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| Sarpsborg kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Norway | ||
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| County | Østfold | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-0105 | ||
| Administrative centre | Sarpsborg | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2003) | Jan O. Engsmyr (Ap) | ||
| Area (Nr. 238 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 406 km² (156.8 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 370 km² (142.9 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 50,115 | ||
| - Density | 134/km² (347.1/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | 6.6 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 13 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Bokmål | ||
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| Website: www.sarpsborg.com | |||
Sarpsborg is a city and municipality in the county of Østfold, Norway.
The city was founded as Borg by the famous Viking King Olav Haraldsson (Saint Olav) in 1016. Unfortunately most of the old city landed in the river Glomma, after a mudslide in 1702. The city was rebuilt at a safer location but was burnt down to the ground by Swedish invaders in 1567. Half the population evacuated down the river to what is today known as Fredrikstad, about 15 km downstream. Again Borg was rebuilt, and it was recreated as a city in 1839, and separated from Tune as a municipality of its own. The rural municipalities of Tune, Skjeberg and Varteig were merged with the city 1 January 1992. The population is steadily growing, and during the summer of 2005 it reached 50,000.
Together with Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg forms the fifth largest urban area in Norway. As of 1 April 2006, according to Statistics Norway these two municipalities have a total population of 121,097 - 50,135 in Sarpsborg and 70,962 in Fredrikstad.
Borregaard Industries is and always has been the most important industry in the city. The city is also the home of Borg Bryggerier, part of the Hansa Borg Bryggerier, Norway's second largest brewery-group.
In the 1960s, Sarpsborg was famous for its football (soccer) team, Sarpsborg FK, but is now more known for its hockey team, Sparta Warriors. In football, Sparta Sarpsborg has taken over the local throne, currently playing on the 2nd highest national level, known as the Adecco League.
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The name
In Norse times the city was just called Borg (from borg f 'castle'). The background for this was the fortification built by Olav Haraldsson (see above). Later the genitive case of the name of the waterfall Sarpr (now Sarpsfossen) was added.
In Norse times the county Østfold was called Borgarsýsla ('the county/sýsla of Borg') - and the law district of Southeast Norway was called Borgarþing ('the thing/court of Borg').
The old name has been revived in the diocese of Borg (1968) and Borgarting Court of Appeal (1995).
Coat-of-arms
The current city seal is from modern times (1965/1966), but it is based on a coat-of-arms from 1556. It shows a bear over a castle. The bear was introduced as early as sometime in the 13th century, by the earl of Sarpsborg (Comes de Saresburgh), Alv Erlingsson. He used the bear to symbolize his strength. The castle symbolizes the fortress (borg) that once gave the city its original name.
Well known residents from Sarpsborg
- Oscar Torp (1893–1958), former Prime Minister of Norway
- Jan Groth (1946–), legendary vocalist/song writer/artist (Aunt Mary/Just4Fun/Oslo Gospel Choir/Aage Samuelsen tributes)
- John Anderson (1873-1949), Major Leage Baseball player for fifteen seasons in the United States
- Raymond Kvisvik (1974–), football (soccer) player
- Walther Aas (1928–1990), artist
- Trond Joneid (1948–2007), artist/vocalist/drummer (The Saints/Sirkus Sørensen)
- Robert Normann (1916–1998), legendary guitar player
- Stephan Groth (1971–), artist (Apoptygma Berzerk)
- Jonas Groth (1977–), artist/vocalist
- Stian Joneid (1978–), artist/vocalist
- Nils Ole Oftebro, actor
- Åge Sten Nilsen artist/vocalist/song writer ("Glam" from Wig Wam/The Show Must Go On (Queen Tribute)/Rondo)
- Jens Arne Svartedal, international skiing champion
- Arnold Haukeland, artist (sculptor)
- British author Roald Dahl's father, Harald Dahl
- Thomas Myhre, goalkeeper (soccer)
- Per-Åge Skrøder, ice hockey player
- Arne Arnardo, famous Norwegian circus owner
- Lene Alexandra Øien, glamour model
- Nadia Eide, actress, singer, dancer
Districts of Sarpsborg
- Hasle
- Sarpsborg
- Ise
- Skjeberg
- Alvim
- Greåker
- Grålum
- Borgenhaugen
- Yven
- Høysand
- Varteig
- Hafslund
- Gleng
- Fritznerbakken
- Lande
- Valaskjold
- Brevik
Sister cities
Sarpsborg has several sister cities (twin towns):
Betlehem, Palestinian Territories
Berwick-Upon-Tweed, United Kingdom
Södertälje, Sweden
Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
Struer, Denmark
Forssa, Finland
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