Larvik () is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

Vestfold Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered ...

Vestfold og Telemark Vestfold og Telemark (; ) is a county under disestablishment in Norway. The county is the southernmost one of Eastern Norway and consists of two distinct and separate traditional regions: the former counties of Telemark and (most of) Vestfol ...

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality of Larvik has about 46,364 inhabitants. The municipality has a 110 km coastline, only shorter than that of neighbouring

Sandefjord Sandefjord () is a city and the most populous municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838. The municipality of Sandar was merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 1969. On 1 ...

. The city achieved market town status in 1671. Larvik was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see

formannskapsdistrikt () is the name for Norwegian local self-government districts that were legally enacted on 1 January 1838. This system of municipalities was created in a bill approved by the Parliament of Norway and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 Janu ...

). The city of

Stavern Stavern is a small water-side town in Larvik municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It is south of the city of Larvik. Currently there are around 3,000 inhabitants in Stavern. It is a small town where tourism is one of the most important sour ...

, and the rural municipalities of

Brunlanes Brunlanes is a parish and former municipality within Larvik municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It was annexed by Larvik on January 1, 1988. The administrative centre of the municipality was located in the adjacent villages of Nevlunghavn a ...

Hedrum Hedrum is a parish and the site of a historic church in Vestfold county, Norway. Hedrum was annexed by Larvik on January 1, 1988. History The parish of Hedrum was established as a municipality on January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Sma ...

, and

Tjølling Tjølling is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Tjølling was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Together with Brunlanes, Stavern and Hedrum, it was merged into Larvik on January 1, 1988. T ...

were forcefully merged into the municipality of Larvik on 1 January 1988. On 1 January 2018, neighboring

Lardal Lardal () is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Svarstad. The parish of ''Laurdal'' was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt ...

was merged into Larvik as part of a nationwide municipal reform. After the merge, Larvik is the largest municipality in Vestfold by area, and the second-most populous municipality in the Vestfold district. Larvik is known as the hometown of

Thor Heyerdahl Thor Heyerdahl KStJ (; 6 October 1914 – 18 April 2002) was a Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer with a background in zoology, botany and geography. Heyerdahl is notable for his ''Kon-Tiki'' expedition in 1947, in which he sailed 8,000& ...

. It is also home to ''

Bøkeskogen Bøkeskogen ("The Beech Tree Forest") stretches inwards along Farris Lake in Larvik. It is an archeological area which is home to between 83, 90, and 100 burial mounds.Bertelsen, Hans Kristian (1998). ''Bli kjent med Vestfold / Become acquainted w ...

'', the northernmost beech tree forest in the world. It is also home of Norway's only natural mineral water spring, Farriskilden.

Farris Bad Farris is a 20 km long fresh water moraine-dammed lake near the Norwegian coastal town Larvik. The lake would have been a salt water fjord had it not been dammed by an end moraine left by the latest ice age. Farris is drinking water res ...

has been described as one of the best spas in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. It has the largest spa department in Scandinavia. Larvik has a daily

ferry A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water ta ...

connection to Hirtshals, Denmark. Istrehågan,_Tjølling_(14550732106)

Etymology

The Norse form of the name must have been ''Lagarvík''. The first element is the

genitive case In grammar, the genitive case ( abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can a ...

of ''lǫgr'' m '

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

;

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

' (now called

Numedalslågen Numedalslågen is a river located in the counties of Vestfold and Telemark and Viken in southeastern Norway. It is one of the longest rivers in Norway. Location Numedalslågen stretches for over through the counties of Vestfold and Telemark ...

River). The second element is ''vík'' f ' cove, wick'. The meaning of the name is "the cove at the mouth of (Numedals)lågen". Prior to 1889, the name was written ''"Laurvik"'' or ''"Laurvig"''.

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

is from onl
2017
It is blue, with silver drops to represent waterways, harbour and growth for which the municipality is known.

History

Helgeroa_-_no-nb_digifoto_20151126_00250_NB_MIT_FNR_13928

Various remains from the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with ...

have been discovered in Larvik, for instance by Torpevannet by

Helgeroa Helgeroa is a village in Larvik municipality, Norway. It is a popular tourist destination during summers. It is home to a marina, guest harbor, and a harbor for ferries operating in the Langesundsfjord. At the tip of the pier is the 8-meter tall Ne ...

village.

