Molde () is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

and the seat of

Molde Municipality Molde Municipality () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Møre og Romsdal Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal ...

Møre og Romsdal Møre og Romsdal (; ) is a Counties of Norway, county in the northernmost part of Western Norway, Western Norway. It borders the counties of Trøndelag, Innlandet, and Vestland. The county administration is located in the Molde (town), town of M ...

county,

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

. It is located in the traditional district of

Romsdal Romsdal is a Districts of Norway, traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal traditional comprises the areas that are part of Aukra Municipality, Molde Municipal ...

. It is located on the

Romsdal Peninsula Romsdal is a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal traditional comprises the areas that are part of Aukra Municipality, Molde Municipality, Rauma Municipal ...

, surrounding the

Fannefjord Fannefjorden is a fjord located in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is a long extension of the Moldefjorden, running east–west near the south side of the Romsdal peninsula. The fjord begins just east of the city of ...

and

Moldefjord Moldefjorden is a fjord in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is a long branch off of the main Romsdal Fjord. The fjord begins at the Julsundet strait (in the west) and heads east, past the city of Molde, then it contin ...

. Molde has a

maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Princ ...

temperate climate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ra ...

, with cool-to-warm summers, and relatively mild winters. It is nicknamed ''The Town of Roses''. The settlement emerged as a shipping port for lumber to the Netherlands in the late 1500s. Formal trading rights were granted at some point before 1604, and the town was incorporated through a

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...

in 1742.

Bolsøy Municipality Bolsøy is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Molde Municipality in the traditional district of Romsdal. The administrative centre ...

, which later merged with Molde town, was established on 1 January 1838 (see

formannskapsdistrikt () was the name of a Norwegian self-governing municipality. The name was used from the establishment these municipalities in 1838 until the name fell out of use in 1863. The municipalities had their legal basis from two laws enacted on 14 Jan ...

law). The town continued to grow throughout the 17th to 19th centuries, becoming a centre for the Norwegian

textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

and

garment Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

industry, as well as the administrative centre for the region, and was a major tourist destination until

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Molde experienced accelerated growth, merging with

and parts of

Veøy Municipality Veøy is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Molde Municipality and Rauma Municipality in the traditional district of Romsdal. The ...

and

Nord-Aukra Municipality Aukra is municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the region of Romsdalen. The administrative centre is the village of Falkhytta, which is part of the Aukrasanden urban area. The municipality is made up of the island of ...

on 1 January 1964, making the municipality much larger than the urban area of the town of Molde. On 1 January 2020, the municipality was expanded again through the incorporation of the neighboring

Midsund Municipality Midsund is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1965 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Molde Municipality in the traditional district of Romsdal. The administrative centre ...

and

Nesset Municipality Nesset is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Molde Municipality in the traditional district of Romsdal. The administrative centre ...

, making the area of the municipality quite large in comparison to the town. The town has a population of 22,410 (2024) and a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of .

History

The city's current location dates from the late Medieval times but is preceded by an earlier

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

township on

Veøya Veøya is an island in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located at a junction of the three main branches of Romsdal Fjord between the island of Sekken and the mainland near the village of Nesjestranda. The island ...

, an island to the south of present-day Molde. The settlement at Veøya probably dates from the

Migration Period The Migration Period ( 300 to 600 AD), also known as the Barbarian Invasions, was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories ...

, but is first mentioned in the sagas by

Snorri Sturluson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of th ...

as the location of the ''Battle of

Sekken Sekken is an island in Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island is located in Romsdal Fjord, at the mouth of the Langfjorden. The island lies about south of the island of Bolsøya and about west of the historic island of ...

'' in 1162, where king Håkon the Broad-shouldered was killed fighting the aristocrat

Erling Skakke Erling Ormsson (1115 – 18 June 1179), known as Erling Skakke, was a Norwegian Jarl during the 12th century. He was the father of Magnus Erlingsson, who reigned as King of Norway from 1161 to 1184. Biography Erling Ormsson was born at Etne in ...

, during the Norwegian civil wars. However, settlement in the area can be traced much further back in time—evidence given by two rock slabs carved with

petroglyphs A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

found at Bjørset, west of the city center. At the eve of the 15th century, the influence of Veøya waned, and the island was eventually deserted. Originating from the two farms Reknes and Molde (later Moldegård), a minor port called ''Moldefjæra'' (''Molde Landing'') emerged around 1600, based on trade with timber and herring. Molde Kirche

The town gained formal trading rights before 1604 under the supervision of

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...

