lasse Gjertsen ( born 1984 ), animation artist