Lillesand
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional district
of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Lillesand.
).
On 1 January 1962, the rural municipalities of Høvåg
(population: 1,330) and Vestre Moland
(population: 2,454), the Gitmarkgårdene area of Eide
(population: 22), and the town of Lillesand (population: 1,041) were merged together to form a new, enlarged municipality of Lillesand.
form of the name was just Sandr which means "sand beach
". The first element lille which means "little" was added after the founding of Kristiansand
in 1641 to distinguish it from the greater and more important one.
is from modern times. They were granted in 1987. The arms show three anchor
s on a blue background, which symbolizes the connection that the municipality has with the sea.
was captured on his Lofthus estate around 1780.
In 1821, when Lillesand became a privileged port
, it had a population of only 300 and had nine shipyard
s.
Lillesand Church, consecrated in 1889, stands on a hill at Kirkeheia. It is in the Gothic Revival
/Swiss style.
By 1895 the merchant fleet was 95 vessels strong. But the death of the sailing ship caused severe economic difficulties for Lillesand. Sailing ships had been inexpensive and could be built from local timber. Steamers were built of steel, were expensive and required more capital than locals could muster. Shipyards were closed. Many of the residents emigrated from there to the United States
. Lillesand remained a fishing village, though even this area suffered when the herring
left the coast.
The Saltholmen lighthouse
, located on an island off Lillesand, is a nineteenth century lighthouse with a slate roof and a concrete tower for the light. It operated as a manned lighthouse from 1882 to 1952. Saltholmen (lit. "Salty Islet") is named after the salt extraction industry once there, established by Hans Nielsen Hauge
.
The Lillesand-Flaksvandbanen operated between Lillesand and Flaksvann from 1896 to 1953.
The Orzeł
, a Polish
submarine
sank the German troop transport
Rio de Janeiro
on 8 April 1940 off Lillesand. The Rio de Janeiro was on its way to take part in the initial landings of Operation Weserübung
, the invasion of Norway.
municipality and up the coast to the east by Grimstad
municipality in Aust-Adger. Down the coast to the west it is bordered by Kristiansand municipality in Vest-Agder
county. The lake Østre Grimevann
is a large lake in the northern part of the municipality.
The Blindleia
is an inland waterway that starts in Gamle Hellesund in Høvåg near Kristiansand
in southern Norway, and continues past Lillesand. It is a salt water
passage protected from the open sea by the offshore archipelago
.
Navigation through the Blindleia passage requires attention to detail, but is not difficult as there are no tide
s, and very little current. The minimal tidal change in the skerries is due to its geographical location; the tidal flow that comes in from the Atlantic Ocean
splits on the British Isles
. One tidal stream goes through the English Channel
, while the other goes around the north of the British Isles. The stream of the English Channel reaches the coast of Norway before the wave traveling around the British Islands. These two tidal "waves" are completely out of phase
when they meet here, neutralizing the tidal effect.
and Lillesand. Skjærgårdsparken, "the Park of Archipelago
" is a paradise of islands, skerries
, and rocks. Blindleia is a 12 kilometers Inland waterway between Lillesand and Ulvøysund with lots of small boat traffic in the summertime. The village of Brekkestø
is tourist area on the island of Justøya.
, Iceland
Kalundborg
, Region Sjælland, Denmark
Kemiönsaari
, Western Finland
, Finland
Nynäshamn
, Stockholm County
, Sweden
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is part of the traditional district
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Lillesand.
General information
The town of Lillesand was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
).
On 1 January 1962, the rural municipalities of Høvåg
Høvåg
Høvåg is a village and former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Lillesand in the Sørlandet region....
(population: 1,330) and Vestre Moland
Vestre Moland
Vestre Moland is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is part of the present-day municipality of Lillesand in the Sørlandet region. Villages in Vestre Moland include Brekkestø and Justøy...
