Everything about Stavanger totally explained
is a city and
municipality in the
county of
Rogaland,
Norway. Stavanger was established as a municipality
January 1,
1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipalities of
Hetland and
Madla merged with Stavanger
January 1,
1965.
Stavanger is the 4th largest city in Norway, with a population of 119,586
The city is located on a peninsula on the southwest coast of Norway. The climate is
maritime mild
temperate (
marine west coast - cfb) and rather windy, with all monthly temperature averages above freezing, and precipitation 1200 mm/year. Summers are pleasant and lowland areas in and around Stavanger have the longest
growing season in Norway (220 days).
The city is a combination of new and old influences. There is a significant foreign influence with the nearby
Joint Warfare Center, a base where rotating
NATO forces (but not permanently stationed foreign forces) are stationed, as well as foreign oil interests. Norway's oldest cathedral,
Stavanger domkirke, is situated right in the city centre. Stavanger has several beautiful lakes, which are popular recreation areas. Breiavatnet is located in the heart of Stavanger, while and Stokkavatnet are situated right outside.
Stavanger Airport is located 14 km from the city centre, in the municipality of
Sola.
History
Stavanger fulfilled an important urban role even prior to its founding in the year 1125 around the time the Stavanger bishopric was established in the 1120s. A number of historians have argued convincingly that Nord-
Jæren was an economic and military centre as far back as the 800-900s with the consolidation of the nation at
Hafrsfjord. Stavanger grew into a centre of civic administration and an important south-west coast
market town around 1100-1200. With the reformation in 1536, Stavanger's role as a religious centre declined, and the establishment of
Kristiansand in the early 17th century led to the relocation of the bishopric. However, rich herring fisheries in the 19th century gave the city new life.
The city's history is a continuous alternation between upswings and recessions.
The city and its surroundings is deeply rooted in religion and
Christian life, and for long periods of time its most important industries have been
shipping,
shipbuilding, the
canning industry and associated subcontractors.
In 1969, a new upswing started as oil was first discovered in the North Sea.
After much discussion, Stavanger was chosen to be the on-shore center for the oil industry on the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, and a period of hectic growth followed.
Origin of the name
The
Norse form of the name was
Stafangr. Originally this was the name of an inlet (now called Vågen). The first element of the name is
stafr m 'staff, stick'. This could refer to the form of the inlet, but also to the form of the mountain
Valberget (
Staven 'the staff' is a common name of high and steep mountains in Norway). The last element is
angr m 'inlet, fjord'.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is based upon a seal from 1591, which again has roots back to The Middle Ages. It shows a branch of
vine (
Vitis vinifera). The meaning and representation of the vine is currently unknown.
Boroughs
Stavanger is divided into 7
boroughs.
Stavanger is also partitioned into 22 parts and 218 smaller parts.
The Department of Adolescence and Quality of Life, in the municipality (Oppvekst og levekår i Stavanger kommune) has been split into 4 parts. These are independent of the borders of the boroughs. They are Eiganes and Tasta, Hinna and Hillevåg, Storhaug, Hundvåg and Madla. The Department of Labour and Wealth (Arbeids og velferdsetaten - NAV) which was opened July 3. 2006, also uses this partitioning.
Economy
Starting in the 1880s, industry grew in Stavanger, primarily based on treatment and exports of fish and fish-products. The industry was however one-sided which left it vulnerable to changes in demand and was therefore particularly hard hit by the economical depressions between
World War I and
World War II.
After World War II, the canning-industry hit difficulties. Increased competition from abroad and old machinery led to decrease which was only partially compensated by an increase in shipping and boat-building.
In the 1960s, exploratory oil-drilling in the North Sea changed the situation for Stavanger. It is located close to the oil-fields, and Stavanger with its good harbour and plane-connections was well-positioned to take advantage of the increased activity.
After petroleum-exploration and production became the most important business sector in the Stavanger area during the mid 1970s, business and cultural climate has changed considerably.
The largest oil company in Stavanger is mainly state-owned oil company
StatoilHydro who have their headquarters located in the suburban area of
Forus, located between neighboring
Sandnes and Stavanger.
