Åsgårdstrand

Åsgårdstrand (historically spelled Aasgaardstrand) is a small port town^[1] in Horten Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The town is located along the shore of the Ytre Oslofjord, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of the town of Horten, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of the town of Tønsberg, and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of the capital city of Oslo. The villages of Borre and Skoppum both lie a short distance northwest of Åsgårdstrand.^[7]

Landeveien, Åsgårdstrand
painted by Hans Heyerdahl (1890)

Åsgårdstrand
Town/City[1]
View of the town in 2012
Åsgårdstrand Location of the town Show map of Vestfold Åsgårdstrand Åsgårdstrand (Norway) Show map of Norway
Coordinates: 59.34938°N 10.46948°E / 59.34938; 10.46948
Country	Norway
Region	Eastern Norway
County	Vestfold
District	Jarlsberg
Municipality	Horten Municipality
Established as
Ladested	1650-1965
Municipality	1838-1965
Town (By)	1 Jan 2010
Area [2]
• Total	1.47 km2 (0.57 sq mi)
Elevation [3]	12 m (39 ft)
Population  (2023)[2]
• Total	2,959
• Density	2,014/km2 (5,220/sq mi)
Demonym	Åsgårdstranding
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code	3179 Åsgårdstrand
Former municipality
Åsgårdstrand ladested Aasgaardstrand ladested  (historic name)
Coat of arms
Vestfold within Norway
Åsgårdstrand within Vestfold
Country	Norway
County	Vestfold
District	Jarlsberg
Established	1 Jan 1838
• Created as	Formannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished	1 Jan 1965
• Succeeded by	Borre Municipality
Administrative centre	Åsgårdstrand
Area  (upon dissolution)
• Total	0.18 km2 (0.07 sq mi)
Population  (1965)
• Total	488
• Density	2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi)
Official language [4]
• Norwegian form	Bokmål[5]
ISO 3166 code	NO-0704[6]
Data from Statistics Norway

The 1.47-square-kilometre (360-acre) town has a population (2023) of 2959 and a population density of 2,014 inhabitants per square kilometre (5,220/sq mi). Most of the town lies within Horten Municipality, but a 0.05-square-kilometre (12-acre) area of the town with 56 residents crosses over into the neighboring Tønsberg Municipality.^[2]

The village of Åsgårdstrand was established as a ladested (small town/seaport) in 1650. On 1 January 1838, the small town was established as a municipality (see formannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1965, Åsgårdstrand was merged with Borre Municipality plus a small area of Sem Municipality to form the new Borre Municipality (the name was later changed to Horten Municipality). After the merger, Åsgårdstrand lost its status as a ladested (small town/seaport). On 1 January 2010, the council for Horten Municipality formally designated Åsgardstrand as a town^[1] (Norwegian: by).^[7]

Åsgårdsstrand is a summer resort destination^[8] with a number of restored old homes. It is home to various cafés, galleries, and a beach. Edvard Munch’s former home is now owned by the municipality and open to the public. It is also home to Borre Kystled, a hiking trail which leads to Borre National Park.^[9]

History

Edvard Munch's house

Åsgårdstrand was designated as a ladested (seaport/center of trade) in 1650 under the town of Tønsberg. In 1660 it was transferred to being under the town of Holmestrand. In 1752, the town was given the rights of doing business with national goods. From the beginning of the 19th century, Åsgårdstrand, was a lively export harbor for lumber, of which most was exported to the Netherlands. By the end of the sailing ship era, the trade stagnated. On 1 January 1838, Åsgårdstrand became a self-governing urban municipality under the newly-passed formannskapsdistrikt law. Merchant and ship owner Anders Riddervold was elected as the first mayor.^[7]

Dating from the 1880s, the town had been increasingly known as an important center for artists and painters. A number of internationally noted painters has either visited or lived in the town including Edvard Munch, Christian Krogh, and Hans Heyerdahl. In 1898, Edvard Munch bought a house in Åsgårdstrand where he spent the first of many summers (the house is now operated as a small museum which is associated with the Vestfold Museum).^[7][10]

