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===Name===
===Name===
The [[Old Norse]] form of the name was ''Túnsberg''. The first element is the [[genitive case]] of ''tún'' ([[Grammatical gender|n]]), meaning ''fenced area'' or ''garden''. The last element is ''berg'' (n), meaning ''[[mountain]]''. The name originally referred to the fortifications on [[Tønsberg Fortress|Slottsfjellet]]. The old spelling has been retained in the name of the [[diocese]], ''Tunsberg bispedømme''..
The [[Old Norse]] form of the name was ''Túnsberg''. The first element is the [[genitive case]] of ''tún'' ([[Grammatical gender|n]]), meaning ''fenced area'' or ''garden''. The last element is ''berg'' (n), meaning ''[[mountain]]''. The name originally referred to the fortifications on [[Tønsberg Fortress|Slottsfjellet]]. The old spelling has been retained in the name of the [[diocese]], ''Tunsberg bispedømme''..

===Coat-of-arms===
===Coat-of-arms===
The [[Coat of arms|coat-of-arms]] is an old city seal from as far back as 1349. The seal shows Tønsberg Fortress surrounded by a ring wall on a mountain with the sea in front. There is also a [[longship]] in the water in front of the fortress. Around the seal are the words (in Latin): This is the seal of Tunsberg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonsberg.kommune.no/cms/cms.nsf/$all/6219A0A92F77B5EDC125733F00373003?open&shighlight=byv%C3%A5pen|title=Fakta om Tønsberg|publisher=Tønsberg kommune|accessdate=2009-01-14}} {{no icon}}</ref>
The [[Coat of arms|coat-of-arms]] is an old city seal from as far back as 1349. The seal shows Tønsberg Fortress surrounded by a ring wall on a mountain with the sea in front. There is also a [[longship]] in the water in front of the fortress. Around the seal are the words (in Latin): This is the seal of Tunsberg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tonsberg.kommune.no/cms/cms.nsf/$all/6219A0A92F77B5EDC125733F00373003?open&shighlight=byv%C3%A5pen|title=Fakta om Tønsberg|publisher=Tønsberg kommune|accessdate=2009-01-14}} {{no icon}}</ref>

==History==
==History==
According to [[Snorri Sturluson]], Tønsberg was founded before the [[Battle of Hafrsfjord]], which, according to Snorri, took place in 871. What year the battle took place is disputed, however, and most current historians believe the battle took place closer to 900. However, if the battle did in fact take place in 871, this would make Tønsberg the oldest present [[Scandinavia]]n town. However, archeological excavation seem to show that Tønsberg is established in the last part of the 11th century. The first time the town is mentioned by a contemporary writer is in year 1130. <!-- question to be answered: is Tønsberg Norway's oldest city even if the battle took place in 900? -->
According to [[Snorri Sturluson]], Tønsberg was founded before the [[Battle of Hafrsfjord]], which, according to Snorri, took place in 871. What year the battle took place is disputed, however, and most current historians believe the battle took place closer to 900. However, if the battle did in fact take place in 871, this would make Tønsberg the oldest present [[Scandinavia]]n town. However, archeological excavation suggest that Tønsberg was established in the last part of the 11th century. The first time the town is mentioned by a contemporary writer is in year 1130. <!-- question to be answered: is Tønsberg Norway's oldest city even if the battle took place in 900? -->

The king or his ombudsman resided in the old Royal Court at ''Sæheimr'', today the Jarlsberg Estate
(''Jarlsberg Hovedgård''), and on the farm Haugar, which can be assumed to be Tønsberg's birthplace. Haugar became the seat for ''Haugathing'', the [[Thing (assembly)|Thing]] for Vestfold and Norway's second most important place for the proclamation of kings. The site had probably been named after two hills, which tradition binds to two sons of King [[Harald I]], [[Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf]], who was king in [[Vestfold]], and his half-brother, Sigrød Haraldsson, king of [[Trondheim]]. Both are presumed to have fallen in battle at Haugar against their half-brother [[Eric Bloodaxe]] and to have been buried on the same spot. <ref>[http://www.gonorway.no/norway/counties/vestfold/toensberg/7635e48e567c830/index.html ''Tønsberg History'' (GoNorway)]</ref>


