Porsgrunn
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality
in Telemark
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional region
of Grenland
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn.
The municipality of Porsgrunn was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The town of Brevik
and the rural district of Eidanger
were merged into the municipality of Porsgrunn on 1 January 1964.
("Porsgrund") by the writer Peder Claussøn Friis
in his work Concerning the Kingdom of Norway (see the article: Norwegian literature
). He writes: "Two and a half miles from the sea, the Skien river flows into the fjord
, and that place is called Porsgrund." The name was probably given during medieval times to the then swamp
y area by the nun
s of Gimsøy Abbey
, who went here to collect the shrub pors
("Bog Myrtle"), and the Norwegian word grunn meaning "ground". Prior to 1931, the name was spelled "Porsgrund".
is from modern times. They were granted on 16 January 1905. The arms were devised in 1905 when the town needed a new city hall. The silver bend
is the small river running through the town. The upper half shows a silver-colored branch of bog myrtle
on a red background and is thus a canting
symbol. The silver anchor
on a blue background symbolizes the importance of the local harbor
.
Porsgrunn has been an important harbor town in the Grenland area since the late 16th century. In 1653
, the Customs House was moved further down the Telemarksvassdraget from Skien to Porsgrunn mainly because industrial waste
such as sawdust
and mud
made the river too shallow to allow boats to go any further up the river. Moving the Custom House from Skien to Porsgrunn in 1653, added to the flourishing harbor activity and Porsgrunn became a thriving market town
.
In the 18th century, it was the home of some of Norway's most influential families at the time, such as the Aall
s, Cappelen
s, Løvenskiold
s, and Deichmans. Also in this period, Porsgrunn was considered the cultural centre of Norway. On the ecclesiastical side, Porsgrunn was separated from the ancient rural parishes of Eidanger
, Solum
, and Gjerpen
in 1764
to become a prestegjeld
with its own minister. It was granted limited city status in 1807
, but this was expanded to full city status in 1842.
Porsgrunn borders the municipalities of Skien
and Siljan
to the north, Bamble
in the west, and Larvik
in the east. It is part of a cluster of municipalities in southern Telemark
that constitute the Grenland
area of Norway. The town is situated near Gunneklevfjord
, and at the mouth of the river Telemarksvassdraget or Porsgrunnselva (Porsgrunn river) , and is an important center of industry. Originally an industrial park, the peninsula of Herøya
, southeast of the city, has today grown into a suburb of Porsgrunn.
. Important industries in Porsgrunn include:
with Porsgrunn: Kisumu
, Nyanza Province
, Kenya
Sigtuna
, Stockholm County
, Sweden
Sønderborg, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
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 region
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 Grenland
Grenland
Grenland is a traditional district in the county of Telemark, in the south of Norway. It is composed of the municipalities Skien, Porsgrunn, Bamble, Nome, and Siljan. Sometimes the municipalities Kragerø, and Drangedal are considered being part of the area...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn.
The municipality of Porsgrunn was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
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...
). The town of Brevik
Brevik
is a town in Telemark, Norway with an estimated population of 2,700. Brevik was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 , but was merged with Porsgrunn on January 1, 1964. Brevik is regarded one of the best preserved towns from the sailing ship era...
and the rural district of Eidanger
Eidanger
Eidanger is a rural parish and former municipality of Porsgrunn, in Telemark County, Norway.-History:Eidanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . It was merged with Porsgrunn on 1 January 1964....
were merged into the municipality of Porsgrunn on 1 January 1964.
Name
The place is first mentioned in 15761576 in Norway
-Arts and literature:* The first mention of Porsgrunn by the writer Peder Claussøn Friis in his work Concerning the Kingdom of Norway-Full date unknown:*Heine Havreki, priest...
("Porsgrund") by the writer Peder Claussøn Friis
Peder Claussøn Friis
Peder Claussøn Friis was a Norwegian author.By his translations of the old sagas he rendered great service to the history of Norway; indeed, one saga is extant only in his translation. In his Description of Norway and Adjacent Islands is to be found historical material of value...
in his work Concerning the Kingdom of Norway (see the article: Norwegian literature
Norwegian literature
Norwegian literature is literature composed in Norway or by Norwegian people. The history of Norwegian literature starts with the pagan Eddaic poems and skaldic verse of the 9th and 10th centuries with poets such as Bragi Boddason and Eyvindr Skáldaspillir...