Raet Raet is the largest terminal moraine in Scandinavia. It was formed during the end of the last glacial period, 12,800–11,500 years ago, in one of the latest advances of the glaciers. As the glacier retreated towards the end of this period, it ...

goes through all of Vestfold County before peaking out of the ocean in

Mølen Mølen in Brunlanes, Larvik is a geopark and Norway's largest beach of rolling stones. It is a part of Vestfoldraet, the terrain left behind after the end of the most recent ice age around 10,000 years ago. Mølen is one of Larvik's most popular ...

. Ancient peoples have carried rocks from Raet and constructed vast numbers of burial mounds at Mølen. During the Roman Iron Age, ancient peoples erected a stone monument resembling a ship at Istrehågan, one of Norway's greatest remains ("oldtidsminne") from prehistoric times. Immediately across the

border by Istrehågan is Haugen farm, which is the largest petroglyph site in Vestfold County. Kaupang in Skiringssal is an archaeological site where archaeologists first discovered burial mounds, and later uncovered the remains of an ancient town. It is now known as the oldest known merchant town in Norway. There was international trade from a bay in Viksfjord, a few kilometres east of Larvik, over 1,200 years ago. Skiringssal has remains from the oldest town yet discovered in the

Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sw ...

, and it was one of Scandinavia's earliest urban sites. Larvik was a Danish county (''grevskap'') until 1817; the rest of Norway had come under Swedish rule in 1814; four local businessmen purchased the county (in 1817). The city of Larvik was a 19th-century spa community, home of Larvik Bath. The spa welcomed several members of government and also Russian oligarchs. The royal family, King Haakon VII and Queen Maud, vacationed at ''Larvik Bad'' in 1906. The spa also welcomed Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1909, who wrote some of his lasts poems in Larvik, and

Knut Hamsun Knut Hamsun (4 August 1859 – 19 February 1952) was a Norwegian writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. Hamsun's work spans more than 70 years and shows variation with regard to consciousness, subject, perspective ...

in 1917. Hamsun wrote his novel '' Growth of the Soil'' in Larvik, which later earned him the 1920 Nobel Prize for Literature. Larvik received market town status in 1671. The city of Larvik (in contemporaneous Danish spelling: ''Laurvig'') was founded in 1671 by

Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve Ulrik is a male name, a Scandinavian form of Ulrich. Ulrik may refer to: * Ulrik Frederik Christian Arneberg (1829–1911), Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party * Albert Ulrik Bååth (1853–1912), Swedish poet * Ulrik Balling (born 197 ...

, who became the first

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

of Laurvig. The count's residence, "Herregården", can still be visited today. Larvik houses the Treschow estate, Fritzøehus, which is currently owned by the heirs of Mille-Marie Treschow, reportedly "Norway's richest woman". The Treschow estate was created in 1835 when Willum Frederik Treschow bought the county from the Danish crown, who in turn had bought the county from the local consortium "grevlingene", four local entrepreneurs who proved unable to manage the ownership financially (the consortium had bought the county from the Danish crown in 1817 originally, the crown taking over the county when the last of the counts had to sell it because of debt). Larvik, along with neighbouring

and Tønsberg, were the three dominant

whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industr ...

cities of Norway in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Demographics

Larvik's population is primarily centred around the coast. The administrative centre of the municipality, Larvik proper, is one of two cities in the municipality; the other one being

. The city's residential areas are first and foremost in the hills between the fjord and

. The municipality had a total population of 46,899 as of January 1, 2018, while the city of Larvik had a population of 23,927 as of 2016. Immigrants made up 11.2 percent of the population in 2017. The largest immigrant groups (first- and second generation immigrants) were: Polish (1,200), Lithuanians (446), Iraqis (408), Vietnamese (327), and Somalis (318). Figures from a census held at the beginning of the 19th century indicate that Larvik's population has quadrupled in approximately 200 years. Its population however is spread through the county's largest municipality, and less than 50% reside in the city of Larvik. The majority of the population is found along and around the Larviksfjord, from

in the west to Gon in the east. The population sometimes double during summer weeks due to tourism. Larvik is home to 4,775 vacation homes as of 2018.