. After the Treaty of Copenhagen in 1660, Molde became the

administrative center An administrative centre is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune, is located. In countries with French as the administrative language, such as Belgiu ...

of Romsdal amt, and was incorporated as a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

through a

in 1742. Molde continued to grow throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming a center for the Norwegian textile and garment industry. Tourism later became a major industry, and Molde saw notabilities such as the German emperor

Wilhelm II Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia from 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication in 1918, which marked the end of the German Empire as well as th ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

as regular summer visitors. Molde consisted of luxurious hotels surrounding an idyllic township with quaint, wooden houses, lush gardens, and parks, esplanades, and pavilions, earning it the nickname ''the Town of Roses''. This was interrupted when one-third of the city was destroyed in a fire on 21 January 1916. However, Molde recovered and continued to grow in the economically difficult interbellum period. A second fire, or series of fires, struck from the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

air-raids in April and May 1940, which destroyed about two-thirds of the town. Molde was in effect the capital of Norway for a week after King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav, and members of the government and parliament arrived at Molde on April 23, after a dramatic flight from Oslo. They were put up at Glomstua, then at the western outskirts of the town, and experienced the bombing raids personally. The Norwegian gold reserve was also conveyed to Molde, and was hidden in a clothing factory. However, German intelligence was well aware of this, and on April 25 the

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

initiated a series of air-raids. For a week the air-raid siren on the chimney of the dairy building announced the repeated attacks. April 29 turned out to be the worst day in the history of Molde, as the city was transformed into a sea of flames by incendiary bombs. Until then the church had escaped undamaged, but in the final sortie a firebomb became stuck high up in the tower, and the wooden church was obliterated by fire. After World War II, Molde experienced tremendous growth. As the modernization of the Norwegian society accelerated in the post-reconstruction years, Molde became a center for not only administrative and public services, but also academic resources and industrial output. After the consolidation of the town itself and its adjacent communities in 1964, Molde became a modern city, encompassing most branches of employment, from farming and fisheries to industrial production, banking, higher education, tourism, commerce, health care, and civil administration.

Municipality

The town of Molde was established as an urban municipality on 1 January 1838 (see

law). It was surrounded by the rural

. On 1 July 1915, a part of Bolsøy Municipality (population: 183) was transferred into the city of Molde. On 1 January 1952, another part of Bolsøy Municipality (population: 1,913) was transferred into the city of Molde. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the

Schei Committee The Schei Committee () was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a ...

. On 1 January 1964, the

Molde (town) Molde () is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town and the seat of Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Pen ...

(population: 8,289) merged with the

, and

Nesjestranda Nesjestranda is a small village situated along Romsdal Fjord in Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located along Norwegian County Road 64 on the Romsdal Peninsula facing the islands of Sekken and Veøya, just north of the ...

parts of

(population: 756), all of

(population: 7,996), and the Mordal area of

(population: 77) to form a new, larger Molde Municipality. On 1 January 2020, the neighbouring

and

merged with Molde to form a much larger Molde Municipality.

Name

The municipality (originally the town and

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

) is named after the old ''Molde'' farmstead () since this was where the town was built. The name's origin is somewhat uncertain. It could be the plural form is which means "fertile soil" or "earth". The other possibility is that it comes from the word which means "skull" or "

mold A mold () or mould () is one of the structures that certain fungus, fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of Spore#Fungi, spores containing Secondary metabolite#Fungal secondary metabolites, fungal ...

" (referring to the rounded peaks in

Moldemarka Moldemarka is a hilly and mostly wooded recreational area north of Molde in Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The area is known for the Molde panorama, with views of more than 222 rugged and partly snow-clad peaks, mountainous ...

). Pronunciation varies between the standard ''Molde'' and the rural ''Molle'' (pronounced with thick "l"). A person from Molde will refer to themself as a ''Moldenser''.

Geography

Molde Municipality includes part of the

Romsdal peninsula Romsdal is a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal traditional comprises the areas that are part of Aukra Municipality, Molde Municipality, Rauma Municipal ...

as well as many islands including the islands of

Otrøya Otrøya is the largest island in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to Romsdalsfjord, west of the island of Midøya and east of the mainland Romsdal peninsula. The highest point on the isla ...

and

Midøya Midøya (sometimes nicknamed ''Mia'') is an island in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island sits at the entrance to the Romsdalsfjorden between the islands of Dryna and Otrøya. The Midsund Bridge connects this isl ...

. To the southeast, Molde Municipality stretches about inland. The town of Molde consists of a long and wide strip of urban land running east–west along the north shore of the

, an arm of the

Romsdalsfjord or is the ninth-longest fjord in Norway. The long fjord is located in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county. It flows through the municipalities of Molde, Haram, Vestnes, and Rauma. The deepest point in the fjord is just southwest ...

, on the

. The city is sheltered by

Bolsøya Bolsøya is an island in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The island lies in the Romsdalsfjorden at the entrance to the Fannefjorden. The island is connected to the mainland by the Bolsøy Bridge and to the town of Molde ...

and the Molde archipelago, a chain of low-lying islands and islets, to the south, and the wood-clad hills of

to the north. The city centre is located just west of the river

Moldeelva or is a river in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long river runs through the Moldemarka area and then through the city of Molde. Its origins are found at Lake Molde (). It follows the Molde Valley () on its way to ...