Since the 1920s, Åsgårdstrand has been a popular vacation and recreational spot. Visitors come to the small town each summer and spend their holidays in one of the four hotels. In 2007, the town was designated as a "Tourist Town", which gives the shop owners in the oldest part closest to the sea the right to stay open every day of the week. In order to become a Tourist Town the number of visitors needs to greatly exceed the number of residents throughout the year. In June every year, Åsgårdstrand celebrates Midsummer (the longest day of the year) with a large fire on the shore.^[7]

Coat of arms

Coat of arms of Åsgårdstrand (1950–1965)

The coat of arms was granted on 1 January 1950. The blazon is "Gules, a mermaid argent" (Norwegian: På rødt, en sølv havfrue). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a mermaid. The mermaid has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used.^[11]

Name

The town (and municipality) is named after the old Aasgaarden farm (Old Norse: Ásgarðr). The first element is the accusative case of the word áss which means "rocky ridge" which likely refers to the farm's location on Raet. The last element is garðr which means "farm" or "dwelling". The suffix strand means "beach". Thus the name means something like the "beach belonging to the farm on the rocky ridge."^[12][13] On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Aasgaardstrand with the digraph "Aa" and "aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Åsgårdstrand, using the letters Å and å instead.^[14][15]

Municipal self-government (1838–1965)

The 0.18-square-kilometre (44-acre)^[16] town of Åsgårdstrand was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the town of Åsgårdstrand (population: 488) was merged with Borre Municipality (population: 6,037) and the Stang area of Sem Municipality (population: 126) to form the new Borre Municipality.^[17]

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.^[18]

Municipal council

The municipal council (Bystyre) of Åsgårdstrand was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1963–1964 ^[19]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	14
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	2
Total number of members:		21

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1959–1963 ^[20]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	14
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	2
Total number of members:		21

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1955–1959 ^[21]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	14
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	2
Total number of members:		21

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1951–1955 ^[22]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	4
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	16
Total number of members:		20

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1947–1951 ^[23]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Conservative Party (Høyre)	12
	Local List(s) (Lokale lister)	3
Total number of members:		20

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1945–1947 ^[24]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	5
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	15
Total number of members:		20

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1937–1941* ^[25]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	2
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	18
Total number of members:		20
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Åsgårdstrand bystyre 1934–1937 ^[26]  

Party name (in Norwegian)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet)	1
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister)	19
Total number of members:		20

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Åsgårdstrand:

• 1838-1838: Anders Riddervold
• 1839-1840: Jacob Skjelderup Bache
• 1841-1844: Andreas Næss
• 1845-1845: Jacob Skjelderup Bache
• 1846-1846: Johan Wesmann
• 1847-1849: Andreas Næss
• 1850-1851: Johan Wesmann
• 1854-1854: Anders Olaus Moldenhauer
• 1855-1856: Niels Christian Nielsen
• 1857-1857: H. Rumi
• 1858-1858: Niels Christian Nielsen
• 1859-1859: Anders Olaus Moldenhauer
• 1860-1877: Carl August Folcker
• 1878-1886: Niels Christian Nielsen (H)
• 1887-1887: Lauritz Isaksen
• 1888-1888: Enoch Svensen
• 1889-1889: Lauritz Isaksen
• 1890-1896: Eilert Martin Evensen
• 1897-1897: Nils O. Semb (H)
• 1898-1898: Eilert Martin Evensen
• 1899-1900: Nils O. Semb (H)
• 1901-1904: Bredo F. Thurmann Nielsen (H)
• 1905-1905: Preben Crøger Gjertsen
• 1906-1906: L. M. Larsen
• 1907-1907: Preben Crøger Gjertsen
• 1908-1909: Johan Arnt Hansen
• 1910-1910: I. G. Carlsen
• 1911-1913: Johan Arnt Hansen
• 1914-1916: Gustav Ernst Ramm (H)
• 1917-1919: Edvard Christian Sperre
• 1920-1922: Gustav Ernst Ramm (H)
• 1923-1923: Herman Olaussen Hassum
• 1924-1925: Edvard Christian Sperre
• 1926-1936: Jens Hedvin Jacobsen (H)
• 1937-1945: James Russell Johansen (H/NS)
• 1945-1945: Kaspar Lie Mathisen (V)
• 1946-1948: August F. Christensen (H)
• 1949-1949: Frode Chr. Brekke (H)
• 1950-1951: August F. Christensen (H)
• 1952-1960: Rolf Helland Larsen (H)
• 1960-1963: Odd Aasen (H)
• 1963-1964: Rolf Helland Larsen (H)