Economy

Larvik is the most important agricultural municipality in

. Besides grains, other crops include potatoes and vegetables. It has the county's largest production of cucumbers and tomatoes. Important industries are commerce, hotel and restaurant management. The fishing industry is the second-largest in Vestfold, only smaller than in

Færder Færder is a municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borgheim. The municipality was established in 2018 by the unification of the former municipalities of ...

. Important fishing harbours are

, and

Nevlunghavn Nevlunghavn is a village in Larvik municipality, Norway. Before the municipal merge in 1988 it was a part of Brunlanes municipality. Nevlunghavn has grown together with the adjacent village Helgeroa. The two villages have a combined population o ...

. Furthermore, Larvik has the biggest

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply cha ...

industry in the county. Norway Spruce is the most important tree species. Larvikite is exported from Larvik to countries in Europe and to the United States.

Tourism

Larvik is first and foremost known as a summer community. Due to its stable climate and one of Norway's highest median temperatures, Larvik experiences significant summer tourism. Larvik's climate is among the mildest in Norway, with one of the nation's highest number of annual sunshine days. It is home to over 4,000 holiday homes. The coastal town of

and picturesque villages of

and

receive large numbers of tourists during summer months. Stavern is known as a summer community, and its population more than doubles during summers. Tourist attractions in Stavern include Hall of Remembrance, Fredriksvern, and Citadellet. Citadel Island is home of Staverns Fortress which dates to the 1680s. The island is a current refuge for artists. Kaupang has been described as the "chief attraction" for visitors in Larvik. Kapuang is also known as Norway's most important monument from the

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...

. Another source describes Mølen Geopark as Larvik's most visited tourist attraction. Other attractions include the Maritime Museum,

Fritzøehus Fritzøehus is a private estate and palace located in Larvik, Norway. It is the largest privately owned estate in Norway. History The estate has traditionally been associated with various members of the Treschow (noble family), Treschow family. Fr ...

, Herregården, the home of

, and

. Larvik is also home to

, the largest spa in the

, which has been described as one of Europe's best spa facilities.

Geography

Larvik occupies the southwestern corner of

, between

in the east and the

Langesundsfjord The Langesundsfjord (), also known as the Breviksfjord (), is a stretch of fjord from northern Skagerrak, between the islands of Sandøya, Bjørkøya and Siktesøya in Porsgrunn municipality and the mainland of Bamble municipality, in Telemar ...

in the west. The coast stretches from the entrance to the

Sandefjordsfjord The Sandefjordsfjord (), sometimes also called the Sandefjord (), is an approximately 9 km long fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is located to the west of Vesterøya. The Sandefjordsfjord is the longest of the ...

and to the Langesundsfjord. The coastline consists of various beaches, bays, islets and skerries. The land is relatively flat along the coast and by the many bays, while the interior parts consist of large and hilly woodlands. Larger mountains are found along the border to Telemark County in the west. Berganvarden at 456 metres is the highest peak in Larvik municipality. It lies in northwestern Larvik, on the west side of Lågen River. The peak is situated at the border with

and Siljan. The municipality is approximately southwest of

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

. The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 41,211 (23,100 of which reside in the town). Larvik is the largest municipality in Vestfold County with an area covering 531 km². However, by population Larvik is the third-most populous municipality, only smaller than neighbouring Tønsberg and

. Larvik has its own

fjord In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Icel ...

which connects to the Lågen River. Larvik borders to

Kongsberg Kongsberg () is a historical mining town and municipality in Buskerud, Viken county, Norway. The city is located on the river Numedalslågen at the entrance to the valley of Numedal. Kongsberg has been a centre of silver mining, arms produ ...

in the north,

in the east, and

Porsgrunn is a city and municipality in Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Porsgrunn. The municipality of Porsgrun ...

and Siljan ( Telemark County) in the west. The southernmost point in the municipality is Tvistein Lighthouse in the sea south of Hummerbakken in

. On the mainland, its southernmost point is found in Oddane, between

and

. The westernmost point is Geiterøya Island in the

, and the easternmost point is one of the Rauer islets. The highest point is Vindfjell at 622 m. which lies on the border with Telemark County in the west. The district also includes the town of Stavern (population: 5,000) and the villages of

Kvelde Kvelde is a village in the municipality of Larvik, Norway. Its population was 1058 on 1 January 2018. The village is located along the banks of the Numedalslågen Numedalslågen is a river located in the counties of Vestfold and Telemark and V ...