, which runs into the city from the north, originating in the

Moldevatnet Moldevatnet () is the main reservoir and water supply for the city of Molde in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The lake is the source of the river Moldeelva and it is located about north of the city, and the north end l ...

lake, through the valley Moldedalen. Despite the river being minor and seasonal, it supported several

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s in the 16th and 17th centuries. This gave rise to the original town itself through a combination of a good harbour, proximity to the sea routes, vast timber resources, and a river capable of supporting mills. In 1909, the river housed the first

hydro electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also ...

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the electricity generation, generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electr ...

capable of providing sufficient electricity for the city, and the upper reaches of the river still provide drinking water for most of the city. The highest point in the municipality is the tall mountain

Kleneggen Kleneggen or Høgbøra is a mountain in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county. The tall mountain is the highest point in Molde Municipality (it was part of Nesset Municipality prior to 2020). The mountain peak is located in the alpine mo ...

. Its panoramic view of some 222 partly snow-clad peaks, usually referred to as the

Molde panorama The Molde panorama is the renowned panoramic view of some 222 partly snow-clad peaks, seen from the town of Molde in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It can be observed from all over the town, but the viewpoint from the top ...

, is one of Molde's main attractions, and has drawn tourists to the city since the 19th century. Molde is nicknamed the ''Town of Roses'', a name which originated during Molde's era as a tourist destination of international fame in the late 19th century. Neighbouring municipalities are

Aukra Aukra may refer to: Places *Aukra Municipality, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway *''Aukra'' or Aukrasanden, a village within Aukra Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway *Aukra Church, a church in Aukra Municipality in Mø ...

Gjemnes Gjemnes is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway on the Romsdal peninsula. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Batnfjordsøra, which lies along the Batnfjorden and it is a former steamship ...

, and

Hustadvika Hustadvika is a shipping channel along a long section of coastline in Hustadvika Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is the main shipping route between the towns of Molde and Kristiansund which goes around the Romsdal Peninsula. ...

(to the north);

Ålesund Ålesund () is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of Ålesund Municipality. The centre of the town of Ålesund lies on the islands of Hessa, Aspøya, Ålesund, Asp� ...

(to the southwest);

Vestnes Vestnes may refer to: Places *Vestnes (village), a village within Vestnes Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway *Vestnes Municipality, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway *Vestnes Church, a church in Vestnes Municipality in ...

and

Rauma Rauma may refer to: Places * Rauma, Finland, a town and municipality in the Satakunta region of western Finland * Rauma Municipality, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway * Rauma (river), a river in the Romsdalen valley in Møre og Ro ...

(to the south); and

Tingvoll Tingvoll is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Tingvollvågen. Other villages include Meisingset, Kvisvik, Grimstad, and Torjulvågen. The munici ...

and

Sunndal Sunndal or Sundal may refer to: Places *Sunndal Municipality, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway *Sunndal, Vestland, a village in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway *Sundal Hundred, a hundred in Dalsland, Sweden *Sun ...

(to the east).

Points of interest

Some points of interest in and near Molde Municipality: *

Salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

sea trout Sea trout is the common name usually applied to anadromous (sea-run) forms of brown trout (''Salmo trutta''), and is often referred to as ''Salmo trutta'' morpha ''trutta''. Other names for anadromous brown trout are bull trout, sewin (Wales ...

and sea char are found in the rivers throughout the area, especially the

Driva The Driva river runs through Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal counties in Norway. The headwaters lie in the Dovrefjell mountains in the south, from where it flows northward, downward through the Drivdalen valley in Oppdal Municipality. When the ri ...

, and

Eira Eira is a neighborhood in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. History The district dates back to the early 20th century and received its name after Eira Hospital in the neighboring district of Ullanlinna, which in turn took its name from Eira H ...

, already legendary among the British

gentry Gentry (from Old French , from ) are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. ''Gentry'', in its widest connotation, refers to people of good social position connected to Landed property, landed es ...

in the mid-19th century.

Trout Trout (: trout) is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the ...

is abundant in most lakes.

Cod Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus ''Gadus'', belonging to the family (biology), family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gad ...

pollock Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic ocean, marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. ''Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as "pollock" in North America, Ireland and the Unit ...

saithe ''Pollachius virens'' is a species of marine fish in the genus '' Pollachius''. Together with '' P. pollachius'', it is generally referred to in the United States as pollock. It is commonly known in Britain as the coalfish, coley, or saithe ( or ...

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

and other species of saltwater

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

are commonly caught in the Romsdalsfjord, both from land and from boat.

Skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

is a common activity among the inhabitants of Molde in the winter, on groomed tracks, in resorts or by own trail. There are several

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

ice climbing Ice climbing is a climbing discipline that involves ascending routes consisting entirely of frozen water. To ascend, the ice climber uses specialist equipment, particularly double ice axes (or the more modern ice tools) and rigid crampons. ...

bouldering Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed on small rock formations or Climbing wall, artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or Climbing harness, harnesses. While bouldering can be done without any equipment, most climbers ...

glacier A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...

and basejumping areas in the immediate vicinity of Molde. *The '' Atlantic road'' was voted the Norwegian Construction of the Century in 2005. It is built on bridges and landfills across small islands and skerries, and spans from the small communities of Vikan and Vevang to

Averøya Averøya is an island in Averøy Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located north of the Romsdal peninsula surrounded by the Kornstadfjorden on the west and the Kvernesfjorden on the south and east, and the Bremsnesfjorden ...

