Langesund | |
|---|---|
 View of the town | |
  Langesund Location of the town Langesund Langesund (Telemark)  Langesund Langesund (Norway) | |
| Coordinates: 59ยฐ00โฒ02โณN 9ยฐ44โฒ55โณE๏ปฟ / ๏ปฟ59.00066ยฐN 9.74873ยฐE | |
| Country | Norway |
| Region | Eastern Norway |
| County | Telemark |
| District | Grenland |
| Municipality | Bamble Municipality |
| Established as | ย |
| Ladested | 1765 |
| Elevation | 4ย m (13ย ft) |
| Demonym(s) | Langesunder Langesundar |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| ย โขย Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Post Code | 3970 Langesund |
| Langesund ladested | |
 Telemark within Norway | |
 Langesund within Telemark | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Telemark |
| District | Grenland |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| ย โขย Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Disestablished | 1 Jan 1964 |
| ย โขย Succeeded by | Bamble Municipality |
| Administrativeย centre | Langesund |
| Area ย (upon dissolution) | |
ย โขย Total | 0.88ย km2 (0.34ย sqย mi) |
| Population ย (1964) | |
ย โขย Total | 2,281 |
| ย โขย Density | 2,600/km2 (6,700/sqย mi) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-0802[3] |
โ is the administrative centre of Bamble Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The town is located on a peninsula along the Langesundsfjorden near the Skaggerak coast. The town of Stathelle lies about 4 kilometres (2.5ย mi) to the northwest. The 0.88-square-kilometre (220-acre)[5] town was established as a ladested in 1765 and on 1 January 1838 it became a self-governing municipality. In 1964, it became part of Bamble Municipality.[6]
For a long time, Langesund and neighboring Stathelle have been grouped together as part of the Porsgrunn/Skien metropolitan area and because of this, the population and area data for this town has not been separately tracked by Statistics Norway. What is tracked, is the portion of the metropolitan area located in Bamble Municipality. In 2022, the Langesund/Stathelle area in Bamble measured 6.34 square kilometres (1,570 acres) and together they had a population of 10,276 with a population density of 1,622 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,200/sqย mi).[4]
It is possible to visit the remains of the old Coastal Fortress on Langesundstangen on the extreme end of the Langesund peninsula. The fort was established during the Second World War by Nazi Germany and later used by the Norwegian Coastal Artillery and Home Guard until 1993.
Langesund is one of the most celebrated summer towns in Norway because of the large number of sunny days. It is also well known for Wrightegaarden, a building that hosts outdoor concerts every weekend the whole summer. Artists like Bob Dylan, A-ha, Elton John and Little Richard have played in Wrightegaarden. Langesund marks the border between Ytre Oslofjord and Skagerrak.
History
edit
Langesund became its own customs center in 1570, and in the 1580s was considered the country's largest export port for timber, with a lot of shipping traffic particularly from Dutch schooners. The Dutch also worked on a large salt factory that King Christian IV had built on Langรธya in 1602 to refine imported salt. In the early days, Langesund was one of the most important shipping towns in Norway. In 1765, the growing village was granted rights as a ladested (town status). At the end of the 17th century, large shipbuilding was started. As the timber trade fell away, shipbuilding and shipping became the town's main industries. Peter Wessel Tordenskiold had one of his ships built in Langesund, the Lรธvendals Gallej. It was known as Longsound in English during the 1800s.
Name
editThe town is Langesund which means "the long strait". The first element is lang which means "long". The last element is sund which means "strait" or "sound".
Municipal self-government (1838โ1964)
editThe town of Langesund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1878, the island of Langรธya, just off shore from the town (population: 22) was transferred from the neighboring rural municipality of Bamble to the town of Langesund. In 1949, the town was enlarged by annexing an adjacent area of Bamble Municipality (population: 127). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the town of Langesund (population: 2,281) was merged with the nearby town of Stathelle (population: 724) and the surrounding rural municipality of Bamble (population: 5,237) to form a new, larger Bamble Municipality.[7]
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[8]
Municipal council
editThe municipal council (Bystyre) of Langesund was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 |
| ย | Conservative Party (Hรธyre) | 3 |
| ย | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeligย Folkeparti) | 2 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 |
| ย | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeligย Folkeparti) | 2 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| ย | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | 21 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| ย | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeligย Folkeparti) | 2 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| ย | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | 20 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| ย | Communist Party (Kommunistiskeย Parti) | 1 |
| ย | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeligย Folkeparti) | 2 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 |
| ย | Jointย List(s)ย ofย Non-Socialistย Parties (Borgerligeย Felleslister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | 20 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| ย | Communist Party (Kommunistiskeย Parti) | 1 |
| ย | Christian Democratic Party (Kristeligย Folkeparti) | 2 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| ย | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | 20 | |
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 5 |
| ย | Jointย List(s)ย ofย Non-Socialistย Parties (Borgerligeย Felleslister) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | 20 | |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. | ||
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| ย | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| ย | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 6 |
| ย | Jointย List(s)ย ofย Non-Socialistย Parties (Borgerligeย Felleslister) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | 20 | |
Attractions
editThe best-known landmark in Langesund is the Langรธytangen Lighthouse, a lighthouse placed on the peak of Langรธya, a kilometre-long island right outside of Langesund. The island group east of the town are called Arรธya.
A short walk outside of the town centre, facing the Skagerrak strait, lies the decommissioned military fort known as Tangen Fortress.
Notable residents
editMathematician Atle Selberg, musician Vidar Busk, and Norwegian-American Lutheran theologian Marcus Olaus Bockman were born in Langesund.
Media gallery
edit
Aerial view of Langesund and the island of Langรธya
View of the town
Harbour area- Old shipyard in Langesund
Wrightgaarden in Langesund
Postcards of Langesund (c. 1960s)
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ In the Norwegian language, the word by can be translated as "town" or "city".
- ^ "Langesund, Bamble". yr.no. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnรฆs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
- ^ a b c Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ (1 January 2022). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
- ^ Helland, Amund (1900). "Langesund ladested". VIII. Bratsberg Amt. Anden del. Norges land og folk (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norway: H. Aschehoug & Company. p.ย 211. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Lundbo, Sten, ed. (4 July 2022). "Langesund". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
- ^ Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. ISBNย 9788253746845.
- ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1960.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1957.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1952.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1948.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1947.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1938.
- ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordfรธrervalgene 1934" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrรฅ. 1935.