, Hvarnes, and

. Notable geographical features include the lake Farris and the river

, locally called ''Lågen'', which terminates in Larvik, east of the town. Other bodies of water include the lakes Farris, Goksjø and Hallevatnet. Larvik is also noted for its natural springs of mineral water, ''Farriskildene'', which have been commercially exploited under the brand name ''Farris''. At Kaupang in Tjølling lies the remains of the medieval Skiringssal trading outpost. Larvik is also home to the world's northernmost natural occurrence of ''Fagus sylvatica''

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s ( European Beech tree), known as ''

'' ("The Beech Tree Forest").

Villages

The municipality is home to one city and seven villages: * Larvik (23,927) *

(5,635) *

and

(1,890) * Lauve/ Viksfjord (1,777) *

(931) *

Verningen Verningen is a village in Larvik Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located along the European route E18 highway, about to the northeast of the Larvik (town), town of Larvik. The village of Himberg, Norway, Himberg (an excla ...

(931) *

Svarstad Svarstad is a village in Larvik, Norway. Its population (2011) is 566, and it is situated on the Numedalslågen river, approximately north of urban Larvik Larvik () is a town and municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway ...

(608)

Himberg Himberg am Wald () is a municipality in the district of Bruck an der Leitha in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It belonged to Wien-Umgebung District Bezirk Wien-Umgebung was a district of the state of Lower Austria in Austria. The district ...

is an

exclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

which is part of

, although bordering Larvik in all directions. Attempts at annexing Himberg into Larvik have largely been met with protests from Himberg residents. A 1995 attempt at annexing Himberg was cancelled due to protests from local residents. There are only four such enclaves in Norway, and Himberg is the most populous enclave in Norway, with a population of approximately 40 people. Himberg is 1.4 km² (0.54 sq. mi.).

Culture

Larvik Museum

Larvik Museum Society founded in 1916. The museum is now associated with Vestfold Museum (''Vestfoldmuseene''). Larvik Museum was established with the purpose of preserving, and restoring the city's collection of historic buildings.

Treschow-Fritzøe Museum (''Verkensgården'') houses exhibitions from the former Treschow-Fritzøe ironworks. Verkensgarorden displays tools, equipment, drawings, and models illustrating the iron-production era in Larvik, which dated from 1670 to 1870. The exhibition shows various aspects; from the geological process of creation to production, and use of the stone larvikite, the area's main export product. The Iron Works was closed during 1868. Larvik Herregaarden

Manor House (''Herregården'') was built by

for his third wedding in 1677. It is a large wooden structure with well-preserved baroque interiors from the 1730s. Herregården manor house is a large

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

wooden building with classic elements. The interior design is mainly

and Regency style. The house is filled with 17th- and 18th-century antiques. Herregården from 1677 is considered one of Norway's finest secular Baroque structures. It is one of few baroque architectural monuments representing nobility in Norway. Furthermore, it is one of Norway's largest wooden buildings from 17th century. Larvik Maritime Museum (''Larvik Sjøfartsmuseum'') is housed in Larvik's oldest brick building, dating from 1730. Larvik Maritime Museum is located in the old customs house, and is the residence of the local building inspector. This museum displays models of ships, paintings of sailing vessels, and other nautical artifacts to bring the port's maritime history alive. One section of the museum is devoted to the expeditions of Larvik-born

Fritzøehus

Fritzøehus is a private estate located in Larvik. The estate has traditionally been associated with various members of the Treschow family and is presently owned by Mille-Marie Treschow. It is Norway's largest privately owned estate.

Recreation areas

Recreation areas include the beach Lydhusstranda at Naverfjorden.

, which is considered one of Norway's best

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus '' Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Onco ...

fishing rivers, is located in Larvik. Freshwater fishing is also common at Goksjø Lake, which lies on the

-Larvik border. Fish species in this lake include

Northern pike The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish water, brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are kno ...

, European perch, Ide, Common dace, European eel,

Salmon Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus '' Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Onco ...

, and

Brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morp ...

