Egersund

Egersund
Town

View of the town centre
Egersund

Location in Rogaland county

Coordinates: 58°26′29″N 06°00′14″E / 58.44139°N 6.00389°E / 58.44139; 6.00389Coordinates: 58°26′29″N 06°00′14″E / 58.44139°N 6.00389°E / 58.44139; 6.00389
Country Norway
Region Western Norway
County Rogaland
District Dalane
Municipality Eigersund
Established 1798
Area[1]
 • Total 6.36 km2 (2.46 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 42 m (138 ft)
Population (2015)[1]
 • Total 11,473
 • Density 1,804/km2 (4,670/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+01:00)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+02:00)
Post Code 4370 Egersund
Egersund ladested
Former Municipality
Municipality ID NO-1101
Adm. Center Egersund
Created as Formannskapsdistrikt in 1838
Merged into Eigersund in 1964

Egersund is a town in Eigersund municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The town is located along the southwestern coast of Norway, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of the city of Stavanger. The town is situated along a strait which separates the mainland from the island of Eigerøya. The 6.36-square-kilometre (1,570-acre) village has a population (2015) of 11,473 which gives the town a population density of 1,804 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,670/sq mi).[1][3]

Egersund has one of the best natural harbours in Norway, and it used to be the largest harbour in Norway when measured in quantity of fish brought in each year (surpassed by Ålesund in 2006). Several internationally known companies have divisions here, like Navico (earlier Robertson autopilots) and Jeppesen Norway formerly C-MAP Norway (producer of electronic sea-maps). In addition, the Aker Solutions corporation owns and runs a large installation here which specializes in the building of parts for oil platforms. Most of the industry is related to the sea and to boats.[3]

History

Early history

People have lived around the area of Egersund since the stone age. There are several places around Egersund where one can find ruins of settlements dating back to the age of migrations in Norway (400–600 BC).

Middle Ages

There used to be a church here, the Church of St. Mary, mentioned in 1292 in a privilege of indulgence issued in Rome on 5 February 1292 by Pope Nicholas IV as Ecclesia beatæ Mariæ de Eikundarsund. It was the first church in Egersund, and was the parish church of the St. Mary parish. It is believed to have been located where the present Egersund Church stands today. Old folklore from Egersund also says that before the Church of St. Mary, an altar where people sacrificed to the old Norse gods was placed here, but this has not been verified from any sources except old stories.

There was also a chapel, the chapel of St. Laurenti, mentioned in a letter issued on 5 February 1308 as Ecclesia beati Laurentii de Eikundarsund, where Pope Clement V gives King Håkon V Magnusson extensive privileges concerning the King's 14 chapels (including the chapel of St. Laurenti), which was founded by himself or his father, King Magnus Lagabøte, and his grandfather, King Håkon Håkonson. Since these chapels often were built on the king's estates, it is presumed to have been on grounds owned by the Husaby estate. An old tradition says it was located at what is now "Strandgata 43", but the exact position is somewhat uncertain.

17th and 18th centuries

Present-day Egersund Church

In 1623 the old church (probably the Church of St. Mary) was demolished and a new Egersund Church was erected. This wooden still stands today.

On 18 July 1798, the village of Egersund was established as a ladested with its own Customs office.

19th and 20th centuries

The ladested of Egersund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 under the new formannskapsdistrikt law. This effectively gave Egersund the municipal self-government that was now uniformly given to all areas of Norway.[4]

In 1843, a fire destroys two thirds of the town, allowing a major redesign of streets. In 1847, Johan Feyer founds A/S Egersunds Fayancefabriks Co., which becomes the town's major employer until closing in 1979.

On 7 July 1859, there was another major fire and then again on 20 October 1862 there was another fire. This was the last major town fire since town planners finally understood wooden structures' vulnerability and reconstructed using extra wide streets to prevent fires from spreading.

In 1878, the Jærensbanen railway line between Egersund and the city of Stavanger opens with Egersund Station in the centre of the town. In 1905, Egersund became the first town in Rogaland county to get electrical lighting.

On 9 April 1940, the German military invades Norway and they occupy Egersund during World War II. Egersund had strategic importance because of its good harbour, as well as because and the telegraph line between Norway and England was situated there. The Germans built large camps in the area. The occupation lasted until the end of the war.

In 1947, the town was growing rapidly, and an area of the neighboring municipality of Eigersund (population: 515) was transferred into the town of Egersund.[4]

During the 1960s, the Schei Committee met in Norway to discuss the municipal structure in the nation. It was decided that the number of cities and municipalities in Norway was too great, so on 1 January 1965, the town of Egersund lost its status as a self-governing municipality. On that date, the following places were all merged into the new, larger municipality of Eigersund, with the town of Egersund as the new administrative centre:[4]

Name

The name "Egersund" derives from the Old Norse name for the strait between Eigerøya and the mainland, which was called Eikundarsund. The name of Eigerøy (Old Norse: Eikund) comes from the rich deposits of oak trees since the word eik is the Norwegian word for "oak". The name is among the oldest place names in Norway. It can already be found in the form Eikundarsund in the Norse saga of Olav the Holy, written by Icelandic author Snorri Sturlasson in the 13th century. From around the year 1000 Olav the Holy's fleet was here often. We can also find the name in texts and scaldic poems from Olav's saga.

Transportation

Egersund has good connections by road to the cities of Stavanger and Kristiansand, via the European route E39 highway. There is also a more scenic coastal highway Norwegian County Road 44. There is an hourly train connections northwards to Stavanger, while express and regional trains run southwards towards Kristiansand and Oslo.

Neighborhoods

Egersund is divided up into several neighborhoods

Attractions

Notable residents

References

  1. 1 2 3 Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2015). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality.".
  2. ↑ "Egersund, Eigersund (Rogaland)" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  3. 1 2 Store norske leksikon. "Egersund" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  4. 1 2 3 Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
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