, an island with several historic landmarks, such as the Bremsnes cave with

Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Ancient Greek language, Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic i ...

findings from the

Fosna Kristiansund (, ; historically spelled Christianssund and earlier named Fosna) is a municipality on the western coast of Norway in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of K ...

culture, the

mediaeval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and t ...

Kvernes stave church, and Langøysund, now a remote fishing community, but once a bustling port along the main coastal route. Langøysund was the site of the compromise between King Magnus I and the farmers along the coast in 1040. The compromise is regarded as Norway's

Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter"), sometimes spelled Magna Charta, is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardin ...

, and is commemorated though the ''Pilespisser'' () monument. *''Trollkirka'' () is a marble grotto leading up to an underground waterfall. The grotto is situated 30 minutes outside Molde, followed by a 1-hour hike up a steep trail. ''

Trollveggen The or is part of the mountain massif Trolltindene () in the Romsdalen valley in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located to the south of the towns of Åndalsnes and Molde inside the Reinheimen National Park. The ...

'' is Europe's tallest vertical, overhanging mountain face, with several very difficult climbing routes. ''

Trollstigen Trollstigen (or trollstigvegen; ) is a Hairpin turn, serpentine mountain road and pass in Rauma Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of Norwegian County Road 63 that connects the town of Åndalsnes in Rauma and the villag ...

'' is the most visited tourist road in Norway. The road twists and turns its way up an almost vertical mountainside through 11 hairpin bends to an altitude of . ''Mardalsfossen'' is the highest

waterfall A waterfall is any point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in seve ...

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...

and the fourth highest waterfall in the world, cascading 297 metres down into the valley. The total height of the waterfall is . *

Bud In botany, a bud is an undeveloped or Plant embryogenesis, embryonic Shoot (botany), shoot and normally occurs in the axil of a leaf or at the tip of a Plant stem, stem. Once formed, a bud may remain for some time in a dormancy, dormant conditi ...

is a fishing village on the very tip of the

. It gained importance during the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

as a trading post, and hosted the last free Privy Council of Norway in 1533, a desperate attempt to save the country's independence and stave off the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the papacy and ...

, led by

Olav Engelbrektsson Olav Engelbrektsson (, Trondenes, Norway – 7 February 1538, Lier, Belgium, Lier, Duchy of Brabant, Habsburg Netherlands) was the 28th Archdiocese of Nidaros, Archbishop of Norway from 1523 to 1537, the List of Norwegian monarchs, Regent of Norwa ...

archbishop of Nidaros The Archdiocese of Nidaros (or Niðaróss) was the metropolitan see covering Norway in the later Middle Ages. The see was the Nidaros Cathedral, in the city of Nidaros (now Trondheim). The archdiocese existed from the middle of the twelfth cent ...

(today ''Trondheim''). The massive Ergan coastal defences, a restored German coastal fort from

, and a part of the

Atlantic Wall The Atlantic Wall () was an extensive system of coastal defence and fortification, coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defense (military), d ...

, is situated in Bud. The fishing communities of Ona, Bjørnsund and Håholmen are located on remote islands off the coast, only accessible by boat or ferry.

Moldemarka

Moldemarka, the hilly woodland area north of the city, is

public land In all modern states, a portion of land is held by central or local governments. This is called public land, state land, or Crown land (Commonwealth realms). The system of tenure of public land, and the terminology used, varies between countries. ...

. The area has an extensive network of paths, walking trails and skiing tracks. Forest roads enter the area from several directions. Bulletin boards and maps provide information regarding local plants and wildlife, as well as signposts along the trails. Marked trails lead to a number of peaks, sites and fishing lakes and rivers. A national fishing licence is required to fish in the lakes and streams. Varden,

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

is a viewpoint directly above Molde, with a good view of the city, the

fjord In physical geography, a fjord (also spelled fiord in New Zealand English; ) is a long, narrow sea inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Antarctica, the Arctic, and surrounding landmasses of the n ...

with the Molde archipelago and the

Climate

Molde has a temperate

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...