. The lake is also used for ice-skating, canoeing, swimming, boating, and other recreational activities. The 12-metre '' Trollfoss'' is the largest and tallest waterfall in Vestfold County. Hiking trails can be found throughout the municipality, including in the city forest ''

'', Norway's largest beech tree forest. This forest is home to various trails, from 2.6 km (1.6 mi.) to the longest which is 10 km (6.2 mi.) in length. Hiking trails can also be found at

, which is an UNESCO GeoPark and home of Norway's largest stone beach. The Coastal Path (Kyststien) is a 35 km from

. Additional hiking trails can be found by Goksjø- and Farris Lakes. Farris Lake is the largest lake in Vestfold County. Due to the municipality's many rural areas, Larvik is known for its game hunting, and large forests are open for hunting. There are great stocks of

moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...

; Larvik has among Norway's highest number of moose. Between 7-800 moose are annually slaughtered in the county. Other important species of game are

Roe deer The roe deer (''Capreolus capreolus''), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is a species of deer. The male of the species is sometimes referred to as a roebuck. The roe is a small deer, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapt ...

Red deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of ...

Mountain hare The mountain hare (''Lepus timidus''), also known as blue hare, tundra hare, variable hare, white hare, snow hare, alpine hare, and Irish hare, is a Palearctic hare that is largely adapted to polar and mountainous habitats. Evolution The mount ...

European beaver The Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber'') or European beaver is a beaver species that was once widespread in Eurasia, but was hunted to near-extinction for both its fur and castoreum. At the turn of the 20th century, only about 1,200 beavers survi ...

, and Common wood pigeon.

Beaches

List of publicly owned beaches in Larvik: Beach,_Ula

* Farris * Rekkeviksbukta * Batteritomta * Gonstranda (Østre Halsen) * Hvittensand (Østre Halsen) * Corntin (

) * Blokkebukta (Naverfjord) * Anvikstranda (Naverfjord) * Stolpstadstranda (Naverfjord) * Lydhusstranda (Naverfjord) * Roppestad (Farris) * Skjærsjø (

) * Ula (

) * Kjerringvik (Tjølling)

Transportation

Larvik is served by Sandefjord Airport Torp, its nearest international airport.

European route E18 European route E18 runs from Craigavon in Northern Ireland to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Scotland, England, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It is about in length. Although the designation implies the possibility of a thro ...

traverses the municipality and is one of Norway's most important main highways.

Larvik Station Larvik Station ( no, Larvik stasjon) is a railway station at Larvik in Vestfold, Norway. The station is served with regional trains operated by Vy. The station operated as part of the Vestfold Line (''Vestfoldbanen''). The station building wa ...

is the city's main railway station, while daily ferries to Hirtshals,

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

depart from the city harbour and are operated by Color Line. The neighbouring city of

has several ferry links with daily departures to Strömstad,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

and, further south, the city of Langesund links to Hirtshals,

through a ferry which is operated by

Fjord Line Fjord Line is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark; in October 2020 the company announced a scale-back of operations whereby the ferry operations will only serve the ports of Kristiansand, Hirtshals, and S ...

Points of interest

Notable points of interest include: * Istrehågan, ancient

burial ground A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...

on the Larvik-

border *

, Norway's largest and the world's northernmost beech tree forest. * Larvik Maritime Museum, museum dedicated to Larvik's nautical history. It is home to several models by

Colin Archer Colin Archer (22 July 1832 – 8 February 1921) was a Norwegian naval architect and shipbuilder known for his seaworthy pilot and rescue boats and the larger sailing and polar ships. His most famous ship is the '' Fram'', used on both in Fridt ...

, and has its own exhibition dedicated to

. *

and

, adjacent coastal villages * Kaupang in Skiringssal, remains from the oldest Nordic town yet discovered. *

, first UNESCO Global Geopark in the

. It is home to 230

cairn A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. The word ''cairn'' comes from the gd, càrn (plural ). Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehi ...

s dating to the Iron Age. * Farris Lake, largest lake in Vestfold County. *

, coastal village and former home of Norway's main naval base in Fredriksvern ** Hall of Remembrance, largest monument in Vestfold County. ** Citadel Island, fort which came to prominence during the Nordic War of 1709–1720. * Farris Bad, built next to Larvik's best sandy beach, Farris Bad is named amongst the best spas in Europe by '' Lonely Planet Publications''. * The Nesjar Monument, located in

, made on the 1,000th anniversary for the Battle of Nesjar. First unveiled July 29, 2016. * Herregården, erected in 1677 and recognised as one of Norway's finest secular Baroque structures. * Larvik Church, erected in 1877 and situated at

Tollerodden Tollerodden, spelt Tolderodden until 1917, is a peninsula located in the bottom of the Larvik fjord and a part of Larvik town located on the southeast coast of Norway. The Larvik fjord is open in the southeast, so Tollerodden was the safest place ...