). He writes: "Two and a half miles from the sea, the Skien river flows into the fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
, and that place is called Porsgrund." The name was probably given during medieval times to the then swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y area by the nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s of Gimsøy Abbey
Gimsøy Abbey
Gimsøy Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery located on the island of Gimsøy in Skien, Telemark, Norway.It was founded by Dag Eilivsson, probably in the second quarter of the 12th century, and his daughter Baugeid was the first abbess...
, who went here to collect the shrub pors
Myrica gale
Myrica gale is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and western Europe and parts of northern North America. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1–2 m tall. Common names include Bog Myrtle and Sweet Gale...
("Bog Myrtle"), and the Norwegian word grunn meaning "ground". Prior to 1931, the name was spelled "Porsgrund".
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 on 16 January 1905. The arms were devised in 1905 when the town needed a new city hall. The silver bend
Bend (heraldry)
In heraldry, a bend is a coloured band running from the upper right corner of the shield to the lower left . Writers differ in how much of the field they say it covers, ranging from one-fifth up to one-third...
is the small river running through the town. The upper half shows a silver-colored branch of bog myrtle
Myrica gale
Myrica gale is a species of flowering plant in the genus Myrica, native to northern and western Europe and parts of northern North America. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1–2 m tall. Common names include Bog Myrtle and Sweet Gale...
on a red background and is thus a canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
symbol. The silver 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...
on a blue background symbolizes the importance of the local harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
.
History
1653 in Norway
-Events:* The Customs House being moved further down the Telemarksvassdraget from Skien to Porsgrunn, makes the latter a thriving market town.* The Cappelen Family emigrates to Norway from Northern Germany....
, the Customs House was moved further down the Telemarksvassdraget from Skien to Porsgrunn mainly because industrial waste
Industrial waste
Industrial waste is a type of waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. It has existed since the outset of the industrial revolution....
such as sawdust
Sawdust
Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability....
and mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
made the river too shallow to allow boats to go any further up the river. Moving the Custom House from Skien to Porsgrunn in 1653, added to the flourishing harbor activity and Porsgrunn became a thriving market town
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...
.
In the 18th century, it was the home of some of Norway's most influential families at the time, such as the Aall
Aall
Aall may refer to:*Anathon Aall , Norwegian academic*Hans J. C. Aall , Norwegian politician*Jacob Aall , Norwegian historian and statesman*Jørgen Aall , Norwegian ship-owner and politician...
s, Cappelen
Cappelen (family)
Cappelen is the surname of a prominent Norwegian family of merchants, land owners, civil servants and politicians. In the 18th and 19th century, it was one of the so-called patrician families in Norway, i.e...
s, Løvenskiold
Løvenskiold
Løvenskiold is a Dano-Norwegian noble family. Members of the family now live primarily in Norway.-History:The Løvenskiold family descend from merchant Herman Leopoldus , who immigrated from Lübeck to Christiania. His son, also named Herman Leopoldus , became very rich and was in 1739 ennobled by...
s, and Deichmans. Also in this period, Porsgrunn was considered the cultural centre of Norway. On the ecclesiastical side, Porsgrunn was separated from the ancient rural parishes of Eidanger
Eidanger
Eidanger is a rural parish and former municipality of Porsgrunn, in Telemark County, Norway.-History:Eidanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . It was merged with Porsgrunn on 1 January 1964....
, Solum
Solum, Norway
Solum is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway.The parish of Solum was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 3,557. Solum is located west of the city Skien, and encompassed districts such as Nenset, Tollnes,...
, and Gjerpen
Gjerpen
Gjerpen is a former township which is now part of the municipality of Skien, in Telemark county, Norway.-Location:The parish of Gjerpen was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 4,381. Gjerpen was located east of the city...
in 1764
1764 in Norway
-Events:* Porsgrunn prestegjeld was separated from the ancient rural parishes of Eidanger, Solum, and Gjerpen.* Old city of Fredrikstad burns down.-July to December:*31 August – Johan August Sandels, soldier and politician -Full date unknown:...
to become a prestegjeld
Prestegjeld
A Prestegjeld is a geographic and administrative area of the Church of Norway roughly equivalent to a parish. A prestegjeld can consist of one or many congregations...
with its own minister. It was granted limited city status in 1807
1807 in Norway
-Events:* Porsgrunn is granted limited city status. Full city status is granted in 1842.* Start of the Gunboat War between Denmark-Norway and the United Kingdom.-January to June:*19 January - Peter Hersleb Graah Birkeland, bishop...