(''Cfb'') also known as marine west coast climate. Molde holds the national high for the month of October, with recorded on 11 October 2005. Due to its geographic location, Molde experiences frequent

snow Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...

falls in winter, but this snow is usually wet as the winters tend to be mild. The record high was recorded in July 2018. The record low was recorded in both January and February 2010. A

natural phenomenon A natural phenomenon is an observable event which is not man-made. Examples include: sunrise, weather, fog, thunder, tornadoes; biological processes, decomposition, germination; physical processes, wave propagation, erosion; tidal flow, and na ...

occurring in Molde and the adjacent district, are frequent winter days with temperatures above , sometimes even above . This is due to the

foehn wind A Foehn, or Föhn (, , , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm downslope wind in the lee of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windw ...

from south and south-east. The sheltered location of the city, facing south with hills to the north, mountains to the east and mountainous islands to the west, contributes to Molde's climate and rich plant life, especially among species naturally growing on far lower latitudes, like

chestnut The chestnuts are the deciduous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Castanea'', in the beech family Fagaceae. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce. They are native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Description ...

oak An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...

tilia ''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Great Bri ...

(''lime'' or ''linden''),

beech Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus '' Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew ('' Taxus ...

, and others.

Government

Molde Municipality is responsible for

primary education Primary education is the first stage of Education, formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary education. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first schools and middle s ...

(through 10th grade), outpatient

health services Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...

senior citizen Old age is the range of ages for people nearing and surpassing life expectancy. People who are of old age are also referred to as: old people, elderly, elders, senior citizens, seniors or older adults. Old age is not a definite biological sta ...

services,

welfare Welfare may refer to: Philosophy *Well-being (happiness, prosperity, or flourishing) of a person or group * Utility in utilitarianism * Value in value theory Economics * Utility, a general term for individual well-being in economics and decision ...

and other

social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. Also available amachine-converted HTML They may be provided by individuals, private and i ...

zoning In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...

economic development In economics, economic development (or economic and social development) is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and object ...

, and municipal

road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

s and utilities. The municipality is governed by a

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough cou ...

of directly elected representatives. The

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

indirectly elected An indirect election or ''hierarchical voting,'' is an election in which voters do not choose directly among candidates or parties for an office ( direct voting system), but elect people who in turn choose candidates or parties. It is one of the o ...

by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the

Møre og Romsdal District Court Møre og Romsdal District Court () was a district court located in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. This court was based at four different courthouses which were located in Volda, Ålesund, Molde, and Kristiansund. The court was subordinate to t ...

and the

Frostating Court of Appeal The Frostating Court of Appeal () is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Trondheim. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. These areas constitute the ...

Culture

Three of the '' four great'' Norwegian authors are connected to Molde.

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson ( , ; 8 December 1832 – 26 April 1910) was a Norwegian writer who received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature "as a tribute to his noble, magnificent and versatile poetry, which has always been distinguished ...

spent his childhood years at

outside Molde, and attended school in the city.

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

frequently spent his vacations at the mansion ''Moldegård'' visiting the family Møller; and

Alexander Kielland Alexander Lange Kielland (; 18 February 1849 – 6 April 1906) was a Norwegian realistic writer of the 19th century. He is one of the so-called " The Four Greats" of Norwegian literature, along with Henrik Ibsen, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson an ...

resided in the city as the governor of Romsdals amt. Ibsen's play ''

Rosmersholm ''Rosmersholm'' () is an 1886 Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian people, Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It tells the story of Johannes Rosmer, an aristocratic former clergyman and owner of the Rosmersholm manor who is haunted by his wif ...

'' is generally thought to be inspired by life at the mansion Moldegård, and ''

The Lady from the Sea ''The Lady from the Sea'' () is a Play (theatre), play written in 1888 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen inspired by the ballad ''Agnete og Havmanden''. The drama introduces the character of Hilde Wangel who is again portrayed in Ibsen's late ...

'' is also believed to be set in the city of Molde, although never actually mentioned. Other authors from or with ties to Molde include

Edvard Hoem Edvard Hoem (born 10 March 1949) is a Norwegian novelist, dramatist, lyricist, psalmist and government scholar. He made his literary debut in 1969, with the poetry collection ''Som grønne musikantar''. He was awarded the Norwegian Critics Priz ...

Jo Nesbø Jon "Jo" Nesbø (; born 29 March 1960) is a Norwegian novelist and musician. His books had sold over 50 million copies worldwide by 2021, making him the most successful Norwegian author to date. Siegel, Lee (5 May 2014).Pure Evil: Jo Nesbø and th ...

Knut Ødegård Knut Ødegård (born 6 November 1945) is a Norway, Norwegian poet. Biography Born in 1945 in Molde (town), Molde, Norway, Ødegård made his poetic debut in 1967.''(Norwegian)'' http://www.cappelendamm.no/main/katalog.aspx?f=7543 Since then ...

, and

Nini Roll Anker Nini Roll Anker (3 May 1873 – 20 May 1942) was a Norwegian novelist and playwright. Her books often concerned the lives of women within different social classes as well as the women's rights movement and the rights of the working class. P ...

, a friend of

Sigrid Undset Sigrid Undset (; 20 May 1882 – 10 June 1949) was a Danish people, Danish-born Norwegian people, Norwegian novelist. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928 Nobel Prize in Literature, 1928. Born in Den ...

. The

Romsdal Museum The Romsdal Museum () is a museum in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The museum is based in Molde Municipality, but it has sites all over the region. History The museum was founded by Peter Tønder Solemdal (1876-1963 ...