. Famous for its paintings. * Childhood home of

, located at Steingata 7 in Larvik proper. * Goksjø, third-largest lake in Vestfold County, located on the

-Larvik border. Used for swimming, fishing, kayaking, ice-skating, and skiing.

Gallery

File:Gravhaug.jpg, Burial mound in

. File:Kaupang, Vestfold view 22jun2005.jpg, Kaupang is the oldest town in Norway. File:Larvik church, Larvik, Vestfold, Norway - panoramio.jpg, Larvik Church. File:Fredriksvern shipyard - panoramio.jpg, Fredriksvern in

. File:Larvik town hall.jpg, Former Larvik Town Hall. File:Larvik (14387497427).jpg, Widerøe aerial photo, 1964. File:Larvik torg.jpg, Larvik City Centre. File:Larvik museum.jpg, Larvik Maritime Museum. File:Citadelløya Stavern.jpg, Citadel Island. File:Cairns at Mølen.jpg,

is Norway's longest stone beach. File:Istre Hågan.jpg, Rock settings at Istrehågan resemble a ship. File:Ulaflyfotojle2003.jpg,

Ula, Norway Ula is a small seaside village in the Tjølling district in Larvik municipality, Vestfold County, Norway. It had the status of ''tettsted'' (urban settlement) until 2003, when the population dropped below 200. The village and harbour become busier ...

Notable residents

Honorary citizens

(1914–2002) a Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer * Carl Nesjar (1920–2015) a painter, sculptor and graphic artist; worked with Pablo Picasso *

Antonio Bibalo Antonio Gino Bibalo (18 January 1922 – 20 June 2008) was an Italian- Norwegian pianist and composer of contemporary classical music, primarily operas. Biography Bibalo was born in Trieste and studied piano at the conservatory there. His path to ...

(1922–2008) an Italian-Norwegian pianist; composed classical operas *

Arne Nordheim Arne Nordheim (20 June 1931 – 5 June 2010) was a Norwegian composer. Nordheim received numerous awards for his compositions, and from 1982 lived in the Norwegian government's honorary residence, Grotten, next to the Royal Palace in Oslo. ...

(1931–2010) a Norwegian composer *

Ingvar Ambjørnsen Ingvar Even Ambjørnsen-Haefs (born 20 May 1956) is a Norwegian writer. He is best known for his "Elling" tetralogy: ''Utsikt til paradiset'' (1993), ''Fugledansen'' (1995), ''Brødre i blodet'' (1996), and ''Elsk meg i morgen'' (1999). ''Brødr ...

(born 1956) a Norwegian writer

Explorers

Johan Bryde Johan Bryde (June 1858 – May 1925) was a Norwegian businessperson, ship owner and whaler. He helped establish the first modern whaling station in the country of South Africa. The Bryde's whale (''Balaenoptera brydei'') is named after him. Biogra ...

(1858–1925) a Norwegian ship owner and whaler *

Carl Anton Larsen Carl Anton Larsen (7 August 1860 – 8 December 1924) was a Norwegian-born whaler and Antarctic explorer who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fossils for which ...

(1860–1924) a Norwegian Antarctic explorer, discovered fossils *

Oscar Wisting Oscar Adolf Wisting (6 June 1871 – 5 December 1936) was a Norwegian Naval officer and polar explorer. Together with Roald Amundsen he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. Biography Oscar Wisting was born in ...

(1871–1936) a Norwegian Naval officer and

polar explorer This list is for recognised pioneering explorers of the polar regions. It does not include subsequent travelers and expeditions. Polar explorers * Jameson Adams * Stian Aker * Valerian Albanov * Roald Amundsen * Salomon August Andrée * Piotr ...