Slottsfjellet ({{lang-en|the Castle Mountain}}), north of the city centre, makes for a near impregnable natural fortress. During the [[Civil war era in Norway|civil war era]] of the 12th century, it was fortified by the [[Baglers]]. The [[Birkebeiner]]s besieged it for 20 weeks in the winter of 1201 before the [[Bagler]]s surrendered. In the 13th century, King [[Haakon IV of Norway|Haakon Haakonson]] set up a castle in Tønsberg, [[Tønsberg Fortress]]. The town was destroyed by fire in 1536, but Tønsberg remained one of the most important harbour towns in Norway.
Slottsfjellet ({{lang-en|the Castle Mountain}}), north of the city centre, makes for a near impregnable natural fortress. During the [[Civil war era in Norway|civil war era]] of the 12th century, it was fortified by the [[Baglers]]. The [[Birkebeiner]]s besieged it for 20 weeks in the winter of 1201 before the [[Bagler]]s surrendered. In the 13th century, King [[Haakon IV of Norway|Haakon Haakonson]] set up a castle in Tønsberg, [[Tønsberg Fortress]]. The town was destroyed by fire in 1536, but Tønsberg remained one of the most important harbour towns in Norway.
Line 51: Line 52:
During the [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupation of Norway]] in [[World War II]], the [[Berg concentration camp]] was constructed near Tønsberg. In 1948, Tønsberg became the [[cathedral city]] of the [[Diocese of Tunsberg]] (''Tunsberg bispedømme''), created when the counties of [[Buskerud]] and [[Vestfold]] were separated from the [[Diocese of Oslo]].
During the [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupation of Norway]] in [[World War II]], the [[Berg concentration camp]] was constructed near Tønsberg. In 1948, Tønsberg became the [[cathedral city]] of the [[Diocese of Tunsberg]] (''Tunsberg bispedømme''), created when the counties of [[Buskerud]] and [[Vestfold]] were separated from the [[Diocese of Oslo]].


⚫
==Oseberghaugen==
[[File:Oseberghaugen.JPG|thumb|left| ''Oseberghaugen'', the Oseberg burial mound from early [[Viking era]]]]
[[File:Oseberghaugen.JPG|thumb|left| ''Oseberghaugen'', the Oseberg burial mound from early [[Viking era]]]]
⚫
Tønsberg is the site of a Viking era burial mound named Oseberghaugen (Norwegian: ''Oseberghaugen ved Slagen'' from the Old Norse Word ''haugr'' meaning mound). In 1130, [[Harald IV of Norway|Harald Gille]] called together a meeting at the Haugathing at which he was declared to be King of Norway. [[Sigurd Magnusson]] was proclaimed king in 1193 at the Haugathing. [[Magnus IV of Sweden|Magnus VII]] was acclaimed hereditary King of Norway here at the Haugathing in August 1319.
⚫
==Oseberghaugen==

⚫
Tønsberg is the site of a Viking era burial mound named Oseberghaugen (Norwegian: ''Oseberghaugen ved Slagen'' from the Old Norse Word ''haugr'' meaning mound). In 1130, [[Harald IV of Norway|Harald Gille]] called together a meeting and resolved to hold a Thing at the Hauga at which he was declared to be King of Norway. [[Magnus IV of Sweden|Magnus VII]] was acclaimed hereditary King of Norway here at the Haugathing in August 1319. The [[Oseberg]] ship was found in the Oseberg burial mound in 1904. This Viking era [[longship]] is now in the [[Viking Ship Museum in Oslo]].
The [[Oseberg]] ship was found in the Oseberg burial mound in 1904. This Viking era [[longship]] is now in the [[Viking Ship Museum in Oslo]].
==Tourist sites==
==Tourist sites==
Other tourist sites include ruins of the Tønsberghus, St. Michael's Church, the Royal Castle, Sem Church, and the Vestfold Museum. Perhaps the most important landmark in the town is the tower standing on the hill. It was erected in 1888 as a memorial to the old fortress, of which just fragmentary ruins remain today. Several streets in the town are named after old kings of Norway.
Other tourist sites include ruins of the Tønsberghus, St. Michael's Church, the Royal Castle, Sem Church, and the Vestfold Museum. Perhaps the most important landmark in the town is the tower standing on the hill. It was erected in 1888 as a memorial to the old fortress, of which just fragmentary ruins remain today. Several streets in the town are named after old kings of Norway.