, one of Norway's largest folk

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

s, was established in 1912. Buildings originating from all over the region have been moved here to form a typical cluster of farm buildings including "open

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a low, partial ...

" houses, sheds, outhouses, smokehouses and a small chapel. The "town street" with Mali's Café shows typical Molde town houses from the pre-World War I period. The Museum of the Fisheries is an open-air museum located on the island of Hjertøya, 10 minutes from the centre of Molde. A small fishing village with authentic buildings, boats and fishing equipment, the museum shows local coastal culture from 1850 onwards. The local newspaper is ''

Romsdals Budstikke ''Romsdals Budstikke'' is a daily (except Sundays) newspaper published in Molde, Norway. History and profile ''Romsdals Budstikke'' was established in 1843. Politically the paper is liberal and used to be a newspaper for the Liberal Party, but ...

''.

Churches

The

Church of Norway The Church of Norway (, , , ) is an Lutheranism, evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. Christianity became the state religion of Norway around 1020, and was established a ...

has ten parishes () within Molde Municipality. It is part of the

Molde domprosti Molde () is a town and the seat of Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord. Molde has a mar ...

(arch-

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of ...

) in the

Diocese of Møre The Diocese of Møre () is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop is seated at the Molde Cathedral which is located in the county administrative center of Molde. , the Bisho ...

Festivals

The

Moldejazz Molde International Jazz Festival (MIJF) or Moldejazz (established 1961 in Molde Municipality) takes place annually in July, and is known as one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It was initiated by the local Storyville Jazz Club. Since 1 ...

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

festival is held in Molde every July. Moldejazz is one of the largest and oldest jazz festivals in Europe, and one of the most important. An estimated 40,000 tickets are sold for the more than a hundred events during the festival. Between 80,000 and 100,000 visitors visit the city during the one-week-long festival. Every August, Molde Municipality hosts to the Bjørnson Festival, an international literature festival (Prior to 2020, it was hosted by both Molde and

- Nesset has since become part of Molde). Established by the poet Knut Ødegård in connection with the 250-year anniversary of Molde, the festival is named in honour of the

Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...

laureate

(1832–1910). It is the oldest and the most internationally acclaimed literature festival in Norway. In addition to the two major events, a number of minor festivals are held annually. Byfest, the city's celebration of incorporation, is an arrangement by local artists, coinciding with the anniversary of the royal charter of 29 June 1742.

Education

Molde University College Molde University College - Specialized University in Logistics (, abbreviated ''HiM'' or ''HiMolde'') is a Norway, Norwegian Higher education in Norway, specialized university. It is located in the town of Molde (town), Molde in Molde Municipalit ...

offers a wide range of academic opportunities, from nursing and health-related studies, to economics and administrative courses. The school is Norway's leading college in logistics, and well established as a centre for research and academic programmes in information technology, with degrees up to and including PhD.

Transportation

Hurtigruta ''Hurtigruten'' (), formally Kystruten Bergen-Kirkenes ("coastal route Bergen-Kirkenes"), is a Norwegian public coastal route transporting passengers that travel locally, regionally, and between the ports of call, and also cargo between ports ...

calls on Molde every day, on its journey between

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

and

Kirkenes (Norwegian language, Norwegian; ), (Northern Sami language, Northern Sami; , or is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Sør-Varanger Municipality in Finnmark county, in the far northeastern part of Norway. The town lies on a peninsu ...

. The nearest railway station is

Åndalsnes is a town in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Åndalsnes is also the administrative center of Rauma Municipality. It is located along the Isfjorden, at the mouth of the river Rauma, at the north end of the Romsdalen valle ...

, the terminus for the

Rauma Line The Rauma Line () is a long railway between the town of Åndalsnes (in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county), and the village of Dombås (in Dovre Municipality in Innlandet county), in Norway. Running down the Romsdalen valley, the line ...

. The local airport is Molde Airport which has several daily flights to Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim, as well as weekly flights to other domestic and international destinations. The

European route E39 European route E39 is the designation of a north–south road in Norway and Denmark from Klett, just south of Trondheim (city), Trondheim, to Aalborg via Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. In total, there are nine ferries, more than any other ...

and

Norwegian County Road 64 County Road 64 () is a two-lane highway which runs between the towns of Kristiansund (town), Kristiansund and Åndalsnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It branches from Norwegian National Road 70, National Road 70 in Kristiansund, runs thro ...

both pass through the municipality. The city of Molde is connected to Fræna Municipality (to the north) by the

Tussen Tunnel The Tussen Tunnel () is a long road tunnel located on County Road 64 in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The tunnel goes through the mountain ''Tussen'' and connects Hustadvika Municipality (near the village of Malme) and Molde Municipality (ju ...

