Stavanger – Norway’s energy capital
With a population of approx. 121,600 as of 1 January 2009, Stavanger is Norway’s fourth largest city. The city is also probably one of the oldest in Norway and it is believed to have been founded in the 12th century.
The area in and around Stavanger offers varied, wild and beautiful nature experiences. From steep mountains and lovely fjords to long, wild beaches along the open coastline of Jæren: everything is within easy reach of the city of Stavanger. A trip to the Lysefjord is a must when you are in the Stavanger region. This is where you can experience the famous Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) and Mount Kjerag, among other things.
Stavanger also has an active cultural life, and along with Liverpool, it was European Capital of Culture in 2008. Exciting architecture, an active film and writing milieu and many great museums are some of the key ingredients of Stavanger. Food culture is also important in the region, and a visit to the Gladmat food festival is recommended.
Visit Stavanger with Fjord Tours:
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The Lysefjord & Norway in a nutshell®
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The history of Stavanger:
It is claimed that the name Stavanger derives from the Norse name Stafangr, composed of ‘stafr’, which means ‘stav’ (stave) and ‘angr’ which means fjord. Although the city of Stavanger was not founded until the 12th century, the first traces of settlements in the region date all the way back to when the ice retreated after the last Ice Age approx. 10,000 years ago.
Stavanger has always been an international town dependent on the sea and very much influenced by trends from outside. In the Viking Age, Stavanger was a strong centre. Some of Norway’s richest burial finds from this period have been made in this area. Stavanger has a natural harbour and a strategic location, with Jæren to the south, Ryfylke to the east, the coastal shipping lane to the west and the fertile Ryfylkeøyene islands to the north The area was probably one of the most important starting points for Viking voyages west to the British Isles, and other places.
In the mid 1600s, large parts of the city burnt down, including the old medieval area. During this period, the city also lost its merchant privileges, but these were given back in 1690 when the reconstruction of the city was well underway. The ’Old Stavanger’ of today consists of 173 listed and restored wooden houses built in the late 18th and early 19th century. It is one of Northern Europe’s best preserved collections of wooden houses and the city has received several awards for its preservation efforts.
The financial upturn that was to ensure permanent economic growth up to the present day started in earnest in the 19th century. Herring fisheries, shipping and the canning industry were the mainstays of Stavanger's economic growth up to the 1960s when the first oil finds were made. This is when the foundations of the modern city of Stavanger were laid. Stavanger gradually became an important administrative centre for the Norwegian petroleum industry’s activities at home and abroad. Stavanger owes its name of energy capital of Norway to this strategically important role.
Festivals in Stavanger
A number of festivals are held annually in Stavanger. Among the best known of these are the Gladmat food festival, the festival of comedy, the chamber music festival, MaiJazz jazz festival and the Sand Volleyball World Tour.
Museums in Stavanger
The city has several museums and collections, of both local and national interest. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is the most popular museum. It is currently the only petroleum museum in Europe.
Stavanger Museum also has a number of departments covering, among other things, the shipping and canning industries which have been so important to the history of Stavanger. Other museums under the administration of Stavanger Museum are the Norwegian Printing Museum and the Norwegian Museum of Childhood.
Rogaland Museum of Fine Arts is also worth a visit. Here, you can see Norway’s largest collection of works by Lars Hertervig and several painting by Norwegian artists such as Edvard Munch, Christian Krogh, Eilif Petersen and Harriet Backer. Many artists from Rogaland are also represented at the museum.
Authors and books relating to Stavanger
Many well-known authors have been inspired by Stavanger and have made the city the setting for their novels. Alexander Kielland is one of the authors we most strongly associate with the city, his books include Poison, Garman & Worse, Skipper Worse and Jacob. Other well-known authors include Andreas Jacobsen and Sigbjørn Obstfelder. Arild Rein is probably the best-known contemporary author with his Stavanger trilogy: Hundedagene (Dog days), Grisekoret (Pigs’ chorus) and Kaninbyen (Rabbit town).
The city joined the ‘free city’ network in 1995. This is a scheme whereby that the city offers a persecuted writer sanctuary, housing and a salary for 1-2 years. The first writer to participate in this scheme was Araz Elses from Azerbaijan.
