Tønsberg

Tønsberg is a town and municipality in the county of Vestfold, Norway. Tønsberg municipality has 36,452 inhabitants as of January 1, 2005. The population of the entire city, regardless of municipality borders, and following the guidelines set by the national statistician agency, the SSB, was 45,447 as of January 1, 2005, making Tønsberg the tenth most populated city of Norway. The municipality of Tønsberg covers 106 km² and today also includes the former municipality Sem.

According to Snorri Sturluson, Tønsberg was founded before the Battle in Hafrsfjord. Although this is disputed by modern-day historians, it would make Tønsberg the oldest present Nordic town. In the 1200s, King Haakon Haakonson set up a castle here, Tønsberg Fortress. His daughter was known as Princess Kristina of Tønsberg. She was married to the Spanish Prince of Castilla, but died shortly thereafter. The town was destroyed by fire in 1536, but Tønsberg remained one of the most important harbour towns in Norway.

Tønsberg is still an industrial and maritime centre, with such diverse concerns as metal shops, shipyards, paper mills, leather processing, and breweries; it is noted especially for its silverware. Tourist sites include ruins of the Tønsberghus, St. Michael's Church, the Royal Castle, Sem Church, and the Vestfold Museum. The Oseberg ship was found near the city in 1904. The longship is now in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo.

Maybe the most important landmark in the town is the tower standing on the hill. It was erected in 1888 as a memorial to the old fortress, of which just fragmentary ruins remain today. Many streets in the town are named after old kings of Norway.

Tønsberg's toll ring, opened in February 2004 to finance the building and enhancement of roads in the area, has proved very controversial. Opponents of this financing scheme have argued that the tolls should not be collected before the actual projects have been finished.

Jahn Teigen, the lead singer of Popol Ace (formerly Popol Vuh), came from Tønsberg. Teigen was the first person in history to receive a score of nil points in the Eurovision Song Contest 1978. Lene Nystrøm, formerly of Aqua was born and raised here. Norwegian alternative rock band Seigmen also came from Tønsberg. Tønsberg is famous for its black metal community which the Hammerslagfestival represents. This festival is held each year in an old church around Christmas in the center of the town.

Tønsberg and Covarrubias in Spain have entered a friendship agreement as the result of an old connection through Princess Kristina of Norway.