Svolvær
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Svolvær is the administrative centre of Vågan Municipality (9200 inh) in Nordland County, Norway. This small town (population on 1 January 2005: 4,197) is a favourite starting point for tourists visiting the islands. Svolvær was given township privileges in 1918, but this was discontinued following a merge with neighbouring municipalities in 1964. Township was declared again in 1996. Approximately 200,000 tourists visit Svolvær each year. There is a small airport near the town, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There are also express boat connections to Bodø and Narvik.
The mountain Svolværgeita was first climbed in 1910.
Sheltered by mountains to the north and west, the Svolvær area has less fog and experiences higher temperatures in summer than the western part of Lofoten, but the same mountains also create more orographic precipitation on rainy days ([1], weather forecast).
[edit] History
The first town formation known in North Norway, Vågar, was situated around the narrow, natural harbor near Svolvær.
Vågar is mentioned in Heimskringla, and might have been established as early as 800. One of the first churches in North Norway was most likely built here, approximately 900 years ago. Today's church is 'Lofotkatedralen'.
- Sources: Statistics Norway, NAF veibok, Norwegian Wikipedia (bokmål).
[edit] External links
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