(population: 2,454), the Gitmarkgårdene area of Eide
Eide, Aust-Agder
Eide is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located within the municipality of Grimstad in the traditional district of Sørlandet. Eide had an area of , of which is mainland.-Name:...
(population: 22), and the town of Lillesand (population: 1,041) were merged together to form a new, enlarged municipality of Lillesand.
Name
The Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
form of the name was just Sandr which means "sand beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
". The first element lille which means "little" was added after the founding of Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
in 1641 to distinguish it from the greater and more important one.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times. They were granted in 1987. The arms show three anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
s on a blue background, which symbolizes the connection that the municipality has with the sea.
History
Sanden, which consisted of the small area near the harbor, was the original name for the municipality of Lillesand. Lillesand is built on the ancient estate of Lofthus. Christian Jensen LofthuusChristian Jensen Lofthuus
Christian Jensen Lofthuus was a prominent farmer from Risør, Norway. Between 1786-87, he led a large peasant revolt in Norway which became known as the Lofthusreisingen.-Biography:...
was captured on his Lofthus estate around 1780.
In 1821, when Lillesand became a privileged port
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
, it had a population of only 300 and had nine shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
s.
Lillesand Church, consecrated in 1889, stands on a hill at Kirkeheia. It is in the Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
/Swiss style.
By 1895 the merchant fleet was 95 vessels strong. But the death of the sailing ship caused severe economic difficulties for Lillesand. Sailing ships had been inexpensive and could be built from local timber. Steamers were built of steel, were expensive and required more capital than locals could muster. Shipyards were closed. Many of the residents emigrated from there to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Lillesand remained a fishing village, though even this area suffered when the herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
left the coast.
The Saltholmen lighthouse
Lighthouses in Norway
See also List of lighthouses in Norway for a sortable list of lighthouses.The coast of Norway is 100,915 km long and there have been a total of 212 lighthouses along it, but no more than 154 have ever been operational at the same time...
, located on an island off Lillesand, is a nineteenth century lighthouse with a slate roof and a concrete tower for the light. It operated as a manned lighthouse from 1882 to 1952. Saltholmen (lit. "Salty Islet") is named after the salt extraction industry once there, established by Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge
Hans Nielsen Hauge was a noted revivalist Norwegian lay minister who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. Hauge is considered an influential personality in the industrialization of Norway...
.
The Lillesand-Flaksvandbanen operated between Lillesand and Flaksvann from 1896 to 1953.
The Orzeł
ORP Orzeł
Three boats of the Polish Navy have been named ORP Orzeł :* ORP Orzeł was an commissioned in 1939 and lost in 1940.* ORP Orzeł was a commissioned in 1962 and decommissioned in 1983....
, a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
sank the German troop transport
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
Rio de Janeiro
MS Rio de Janeiro (1914)
MS Rio de Janeiro was a German cargo ship, owned by the shipping company Hamburg Süd and home ported in Stettin. She was launched on 3 April 1914 as Santa Ines and later renamed Rio de Janeiro...
on 8 April 1940 off Lillesand. The Rio de Janeiro was on its way to take part in the initial landings of Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, the invasion of Norway.
Geography
Lillesand is bordered on the north by BirkenesBirkenes
Birkenes is a municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sørlandet. The village of Birkeland is the administrative center and about half of the municipality's residents live there...
municipality and up the coast to the east by Grimstad
Grimstad
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Other notable places in Grimstad include Eide, Fevik, Fjære, Landvik, Prestegårdskogen, Reddal, and Roresanden.It is...
municipality in Aust-Adger. Down the coast to the west it is bordered by Kristiansand municipality in Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
county. The lake Østre Grimevann
Østre Grimevann
Østre Grimevann is a lake in the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The lake is located north of the European route E18 highway about from the city of Lillesand. It is the drinking water reservoir for the municipality of Lillesand....
is a large lake in the northern part of the municipality.
