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| Skien kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Norway | ||
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| County | Telemark | ||
| District | Grenland | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-0806 | ||
| Administrative centre | Skien | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2005) | Rolf Erling Andersen (Ap) | ||
| Area (Nr. 140 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 779 km² (300.8 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 719 km² (277.6 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 50,595 | ||
| - Density | 70/km² (181.3/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | 4.6 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 12 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Neutral | ||
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| Website: www.skien.kommune.no | |||
Skien is a city and municipality in the county of Telemark, Norway and administrative centre of Telemark County.
Skien was established as a municipality 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipalities of Gjerpen and Solum were merged with Skien 1 January 1964.
The conurbation of Skien and Porsgrunn is considered by Statistics Norway the seventh largest city in Norway straddling an area of three municipalities: Skien municipality (about 52% of the population), Porsgrunn (35%) and Bamble (11.5%). The area is home to more than 85,000 people. The town also has a large Somalian population.
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History
Until 1979, it was believed that Skien was founded in the 14th century. However, the archaeological find of a carving of the Skien animal has established its founding to before 1000 A.D. The city was then a meeting place for inland farmers and sailing traders, and also as a shipping harbour for whetstones from Eidsborg (inland Telemark). The settlement can be traced back to the 11th century, and Gimsøy Abbey was founded in the 12th century. Skien was given formal commercial town rights by the Danish crown in 1358. Timber has historically been the most dominant export product from Skien. The oldest remaining building is Gjerpen church (built in approximately 1150).
The current town layout was fixed after the last town fire in 1886. In 1964, the rural municipalities Solum and Gjerpen were merged together with Skien town, forming the Skien municipality.
Toponymy
The Old Norse form of the name was Skiða (from the word skiða f 'straight plank'), and the town is probably named after a brook (with a straight run) with this name.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is based upon a seal from 1609. It shows a pair of skis (this is based upon a misunderstanding of the meaning of the name of the town, which has nothing to do with skis.)
Transportation
Skien is one terminus for the Telemark Canal (in Norwegian, Telemarkskanalen), which consists of two canals. In Europe canals were commonly built in the pre-railroad period to transport goods, timber and passengers.
- The “Norsjø-Skienskanalen”, with one terminus at Skien and the other at Løveid, was built in 1854–1861, and is the oldest of the two canals.
- The “Bandak-Nordsjøkanalene” continued the canal beyond Løveid – it was opened in 1892.
Skien was connected to the Norwegian railway network (Vestfoldbanen) in 1882. In 1919 Bratsbergbanen opened between Skien and Notodden. Norges Statsbaner still operates regular train services on both railways. The local airport is called Skien Lufthavn Geiteryggen and serves domestic flights to Bergen, Stavanger and Molde and international flights to Stockholm by the airline Vildanden. Skien harbour is located at Vold havneterminal.
Sports
Arenas
Teams
- Gjerpen I.F. (handball)
- Odd Grenland (football)
- Sceen Curling Klubb (curling)
- Skien Ishockeyklubb (ice hockey)
- Tollnes Ballklubb (football)
Commerce and industry
The largest industries are
- ABB (electromechanical)
- Norske Skog Union (paper mill) (2006)(Mill Shut down in Spring '06)
- EFD Induction a.s (induction heating) (induction welding)
Other important places of work are
- Sykehuset Telemark (hospital)
- Fylkesmannen (The local Norwegian State Administration)
The daily newspapers Varden and Telemarksavisa are published in Skien.
Shopping
Skien has four shopping malls
- Handelsbyen Herkules (110 stores, 15 food places)
- Arkaden Skien Storsenter (44 stores, 6 food places)
- Lietorvet Senter (29 stores, 2 food places)
- Klosterfoss (10 stores)
Townscape
Telemark Museum is located in Skien. Skien was the birthplace of the author and playwright Henrik Ibsen. At Venstøp in Skien you can find the Venstøp Farm, established as the Ibsen Museum in 1958.
Notable people from Skien
- Henrik Ibsen, playwright
- Severin Løvenskiold, politician
- Hjalmar Johansen, polar explorer
- Gunnar Knudsen, prime minister
- Jon Fredrik Baksaas, chief executive officer
- Bård Tufte Johansen, comedian
- Tor Åge Bringsværd, author
- Rune Jarstein, football player
- Torjus Hansén, football player
- Tommy Svindal Larsen, football player
- Frode Johnsen, football player
- Aage Samuelsen, singer and composer
- Bugge Wesseltoft, musician and composer
- Bjørn Tore Godal, politician
- Terje Riis Johansen, politician
- Audun Kleive, musician
- Kjartan Salvesen, comedian
External links
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