* Erik Hesselberg (1914-1972) Kon-Tiki crew member, author, painter and sculptor * Thorstein Baarnes (born 1984), explorer, hunter, philanthropist and inventor * Jarle Andhøy (born 1977) a controversial Norwegian adventurer and sailing skipper Portrett av Jens Schou Fabricius - Oslo Museum - OB

Portrett av Jens Schou Fabricius - Oslo Museum - OB

Public Service & public thinking

* Jens Schou Fabricius (1758–1841) Vice-admiral & Norwegian Minister of the Navy 1817–1818 * Friderich Adolph von Schleppegrell (1792–1850) was a Dano-Norwegian military officer. * Johan Sverdrup (1816–1892), politician, Prime Minister of Norway 1884-1889 * Thomas Archer (1823-1905),

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

n pastoralist and Agent General for Queensland *

(1832–1921) a Norwegian naval architect and shipbuilder *

Sophus Bugge Elseus Sophus Bugge (5 January 1833 – 8 July 1907) was a Norwegian philologist and linguist. His scholarly work was directed to the study of runic inscriptions and Norse philology. Bugge is best known for his theories and his work on the runi ...

(1833–1907) a Norwegian philologist and linguist * Karl Gether Bomhoff (1842–1925) pharmacist, politician and Governor of Norges Bank *

Bertrand Narvesen Bertrand Narve Louis Narvesen (April 29, 1860 – March 7, 1939) was a Norwegian businessman and merchant. He was the founder of the Norwegian chain of newsagents ''Narvesens Kioskkompagni'' (Later shortened to ''Narvesen''). Today, ''Narvesen'' is ...

(1860–1939) a Norwegian businessman, founded ''

Narvesen Narvesen is a Norwegian chain of newsagents / convenience stores which, with its 370 outlets nationwide, is one of Norway's largest retailers. The company has since 2000 been part of the Reitan Group (''Reitangruppen''). Narvesens Kioskkompagni ...

'' * Bernt Berntsen (1863–1933) a Norwegian-American Protestant Christian missionary to China * Anna Hvoslef (1866–1954) a Norwegian journalist, politician and feminist *

Adolf Fonahn Adolf Mauritz Fonahn (15 June 1873 – 21 August 1940) was a Norwegian physician, medical historian and orientalist. He is best known for his work including those revolving around Tibetan Buddhism, Leonardo da Vinci's anatomical drawings (where h ...

(1873–1940) a Norwegian physician, medical historian and orientalist *

Niels Christian Ditleff Niels Christian Ditleff (29 October 1881 – 18 June 1956) was a Norwegian diplomat, noted for his humanitarian efforts on behalf of captives of the Germans during World War 2. In spite of opposition from his own and allied governments, he init ...

(1881–1956) diplomat, architect of White Buses operation * Erling Utnem (1920–2006) a theologian, priest and Bishop of Agder 1973-1983 *

Herman Sachnowitz Herman Sachnowitz (born 13 June 1921 in Larvik, - 5 March 1978 in Oslo) was a Norwegian merchant. He was one of the few Norwegian Jews who survived deportation to a concentration camp. He was son of Israel Leib Sachnowitz (born 31 March 1880 in ...

(1921-1978) one of the few

Norwegian Jews The history of Jews in Norway dates back to the 1400s. Although there were very likely Jewish merchants, sailors and others who entered Norway during the Middle Ages, no efforts were made to establish a Jewish community. Through the early mod ...

who survived deportation to a concentration camp *

Knut Helle Knut Helle (19 December 1930 – 27 June 2015) was a Norwegian historian. A professor at the University of Bergen from 1973 to 2000, he specialized in the late medieval history of Norway. He has contributed to several large works. Early life, ...

(1930–2015) a Norwegian historian and academic * Mille-Marie Treschow (born 1954–2018) a Norwegian landlord and businessperson * Lars Gule (born 1955) a Norwegian philosopher and commentator on extremism and terrorism *

Anders Anundsen Anders Anundsen (born 17 November 1975) is a Norwegian politician for the Progress Party who served as Minister of Justice from 2013 to 2016. He was also a member of the Norwegian parliament, representing Vestfold from 2005 to 2017. A jurist b ...

(born 1975) a Norwegian politician, Minister of Justice 2013-2016 * Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow (1990–2013) a Norwegian-Somalian

Islamist terrorist Islamic terrorism (also known as Islamist terrorism or radical Islamic terrorism) refers to terrorist acts with religious motivations carried out by fundamentalist militant Islamists and Islamic extremists. Incidents and fatalities f ...

