Gjøvik
| Gjøvik kommune | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: 60°52′44″N 10°31′19″E / 60.87889°N 10.52194°ECoordinates: 60°52′44″N 10°31′19″E / 60.87889°N 10.52194°E | |||
| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Oppland | ||
| Administrative centre | Gjøvik | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor (2005) | Bjørn Iddberg (Ap) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 672 km2 (259 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 630 km2 (240 sq mi) | ||
| Area rank | 165 in Norway | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 28,807 | ||
| • Rank | 28 in Norway | ||
| • Density | 44/km2 (110/sq mi) | ||
| • Change (10 years) | 2.8 % | ||
| Demonym | Gjøvikenser Gjøvikensar[1] |
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| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| ISO 3166 code | NO-0502 | ||
| Official language form | Bokmål | ||
| Website | www.gjovik.kommune.no | ||
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Gjøvik (help·info) is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.
In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality. On 1 January 1964, the neighboring rural municipalities of Biri, Snertingdal, and Vardal were all merged into the municipality of Gjøvik.
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General [edit]
The town is named after the old Gjøvik farm (Old Norse: Djúpvík) since the town is built on its ground. The first element is djúpr which means "deep" and the last element is vík which means "inlet".[2]
Coat-of-arms [edit]
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 2 September 1960. The arms show a white swan (Cygnus cygnus). The worlds oldest paddle steamboat, Skibladner (also called "the white swan of Mjøsa") has its home harbour in Gjøvik.
The former coat-of-arms, adopted in 1922, was a linden tree, with the statement Vis et voluntas (meaning "Force and will") on the lower part of the shield. The runner up to the somewhat irrational choice of a swan was a so-called "potpourri" vase, the most significant design of the glassworks that was the funding industry of the town.[3]
Geography [edit]
Gjøvik is one of the five towns bordering on Lake Mjøsa, Norway's biggest lake, along with Hamar, Lillehammer, Brumunddal and Moelv. The town administration of Gjøvik also covers the suburb area Hunndalen and the rural districts of Biri, Snertingdal, and Vardal. The municipal population is 28,807 (2010). About 16,000 people live in the urban area proper.
Gjøvik is bordered on the north by Lillehammer municipality, in the south by Østre Toten and Vestre Toten, and in the west by Søndre Land and Nordre Land. Across Lake Mjøsa to the east lies Ringsaker municipality in Hedmark county.
The highest point is Ringsrudåsen with a height of 842 metres (2,762 ft).
Economy [edit]
Gjøvik owes much of its early growth to a glassworks, which was established there in 1807. In the early 19th century, there was considerable immigration there from Valdres and Vestlandet, aiding Gjøvik’s growth. It was granted a town charter in 1864. Later, O. Mustad & Son became one of the world's largest manufacturers of fish hooks.[4]
Today HOFF SA, Hunton Fiber AS and Natre Vinduer AS are some of the industrial companies operating from Gjøvik. It is a regional center for trade, industry, agriculture, services, and education. Gjøvik University College specializes in information security, engineering and medical services. Gstud is the local student organization at the university college.
Gjøvik is the northern terminus for the Gjøvikbanen railway line.
The local paper is the Oppland Arbeiderblad.
In June 2011, Bryan Adams held a concert at the town's outdoor public soccer arena. It is one of three big concerts held in Gjøvik's history, the other two being Toto, and Robbie Williams.
Attractions [edit]
- The world’s largest arena excavated in rock, called Gjøvik Olympic Hall (Norwegian: Fjellhallen), is located in Gjøvik. It was one of the sites of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics ice hockey games in 1994.
- Gjøvik farm
- Gjøvik glassworks
- Eiktunet cultural-history museum
- The world's oldest paddle steamer still on a regular schedule, the PS Skibladner
Notable residents [edit]
- Eldar Vågan, head of comedic rockabilly band Vazelina Bilopphøggers
- Paul Olaf Bodding (1865–1938), missionary to India
- Kjell Ola Dahl (born 1958), author
- Gro Hammerseng (born 1980), handball player
- Harold Harby (1894–1978), Los Angeles, California, City Council member, born in Gjøvik
- Nora Foss al-Jabri (born 1996), Norwegian singer, participant in the Norwegian quarter final of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest
- Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (born 1990), Norwegian cross-country skier
- Kjersti Grini (born 1971), Norwegian professional handball player
International relations [edit]
Twin towns — sister cities [edit]
The following cities are twinned with Gjøvik:[5]
- Álftanes, Greater Reykjavík Area, Iceland
- Gävle, Gävleborg County, Sweden
- Næstved, Region Sjælland, Denmark
- Rauma, Länsi-Suomi, Finland
- Stoughton, Wisconsin, United States
References [edit]
- ^ "Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
- ^ Rygh, Oluf (1900). Norske gaardnavne: Kristians amt (Anden halvdel) (4 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 40. (Norwegian)
- ^ Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". Retrieved 2009-01-01.
- ^ Stagg, Frank Noel (1956). East Norway and its Frontier. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.
- ^ "Vennskapsbyer". Gjøvik kommune. Retrieved 2009-01-01. (Norwegian)
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gjøvik |
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Look up Gjøvik in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway
Oppland travel guide from Wikivoyage- Tourist information
- Gjøvik University College
- Gstud - Student society in Gjøvik
- GSR: Gjøvik Student Radio – Online radio voluntarily run by Gstud
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