==Economy==
==Economy==
[[File:Tønsberg ØLanggt b.JPG|thumb|left|Øvre Langgate street (Tønsberg)]]
[[File:Tønsberg ØLanggt b.JPG|thumb|left|Øvre Langgate street (Tønsberg)]]

Revision as of 00:12, 3 March 2010

Tønsberg Municipality
Tønsberg kommune
Municipality
Flag of Tønsberg Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms of Tønsberg Municipality
Coat of arms
Vestfold within Norway
Vestfold within Norway
Tønsberg within Vestfold
Tønsberg within Vestfold
CountryNorway
CountyVestfold
DistrictViken
Administrative centreTønsberg
Government
 • Mayor (2004)Per Arne Olsen (FrP)
Area
 • Total107 km2 (41 sq mi)
 • Land106 km2 (41 sq mi)
 • Rank#381 in Norway
Population
 (2009)
 • Total38,914
 • Rank#21 in Norway
 • Density367/km2 (950/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Increase +10.1%
Demonym(s)Tønsbergensar
Tønsbergenser[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formBokmål
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-0704[3]
WebsiteOfficial website
Data from Statistics Norway

longdlatslatdlongmlongslatm

Tønsbergⓘ is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Tønsberg.

The town of Tønsberg was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Sem was merged into the municipality of Tønsberg on 1 January 1988.

The population of the entire urban area, regardless of municipality borders, and following the guidelines set by Statistics Norway, was 46,862 as of 1 January 2008, making Tønsberg the tenth most populous urban areas in Norway. Tønsberg is generally regarded as the oldest town in Norway.

General information

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was Túnsberg. The first element is the genitive case of tún (n), meaning fenced area or garden. The last element is berg (n), meaning mountain. The name originally referred to the fortifications on Slottsfjellet. The old spelling has been retained in the name of the diocese, Tunsberg bispedømme..

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is an old city seal from as far back as 1349. The seal shows Tønsberg Fortress surrounded by a ring wall on a mountain with the sea in front. There is also a longship in the water in front of the fortress. Around the seal are the words (in Latin): This is the seal of Tunsberg.[4]

History

According to Snorri Sturluson, Tønsberg was founded before the Battle of Hafrsfjord, which, according to Snorri, took place in 871. What year the battle took place is disputed, however, and most current historians believe the battle took place closer to 900. However, if the battle did in fact take place in 871, this would make Tønsberg the oldest present Scandinavian town. However, archeological excavation suggest that Tønsberg was established in the last part of the 11th century. The first time the town is mentioned by a contemporary writer is in year 1130.

The king or his ombudsman resided in the old Royal Court at Sæheimr, today the Jarlsberg Estate (Jarlsberg Hovedgård), and on the farm Haugar, which can be assumed to be Tønsberg's birthplace. Haugar became the seat for Haugathing, the Thing for Vestfold and Norway's second most important place for the proclamation of kings. The site had probably been named after two hills, which tradition binds to two sons of King Harald I, Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf, who was king in Vestfold, and his half-brother, Sigrød Haraldsson, king of Trondheim. Both are presumed to have fallen in battle at Haugar against their half-brother Eric Bloodaxe and to have been buried on the same spot. [5]

Slottsfjellet (English: the Castle Mountain), north of the city centre, makes for a near impregnable natural fortress. During the civil war era of the 12th century, it was fortified by the Baglers. The Birkebeiners besieged it for 20 weeks in the winter of 1201 before the Baglers surrendered. In the 13th century, King Haakon Haakonson set up a castle in Tønsberg, Tønsberg Fortress. The town was destroyed by fire in 1536, but Tønsberg remained one of the most important harbour towns in Norway.