. The city is connected to the Røvika and

part of the municipality by the

Fannefjord Tunnel Fannefjord Tunnel () is a long subsea road tunnel in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The tunnel is part of County Road 64 and it goes under the Fannefjorden, connecting the island of Bolsøya to the mainland at Årø, w ...

and

Bolsøy Bridge Bolsøy Bridge () is a concrete beam bridge in Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The bridge crosses the Bolsøysund strait between the mainland and the island of Bolsøya. Bolsøy Bridge was opened in 1991 as part of County Roa ...

, significantly shortening the drive by avoiding driving all the way around the

Fannefjorden Fannefjorden is a fjord located in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is a long extension of the Moldefjorden, running east–west near the south side of the Romsdal peninsula. The fjord begins just east of the city of M ...

. The proposed

Langfjord Tunnel The Langfjord Tunnel is a proposed subsea road tunnel which would cross Langfjorden (Møre og Romsdal), Langfjorden between Molde Municipality and Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It may also be built with a branch to the is ...

would connect Molde Municipality to Rauma Municipality via a tunnel under the Langfjorden.

Sports

Molde hosts a variety of sports teams, most notably the

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

team,

Molde FK Molde Fotballklubb () is a association football, football club based in Molde Municipality, Molde, Norway, that competes in Eliteserien, the top flight of Norwegian football league system, Norwegian football. Founded on 19 June 1911, the club w ...

, which plays in the

Eliteserien Eliteserien () is a professional association football league in Norway and the highest level of the Norwegian football league system. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Norwegian First Division ...

, the top division in the

Norwegian football league system The Norwegian football league system, or pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Norway. 2017 system in men's football , the current national league system administered by the NFF is organised as 1–1–2–6, where ...

. Their home matches are played at Aker stadion, inaugurated in 1998, which holds a record attendance of 13,308. The team is five-time league champions (

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

and

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

), five-time Norwegian Cup winners (

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

and 2021-22), and has made numerous appearances in European tournaments, including the

UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...

. The club was founded in 1911, during Molde's period of great British and Continental influx, and was first named "International", since it predominantly played teams made up from crews of foreign vessels visiting the city. In addition to a number of international players, the city has also produced several ski jumpers, cross-country skiers and alpine skiers of international merit. Other sports include the accomplished

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

clubs (

Molde Elite Molde Elite (or Molde HK Elite) is the women's elite team from the handball club Molde Håndballklubb, from Molde Municipality, Møre og Romsdal, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country locate ...

SK Træff Sportsklubben Træff is a Norwegian sports club from Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal. It currently has sections for association football and team handball. The men's football team currently plays in the Norwegian Second Division, the th ...

, SK Rival), athletics teams ( IL Molde-Olymp), skiing clubs, basketball and volleyball teams.

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Molde has three

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

. They are: *

Borås Borås ( , , ) is a city (officially, a locality) and the seat of Borås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 114,556 inhabitants in 2024. It is widely known for being a textile city, home to worldwide brands and companie ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Mikkeli Mikkeli (; ; ; ) is a List of cities and towns in Finland, city in, and the regional capital of, South Savo, Finland, located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population is approximately , while the Mikkeli sub-region of Southern Savonia has a populat ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

Vejle Vejle () is a city in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle River and Grejs River and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality (''Municipalities of De ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

Gallery

File:Molde ferry Karlsøyfjord 04.jpg, Ferry in Molde in 2024 File:Hotell Molde Fjordstuer by Classic Norway Hotels.jpg, Molde Fjordhotell File:Meteorvegen.jpg, A neighborhood in molde File:Hjertøya, Molde.jpg, Hjertøya, an island just outside Molde File:Hotel in Molde 2017.jpg, The sixteen-storey Scandic Seilet Hotel in 2017

Notable people

Public service & business

* Nicholas Lawson (1790-1851) Vice governor of Galápagos for

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

, born on Sekken *

Ole Anton Qvam Ole Anton Qvam (5 August 1834 – 8 July 1904) was a Norwegian lawyer and Liberal politician, who was the Norwegian minister of Justice 1891–1893, 1898–1899 and 1900–1902, minister of the Interior 1899–1900, as well as head of the minis ...

(1834–1904) lawyer, politician and

Prime Minister of Norway The prime minister of Norway (, which directly translates to "minister of state") is the head of government and chief executive of Norway. The prime minister and Cabinet of Norway, Cabinet (consisting of all the most senior government departme ...

1902/03 * Dorothea Christensen (1847–1908) a

domestic science Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences (often shortened to FCS or FACS), is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and f ...

proponent and politician * Jacob Tanner, (1865–1964) Norwegian American Lutheran educator and religious author *

Johan Scharffenberg Johan Scharffenberg (23 November 1869 – 1 February 1965) was a Norwegian psychiatrist, politician, speaker and writer. Early life Scharffenberg was born in Moss as the son of military officer Hedvard Carl Scharffenberg (1819–1893) and C ...

(1869–1965) a psychiatrist, politician, speaker and writer *

Olav Kavli Olav Kavli (7 January 1872 – 22 September 1958) was a Norwegian business man who founded the Kavli company. Biography Ole Knudsen Kavli was born at Årø in Bolsøy Municipality (now Molde Municipality) in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. He was t ...