Notable people

Summer Night at Åsgårdstrand
painted by Edvard Munch (1904)

• Hans Anton Apeness (1842–1930), a lumber merchant born in Åsgårdstrand (a street in Calais has been named after him)
• Einar Thorstein Diesen (1894–1962), a broadcaster from Åsgårdstrand
• Jahn Ekenæs (1847–1920), an art painter who lived in Åsgårdstrand
• Øivin Holst Grimsgaard (1900–1989), an architect born in Åsgårdstrand
• Hans Heyerdahl (1857–1913), an art painter who lived in Åsgårdstrand
• Jens Kristensen (born 1975), an illustrator born in Åsgårdstrand
• Per Lasson Krohg (1889–1965), an art painter born in Åsgårdstrand (son of Oda and Christian Krohg)
• Ingerid Paulsen Kuiters (born 1939), an illustrator who lives in Åsgårdstrand
• Svein Døvle Larssen (born 1928), a former editor of Tønsbergs Blad who lives in Åsgårdstrand
• Edvard Munch (1863–1944), an art painter with a summer house in Åsgårdstrand
• Ola Abrahamsson (1883–1980), an art painter with a summer house in Åsgårdstrand (a street in Åsgårdstrand was named after him)
• Nils Johan Semb (born 1959), a Norwegian national soccer team head coach from 1998–2003 who lives in Åsgårdstrand
• Marthin Hamlet (born 1992), a wrestler and mixed martial artist raised in Åsgårdstrand

See also

• List of towns and cities in Norway
• List of former municipalities of Norway

References

1. In the Norwegian language, the word by can be translated as "town" or "city".
2. Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2023). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
3. "Åsgårdstrand, Horten". yr.no. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
4. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
5. "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
6. Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
7. Thorsnæs, Geir; Lundbo, Sten, eds. (11 February 2024). "Åsgårdstrand". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
8. Fodor (1987). Fodor's Scandinavia 1988. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 279. ISBN 9780679015581.
9. Nickel, Phyllis; Valderhaug, Hans Jakob (2017). Norwegian Cruising Guide—Vol 2: Sweden, West Coast and Norway, Swedish Border to Bergen. Attainable Adventure Cruising Ltd. pp. 85–86. ISBN 9780995893962.
10. "Edvard Munch´s house in Åsgårdstrand". Innovation Norway. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
11. "Åsgårdstrand velforening" (PDF) (in Norwegian). 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
12. Haugen, Einar (1967). Norwegian-English Dictionary A Pronouncing and Translating Dictionary of Modern Norwegian. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 9780299038748.
13. Rygh, Oluf (1907). Norske gaardnavne: Jarlsberg og Larviks amt (in Norwegian) (6 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 109.
14. "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 1000. 1917.
15. Den Nye rettskrivning : regler og ordlister (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norge: Den Mallingske Boktrykkeri. 1918.
16. Helland, Amund (1915). "Aasgaardstrand ladested". VII. Jarlsberg og Larvik Amt. Tredje del. Norges land og folk (in Norwegian). Kristiania, Norway: H. Aschehoug & Company. p. 385. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
17. Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
18. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
19. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964.
20. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960.
21. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957.
22. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952.
23. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948.
24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947.
25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938.
26. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1935.

External links

• Åsgårdstrand Portal (in Norwegian)