, but this was expanded to full city status in 1842.
Transportation
Transportation links from Porsgrunn:- Bus (OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, KristiansandKristiansand-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...
, NotoddenNotoddenis a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
) - Train (stops at Porsgrunn StationPorsgrunn StationPorsgrunn Station is a railway station serving Porsgrunn, Norway. It serves regional trains on Vestfoldbanen and local trains on Bratsbergbanen, all operated by Norges Statsbaner. The station was built as part of Vestfoldbanen, then known as Jarlsbergbanen and opened on November 24, 1882. In 1917...
)- VestfoldbanenVestfoldbanenThe Vestfold Line is a Norwegian railway line which runs from Drammen, through a number of towns in Vestfold and ending in the town of Skien in Telemark. At Skien, the line continues as the Bratsberg Line to Notodden...
to DrammenDrammen StationDrammen is a railway station located in downtown Drammen in Buskerud, Norway. The station is the terminus of both the Randsfjord Line, the Drammen Line and the Vestfold Line...
and onwards to OsloOslo SentralstasjonOslo Central Station is the main railway station in Oslo and the largest railway station on the entire Norwegian railway system. It is the terminus of Drammen Line, Gardermoen Line, Gjøvik Line, Hoved Line and Østfold Line. It serves express, regional and local train services by four companies... - BratsbergbanenBratsbergbanenThe Bratsberg Line is a railway line between Eidanger and Notodden in Telemark, Norway. It opened in 1917, connecting the Tinnos Line, the Sørland Line and the Vestfold Line; allowing Norsk Hydro to transport fertilizer from their plant at Rjukan to the port in Skien...
to SkienSkien StationSkien is a railway station located about one kilometer from downtown Skien. The station serves as terminus for the regional trains on Vestfoldbanen from Oslo via Vestfold and for the local trains to Notodden on Bratsbergbanen....
and Notodden
- Vestfoldbanen
Geography
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
and Siljan
Siljan, Norway
Siljan is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Siljan. The parish of Slemdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
to the north, Bamble
Bamble
Bamble is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Langesund.-Name:...
in the west, and Larvik
Larvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
in the east. It is part of a cluster of municipalities in southern Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
that constitute the Grenland
Grenland
Grenland is a traditional district in the county of Telemark, in the south of Norway. It is composed of the municipalities Skien, Porsgrunn, Bamble, Nome, and Siljan. Sometimes the municipalities Kragerø, and Drangedal are considered being part of the area...
area of Norway. The town is situated near Gunneklevfjord
Gunneklevfjord
Gunneklevfjord is a small fjord at the head of Frierfjord in Porsgrunn municipality in Telemark county, Norway.The west side of Gunneklevfjord is defined by the peninsula of Herøya, at the mouth of Telemarksvassdraget. Herøya features a large industrial park that was founded in 1928. It contains...
, and at the mouth of the river Telemarksvassdraget or Porsgrunnselva (Porsgrunn river) , and is an important center of industry. Originally an industrial park, the peninsula of Herøya
Herøya
Herøya is a peninsula in the municipality of Porsgrunn, Norway. It is located between the fjords of Frierfjord to the west and Gunneklevfjord to the east, at the mouth of Telemarksvassdraget...
, southeast of the city, has today grown into a suburb of Porsgrunn.
Industry
Porsgrunn has a long history of heavy industryHeavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
. Important industries in Porsgrunn include:
Notable residents
Twin towns — Sister cities
The following cities are twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Porsgrunn: Kisumu
Kisumu
Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
, Nyanza Province
Nyanza Province
Nyanza Province of Kenya, is one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces. It is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria. Nyanza includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo. There are also Bantu-speaking tribes such as the...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Sigtuna
Sigtuna Municipality
Sigtuna Municipality is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Märsta.The municipality is a part of Metropolitan Stockholm....
, 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....
Sønderborg, Region of Southern Denmark, 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...
Books
- Harald Hals (1968). Eidanger bygdehistorie. Brødrene Kjaer Boktrykkeri.
- Johan N. Tønnessen (1956–1957). Porsgrunns historie.
- Ole Georg Moseng (2006). Porsgrunns historie . Bind I . Byen i emning .
- Ellen Schrumpf (2006). Porsgrunns historie . Bind II . Byen ved elva.
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 Homepage
- Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik AS (porcelain factory)
- www.isola.com
- Porsgrunn public library