The Arts

* Hans Holmen (1878–1958) a Norwegian painter and sculptor * Herman Wildenvey, (1885–1959) prominent Norwegian

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...

Arthur Omre Arthur Omre (17 December 1887, in Brunlanes – 16 August 1967) was a Norwegian novelist and writer of short stories. Omre hailed from Vestfold. With a background as sailor, journalist, constructor in the United States, engineer in Oslo, busine ...

(1887–1967) a Norwegian novelist, liquor smuggler, swindler and thief * Gunnar Reiss-Andersen (1896–1964) a Norwegian lyric poet and author * Ruth Lagesen (1914–2005) a Norwegian pianist and conductor * Carl Nesjar (1920–2015) a painter, sculptor and graphic artist; fabricator for

Pablo Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

(1931–2010) a Norwegian composer * Louis Jacoby (born 1942) a Norwegian singer and writer * Mari Bjørgan (1950–2014) a Norwegian actress and variety show comedian * Birgitte Einarsen (born in 1975) a Norwegian singer and musical theatre artist from Helgeroa * Anne Holt (born 1958) a crime writer, lawyer and former Minister of Justice *

Terje Gewelt Terje Gewelt (born 8 June 1960) is a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass). Career Gewelt was born in Oslo and raised in Larvik, a small town on the southeastern coast of Norway. He started playing guitar at the age of 10, switched to elect ...

(born 1960) a Norwegian jazz musician, plays the upright bass, raised in Larvik * Bjørn Lynne (born 1966) a Norwegian sound engineer and music composer * Jonas Kilmork Vemøy (born 1986) a Norwegian Jazz trumpeter and composer, raised in Larvik *

Absolute Steel Absolute Steel is a Norwegian heavy metal band from Larvik. Formed in 1999, the band’s founding members were Andy Boss (lead guitar), Dave Bomb (lead guitar) and K2 (vocals). Throughout the late 1990s they played live performances and develop ...

(formed in 1999) a Norwegian heavy metal band

Sport

20190225 Seefeld 3396 Anette Boe (cropped)

* Sverre Hansen (1913–1974) footballer, team bronze medallist at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-s ...

* Gunnar Thoresen (1920-2017) famous footballer, 261 caps for Larvik Turn and 64 for

Anette Bøe Anette Bøe (born 5 November 1957 in Larvik) is a former Norwegian cross-country skier. Bøe won her first international medal when she took the bronze at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid on the 4 × 5 km relay. She won the 20 ...

(born 1957) cross-country skier, team bronze medallist at the

1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Lake Placid was elected ...

* Hallvar Thoresen (born 1957) a footballer, with 320 club caps and 50 for

* Tom Erik Oxholm (born 1959) speed skater, twice bronze medallist at the

Tom Sundby Tom Sundby (born 15 December 1960, Larvik) is a former Norway, Norwegian Football (soccer), footballer. A midfielder who scored 6 goals in 39 caps for the Norway national football team, national team, he participated in the Football at the 1984 S ...

(born 1960) a footballer with 39 caps for

* Bjørg Eva Jensen (born 1960) a speed skater and gold medallist at the

* Gunnar Halle (born 1965) a football manager and player with 509 club caps and 64 for

* Espen Hoff (born 1981) a Norwegian retired professional footballer with 427 club caps * Alexander Hvaal (born 1992) a professional rallycross driver

Sports teams

* Larvik HK (

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the ...

) * Larvik TIF * IF Fram Larvik

Twin towns – sister cities

Larvik is twinned with: * Borlänge, Sweden * Frederikshavn, Denmark

References

External links

opplevlarvik.no Tourist information (in Norwegian)ilovelarvik.com
* *
iBrunlanes.no

Municipal web site

Live Camera - 10 cameras from Larvik

Larvik Museum official website Vestfoldmuseene website
{{Authority control Municipalities of Vestfold og Telemark Populated places in Vestfold og Telemark Cities and towns in Norway Populated places established in 1671 Populated places on the Numedalslågen 1671 establishments in Norway

Etymology

Coat of arms

History

Demographics

Economy

Tourism

Geography

Villages

Culture

Larvik Museum

Fritzøehus

Recreation areas

Beaches

Transportation

Points of interest

Gallery

Notable residents

Honorary citizens

Explorers

Public Service & public thinking

The Arts

Sport

Sports teams

Twin towns – sister cities

See also

References

External links