During the German occupation of Norway in World War II, the Berg concentration camp was constructed near Tønsberg. In 1948, Tønsberg became the cathedral city of the Diocese of Tunsberg (Tunsberg bispedømme), created when the counties of Buskerud and Vestfold were separated from the Diocese of Oslo.

Oseberghaugen

Oseberghaugen, the Oseberg burial mound from early Viking era

Tønsberg is the site of a Viking era burial mound named Oseberghaugen (Norwegian: Oseberghaugen ved Slagen from the Old Norse Word haugr meaning mound). In 1130, Harald Gille called together a meeting at the Haugathing at which he was declared to be King of Norway. Sigurd Magnusson was proclaimed king in 1193 at the Haugathing. Magnus VII was acclaimed hereditary King of Norway here at the Haugathing in August 1319.

The Oseberg ship was found in the Oseberg burial mound in 1904. This Viking era longship is now in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo.

Tourist sites

Other tourist sites include ruins of the Tønsberghus, St. Michael's Church, the Royal Castle, Sem Church, and the Vestfold Museum. Perhaps the most important landmark in the town is the tower standing on the hill. It was erected in 1888 as a memorial to the old fortress, of which just fragmentary ruins remain today. Several streets in the town are named after old kings of Norway.

Economy

Øvre Langgate street (Tønsberg)

Tønsberg is still an industrial and maritime centre, with such diverse concerns as metal shops, shipyards, paper mills, leather processing, and breweries. It is noted especially for its silverware. The city is served by the railway line Vestfoldbanen, which runs in a loop through the city before reaching Tønsberg Station

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
195112,208—    
196012,591+3.1%
197011,284−10.4%
19809,247−18.1%
199031,275+238.2%
200034,716+11.0%
200737,493+8.0%
200838,393+2.4%
200938,914+1.4%
Source: Statistics Norway. Note: The municipality of Sem was merged with Tønsberg 1 January 1988.

As of 1 January 2009, the population of Tønsberg municipality was 38,914.[6] The population of the urban area, Norway's tenth most populous, was 46,091. 30,061 lived in Tønsberg municipality, while 16,030 lived in Nøtterøy municipality. The urban area extends from Eik in the north, to Tolvsrød, Vallø and Ringshaug in the east and Borgheim on Nøtterøy in the south. Tønsberg municipality contains four additional urban areas: Sem, with 2,147 inhabitants of which 2,100 live in Tønsberg and 47 live in Stokke; Barkåker, with 1,292 inhabitants; Åsgårdstrand, with 2,847 inhabitants of which 2,794 in Horten and 53 in Tønsberg; and Vear, with a population of 3,502 of which 2,263 live in Stokke and 1,239 live in Tønsberg.[7]

Notable residents

Main category: People from Tønsberg

Twin towns - Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway

The following cities are twinned with Tønsberg:[8]

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (2023-01-26). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  4. ^ "Fakta om Tønsberg". Tønsberg kommune. Retrieved 2009-01-14. Template:No icon
  5. ^ Tønsberg History (GoNorway)
  6. ^ "0704 Tønsberg og 0705 Tønsberg. Population 1 January and population changes during the year. 1951-". Statistics Norway. Retrieved 2007-11-30. Template:No icon
  7. ^ "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality. 1 January 2007". Statistics Norway. Retrieved 2007-11-30. Template:No icon
  8. ^ "Samarbeid og prosjekter". Tønsberg kommune. Retrieved 2009-01-14. Template:No icon

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tønsberg.
Look up Tønsberg in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tønsberg&oldid=347405778"