The Blindleia
Blindleia
Blindleia is an long inland waterway in the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It starts in the Gamle Hellesund or Ulvøysund areas in southern Høvåg in the southwest and it continues northeast past the city of Lillesand. It is a salt water fjord passage that is protected...
is an inland waterway that starts in Gamle Hellesund in Høvåg near Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
in southern Norway, and continues past Lillesand. It is a salt water
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
passage protected from the open sea by the offshore archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
.
Navigation through the Blindleia passage requires attention to detail, but is not difficult as there are no tide
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
s, and very little current. The minimal tidal change in the skerries is due to its geographical location; the tidal flow that comes in from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
splits on the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. One tidal stream goes through the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, while the other goes around the north of the British Isles. The stream of the English Channel reaches the coast of Norway before the wave traveling around the British Islands. These two tidal "waves" are completely out of phase
Phase (waves)
Phase in waves is the fraction of a wave cycle which has elapsed relative to an arbitrary point.-Formula:The phase of an oscillation or wave refers to a sinusoidal function such as the following:...
when they meet here, neutralizing the tidal effect.
Attractions
The Norwegian National Park Skjærgårdsparken lies between RisørRisør
is a city and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. The city belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet. It is a popular tourist place. The surrounding area includes many small lakes and hills, and is known for its beautiful coastline as well....
and Lillesand. Skjærgårdsparken, "the Park of Archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
" is a paradise of islands, skerries
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
, and rocks. Blindleia is a 12 kilometers Inland waterway between Lillesand and Ulvøysund with lots of small boat traffic in the summertime. The village of Brekkestø
Brekkestø
Brekkestø is a small village on the southern coast of Norway. It is located on the island of Justøya within the municipality of Lillesand in Aust-Agder county, in the region known as Sørlandet. The village is actually located on several rocky islands, and many of the homes built around its...
is tourist area on the island of Justøya.
Famous residents
- Christian Jensen LofthuusChristian Jensen LofthuusChristian Jensen Lofthuus was a prominent farmer from Risør, Norway. Between 1786-87, he led a large peasant revolt in Norway which became known as the Lofthusreisingen.-Biography:...
, farm leader and owner of the Lofthus farm - In 1918, Knut HamsunKnut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
bought Nørholm, an old and somewhat dilapidatedDilapidationDilapidation is a term meaning in general a falling into decay, but more particularly used in the plural in English law for# the waste committed by the incumbent of an ecclesiastical living...
manor houseManor houseA manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
between Lillesand and Grimstad. Knut Hamsun lived and wrote at Nørholm until he died there in 1952. - N. O. NelsonN. O. NelsonN. O. Nelson was the founder of the N. O. Nelson Manufacturing Company.-Background:...
(1844–1922), founder of the N. O. Nelson Manufacturing Company. - The rock band Heroes & ZerosHeroes & ZerosHeroes & Zeros is a rock band from Norway. The group is composed of Hans Jørgen Undelstvedt, Simen Krogstie Lagesen, and Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen. Its members grew up together in a small town on the southern coast of Norway called Lillesand...
are from Lillesand.
Twin towns — Sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Lillesand: EyrarbakkiEyrarbakki
Eyrarbakki is a fishing-town on the south-coast of Iceland with a population of about 570 people, not including inhabitants of the prison located there...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
Kalundborg
Kalundborg municipality
Kalundborg municipality is a municipality in Region Sjælland on the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 598 km², and has a total population of 49,743 . Its mayor is Martin Damm, a member of Venstre...
, Region Sjælland, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Kemiönsaari
Kimito
Kimito is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön...
, Western Finland
Western Finland
Western Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Eastern Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Bothnia towards Åland.- History :...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Nynäshamn
Nynäshamn Municipality
Nynäshamn Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Nynäshamn....
, Stockholm County
Stockholm County
Stockholm County is a county or län on the Baltic sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. Stockholm County is divided by the historic provinces of Uppland and Södermanland...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Municipal website
- Welcome to Lillesand Tourtist information (English)
- Map of Lillesand
- The Sailors of Lillesand