Gjøvik

Gjøvik kommune
Municipality

Central Gjøvik

Coat of arms
Oppland within
Norway

Gjøvik within Oppland
Coordinates: 60°47′36.3″N 10°41′42.9″E / 60.793417°N 10.695250°E / 60.793417; 10.695250Coordinates: 60°47′36.3″N 10°41′42.9″E / 60.793417°N 10.695250°E / 60.793417; 10.695250
Country Norway
County Oppland
District Vest-Oppland
Administrative centre Gjøvik
Government
 • Mayor (2014) Bjørn Iddberg
Area
 • Total 672 km2 (259 sq mi)
 • Land 630 km2 (240 sq mi)
Area rank 165 in Norway
Population (2014)
 • Total 30,063
 • Rank 28 in Norway
 • Density 44/km2 (110/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years) 2.8 %
Demonym(s) Gjøvikenser
Gjøvikensar[1]
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
ISO 3166 code NO-0502
Official language form Bokmål
Website www.gjovik.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

 Gjøvik  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.

Etymology

The town is named after the old Gjøvik farm (Old Norse: Djúpvík), consisting of the elements djúpr "deep" and vík "inlet".[2]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms were granted on 2 September 1960. The arms show a white swan (Cygnus cygnus).

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 following design was a so-called "potpourri" vase, the most significant design of the glassworks that was the funding industry of the town.[3]

See also: Coats-of-arms of Eide and Høylandet

Geography

Along with Hamar, Lillehammer, Brumunddal and Moelv, Gjøvik is one of the many towns bordering Norway's biggest lake, Mjøsa. 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.

The highest point is Ringsrudåsen with a height of 842 metres (2,762 ft).

Economy

A panorama of Gjøvik.

Gjøvik owes much of its early growth to the local glassworks, which were established there by Caspar Kauffeldt in 1807. In the early 19th century, there was considerable immigration there from Valdres and Western Norway, aiding Gjøvik's growth. It was granted a town charter in 1861. Later, O. Mustad & Son became one of the world's largest manufacturers of fish hooks.[4]

Today Hoff Potetindustrier, Hunton Fiber and Natre Vinduer are some of the industrial companies operating from Gjøvik. The town is also a port for the former traffic ship, Skibladner, which is now a tourist ship.

The local paper is the Oppland Arbeiderblad. It was formerly a Labour Party newspaper. Defunct newspapers include Oplændingen and Velgeren (Labour Democrat/Liberal), Samhold (Liberal, later Agrarian) and Ny Dag (Communist).

Gjøvik has two notable hotels, the Grand hotel and the Strand hotel.

There have been three notable concerts held in Gjøvik's history, which starred Toto, Robbie Williams and Bryan Adams (June 2011).

Attractions

Park at the Gjøvik farm

Notable people from Gjøvik

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Gjøvik:[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  2. ↑ Rygh, Oluf (1900). Norske gaardnavne: Kristians amt (Anden halvdel) (in Norwegian) (4 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 40.
  3. ↑ Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". Retrieved 2009-01-01.
  4. ↑ Stagg, Frank Noel (1956). East Norway and its Frontier. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.
  5. ↑ "Vennskapsbyer" (in Norwegian). Gjøvik kommune. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
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