The city of Stavanger is now running out of land for future development for housing and industry. To rectify this, the administration has approached the neighboring municipalities to propose a merger. This hasn't been welcomed by in particular
Sandnes. Thus, it seems evident that the growth in the area will take place outside the boundaries of Stavanger.
The
NATO Joint Warfare Centre is also located at Jåttå.
Transport
Access to Stavanger is provided through the
Sørlandsbanen railway, and the road E39 from
Kristiansand and E39 north on the west coast,
Stavanger Airport, Sola with connection to domestic and international destinations, including
Frankfurt,
Amsterdam and
Copenhagen, a port serving international ferries to
Newcastle, UK and
Hirtshals, Denmark and domestic ferries to
Tau and train from
Oslo.
The city has a number of bus services and taxis. There are two tunnel projects planned:
Ryfast and
Rogfast.
Education
Stavanger has several schools for the expatriate community including the British International School of Stavanger and the International School of Stavanger.
Stavanger has one university, the
University of Stavanger with about 8,000 students. The university was formerly a
university college. It was granted status as
University on
January 1,
2005.
The population of Stavanger has a high percentage of university educated with 31.3% of those above 16 years has higher education, compared to the national average of 24.2% (2006 figures)
Culture
European Capital of Culture 2008
Stavanger and its region, along with
Liverpool,
United Kingdom, has been selected as a
European Capital of Culture for 2008. The
Stavanger2008 vision is expressed through the concept "Open Port". This can be understood both in its English sense - "an open harbour", - and in its Norwegian meaning of "an open gate". Open Port – Openness towards the world. The region and its people is supposed to be even more open and inclusive towards art, ideas and opportunities.
Every May, Stavanger is host to
MaiJazz, the Stavanger International Jazz Festival. The International Chamber Music Festival takes place every August. Stavanger was the host port of the
Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race in 1997 and 2004.
Sport and Recreation
The largest local
football club
Viking F.K., plays in the
Norwegian Premier League (2007). The club plays its home matches at the football stadium,
Viking Stadion, which was opened in 2004.
Stavanger Oilers plays in the Norwegian
ice hockey elite league,
GET-ligaen. The
handball team Stavanger Håndball plays in the Norwegian elite league
Tourism
Outdoor activities
Lysefjorden is popular for hiking. Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centers are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter season.
Prekestolen (aka the Pulpit Rock) is a massive rock overhanging the fjord known for its hiking.
Kjeragbolten is a rock wedged in the cliff 604 meters above the fjord. The free fall makes
Kjerag a very popular location for
BASE jumping.
Along the coast south of Stavanger there are a number of large, sandy beaches, including at Sola is within closest reach from the city.
City Centre
Old Stavanger (
Gamle Stavanger) is located right next to the city centre and has a collection of
eighteenth- and
nineteenth century wooden structures.
Stavanger domkirke (St. Svithun's cathedral) was built between 1100 and 1125 by the English bishop Reinald in
Anglo-Norman style, and in the late 13th century a new choir was added in
Gothic style, with a vaulted roof. Among the old stone churches in Norway, the cathedral in Stavanger is among the best preserved.
The city centre itself is small and intimate, with narrow streets and open spaces protected from car traffic. The open-air vegetable market is one of the very few in Norway where you can buy produce directly from local farmers every working day through the year.
Museums
The
Stavanger Museum is also located in Old Stavanger, commemorating the city's past glory as the
herring capital of
Norway.
The museum of
Archaelogy is one of five archaeological museums in
Norway. According to the Museum itself it,
follows a profile of environmental archaeology and interdisciplinary study, with a scientific staff that includes representatives from archaeology, the natural sciences and modern cultural history.
The
Norwegian Petroleum Museum is located at the harbour. The museum reflects the fact that Stavanger has been Norway's oil capital since oil drilling activities started in the North Sea in 1966.
Sister cities
Stavanger has several
sister cities; they are:
Aberdeen, Scotland.
Antsirabe, Madagascar.
Esbjerg, Denmark.
Eskilstuna, Sweden.
Esteli, Nicaragua .
Fjarðabyggð (previously known as Neskaupstaður), Iceland.
Galveston, Texas.
Harlow, England.
Houston, Texas.
Jyväskylä, Finland.
Nablus, Palestinian territories.
Netanya, Israel.
Massawa, Eritrea.Further Information
Get more info on 'Stavanger'.
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