Posts Tagged History
A history of Norway in 10 key dates
Posted by admin in History and architecture on March 10, 2010
- 800–1066 The Vikings invade Europe on their famous longships.
- 1030 Olaf Haraldsson is killed at the battle of Stiklestad. He was the driving force behind Norway’s conversion to Christianity, and was later canonized, and known as St Olav.
- 1349 The Black Plague kills half of Norway’s inhabitants.
- 1450 Norway becomes a subject of the Danish Crown. It will remain under its authority for almost 400 years.
- 1814 Secession from Denmark. The peace treaty of Kiel gives Norway to Sweden. The Norwegian constitution is written.
- 1825 First wave of Norwegian immigrations to the USA. The big exodus starts.
- 1905 The union with Sweden is dissolved and Norway becomes independent.
- 1960s Oil is found in the North Sea, a discovery that will change the fortunes of the country significantly.
- 1972 Norway votes against EU membership (it will do so again in 1994).
- 1994 The winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer.
Østfold in Pictures: Halden Fortress
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on March 1, 2010
Fredriksten Festning, Halden
Posted by admin in History and architecture on March 1, 2010
Halden Fortress, or rather Fredriksten Festning, to give it its real name, was built in the 17th century in a bid to protect the country’s border against attacks form its belligerent neighbour to the south. Perched on a hill facing Sweden across Iddefjord, one of eastern Norway’s deepest fjords, the fortress is quite a sight, particularly when lit up at night. It is used for many events throughout the year, including outdoor concerts and an opera festival in summer, and a Christmas market in December.
The fortress is open to visitors year round. You can join a guided tour (including a ghost tour for children) in season or explore the compound at your leisure, with or without an audioguide. Fredriksten fortress is home to a museum, several restaurants, a shop and a tourist information centre. In addition there is also a golf course and a campsite (open in season only) within the grounds, just outside the walls. The fortress is a hugely popular attraction – 290,000 people visited last year (2009), more than ever before. Entry is free (charge for the museum).
Birkebeinerne, by Knud Bergslien (1869)
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Sport on February 22, 2010
Norway and the Winter Olympics
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Sport on February 22, 2010
Day 11 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and so far 5 gold medals, 3 silver and 4 bronze. It hasn’t been such a bad year for Norway after all, although some of the big favourites, Petter Northug among them, haven’t scored so well.
Here are, however, a few hugely impressive facts to ponder. It might be small (just about 4.7 million inhabitants), but Norway is the country that has won the most medals in the history of the Winter Olympics. A whopping 290 medals to date (and counting!), well ahead of the US in second position with 237, and the former Soviet Union with 217. So far Norway has won 103 gold medals in the Winter Olympics, again, well ahead of the US and the former Soviet Union (84 and 87 respectively). Well, they do say that Norwegians are ‘born with skis on their feet’… but still!
In terms of gold medals, the best games so far for Norway were Salt Lake City in 2002, when Norway scooped an unbelievable 13 gold medals (out of 25 medals they brought home). But the most successful games overall were the Lillehammer games in 1994, when Norway, which was competing on home turf, beat all other participating countries and topped the table with an impressive 26 medals, of which 10 gold!
Focus on Gamlebyen: The drawbridge
Posted by admin in History and architecture on February 3, 2010
The drawbridge, at the entrance to the Old Town, is the first thing visitors see on approaching Gamlebyen. As many as 30 soldiers were once required to raise the bridge at dusk and lower it at dawn. Anyone arriving after the bridge had been drawn would have to wait until the next day to get into the town. The bridge is still there, but because it’s built of wood it has burned down and been rebuilt many times. Today it’s a popular spot with locals, who come here to feed the ducks in summer, and take sunset pictures in winter. The guardhouse outside the bridge has been converted into a glassblower’s cabin. A selection of hand-blown glassware is on display – on certain days during the holidays you can even see the glassmith at work.
Jens Stoltenberg in Hvaler, Østfold
Posted by admin in Photos and videos, Uncategorized on January 26, 2010
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
Posted by admin in Uncategorized on January 26, 2010
Labour politician Jens Stoltenberg (born 16 March 1959) was Norway’s youngest prime minister ever when he first took office aged just 41, in March 2000, after the resignation of Christian Democrat Kjell Magne Bondevik’s government.
He held the post for a year-and-a-half, until Oct 2001, when the Labour Party suffered a severe defeat in the elections. After a term as leader of the opposition, Stoltenberg came back to power in Oct 2005, having won the general election, and was reelected for another mandate in 2009.
His dad, Thorvald Stoltenberg, was a top politician in two governments in the late 1970s- early 1990s, and Jens Stoltenberg was involved in politics from an early age. At university, he studied social economy, the queen of the sciences during the Labour Party’s golden years from 1945 until the 1970s.
His economic policies, however, have been rather different from those traditionally associated with the Labour Party, continuing Gro Harlem Brundtland’s move towards the political centre and a more liberal economy.
Stoltenberg is a well-liked politician in his home country, seen as reliable and trustworthy, although some argue he lacks his father’s charisma. He is, however, a very capable politician, and a good ambassador for Norway.
Jens Stoltenberg is married to diplomat Ingrid Schulerud and together they have two children, Axel and Catharina. He lives in Oslo and has a summer house in Søndre Sandøy, Hvaler, where he often spends his holidays with his family. He is a keen cross-country skiier, and an atheist.
Østfold in Pictures: View from Greåker Fort
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on January 23, 2010
Greåker Fort
Posted by admin in History and architecture on January 23, 2010
Here a group of around 90 Norwegian soldiers fought against advancing German forces on 13 April 1940. It was a short-lived battle – the fort, which only had ‘reserve’ status, was not properly equipped, and they ran out of ammunition after just two hours of fighting. Today you can walk into the shooting gallery, a deep, cool corridor running along the side of the fort to the east, from which the soldiers fired against the enemy. The fort, which is located on a hill between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg along Rv109, affords great views of the area, with the two arms of the Glomma river coming together just south of Greåker and the Rolvsøy bridge. It is particularly pretty in early autumn, when all the deciduous trees in the area change colour and paint the landscape in shades of orange and golds. The fort, which was built in the early 1900s, was listed in 2000.