(1872–1958) a businessman who founded the

Kavli Kavli () is a Norwegian brand of soft cheese, caviar, mayonnaise, crackers and milk. The company sells products in 30 countries, with plants in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, England and Scotland. In 1914, Olav Kavli founded Kavli Holdi ...

company *

Jens Arup Seip Jens Lauritz Arup Seip (11 October 1905 – 5 September 1992) was a Norwegian historian originally trained as a medieval historian, but stood out as the strongest of his time in interpreting Norwegian political history in the 1800s, particul ...

(1905–1992) medieval historian and interpreter of 1800s political history * Eystein Fjærli (1917–1987) lieutenant colonel, defence strategist, author and politician *

Arne Solli Arne Solli (6 April 1938 – 20 September 2017) was a Norwegian Army general who served as Chief of Defence of Norway The Chief of Defence (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the ...

(1938–2017)

Norwegian Army The Norwegian Army () is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway in 1628. The ...

general &

Chief of Defence of Norway The Chief of Defence (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the King of Norway. Even though he holds the same rank as the King of Norway, according to the Norwegian Constitution the Kin ...

Kjell Magne Bondevik Kjell Magne Bondevik (; born 3 September 1947) is a Norway, Norwegian Lutheranism, Lutheran Religious minister, minister and Politics of Norway, politician. As leader of the Christian Democratic Party (Norway), Christian Democratic Party, he ser ...

(born 1947) politician,

, 2001-2005 * Bjørn T. Grydeland (born 1949) President of EFTASA & EU Ambassador * Torgeir Dahl (born 1953) politician and Mayor of Molde since 2011 *

Kjell Inge Røkke Kjell Inge Røkke (born October 25, 1958) is a Norwegian billionaire businessman. He is the chairman of the Norwegian-based company Aker ASA, and holds directorships in Aker BP, Kværner, Ocean Yield, Aker BioMarine and Aker Energy. As of De ...

(born 1958) a Norwegian billionaire

The Arts

* Karen Splid Møller (1800–1880) a Norwegian handwritten cookbook writer *

(1832–1910) writer of ''noble, magnificent and versatile poetry'', won the 1903

, brought up in Nesset *

Maurycy Gottlieb Maurycy Gottlieb ; 21 February 1856 – 17 July 1879) was a Polish-Jewish realist Painting, painter of the Romanticism in Poland, Romantic period. Considered one of the most talented students of Jan Matejko, Gottllieb died at the age of 23. Car ...

(1856–1879) a Polish realist painter of the Romantic period, lived in Molde * Hanna Hoffmann (1858–1917), Danish sculptor and silversmith * Rasmus Rasmussen (1862–1932) a Norwegian actor, folk singer and theatre director *

(1873–1942) novelist and playwright about women within different social classes *

Kurt Schwitters Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters (20 June 1887 – 8 January 1948) was a German artist. He was born in Hanover, Germany, but lived in exile from 1937. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dadaism, Constructivism (a ...

, (1887–1948) German artist using

dada Dada () or Dadaism was an anti-establishment art movement that developed in 1915 in the context of the Great War and the earlier anti-art movement. Early centers for dadaism included Zürich and Berlin. Within a few years, the movement had s ...

ism,

constructivism Constructivism may refer to: Art and architecture * Constructivism (art), an early 20th-century artistic movement that extols art as a practice for social purposes * Constructivist architecture, an architectural movement in the Soviet Union in t ...

and

surrealism Surrealism is an art movement, art and cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists aimed to allow the unconscious mind to express itself, often resulting in the depiction of illogical or dreamlike s ...

, had a hut on Hjertøya pre-WWII *

Terje Fjærn Terje Egil Tolås Fjærn (25 August 1942 – 8 June 2016) was a Norwegian musician, orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typica ...

(1942-2016) musician, orchestra leader and musical conductor *

(born 1945) poet, also lives in Reykjavík, Iceland *

Terje Venaas Terje Venaas (30 March 1947 – April 2025) was a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass), known from dozens of recordings and a number of international collaborations. Life and career Venaas started playing music within several local bands in ...

(born 1947) a Norwegian jazz musician (upright bass) *

(born 1949) a Norwegian novelist, dramatist, lyricist and psalmist *

(born 1960) a Norwegian writer, musician and economist; grew up in Molde * Arne Nøst (born 1962) a Norwegian graphic artist and theatre director * John Arne Sæterøy (born 1965) pen name ''

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece is featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Med ...

'', cartoonist of silent animal characters * Ann-Helen Moen (born 1969) a Norwegian lyric soprano *

Paal Nilssen-Love Paal Nilssen-Love (born 24 December 1974) is a Norwegian drummer and composer in the jazz, free jazz and free improvisation genres. (in Norwegian) Early life Nilssen-Love was born in Molde, Norway. His parents ran a jazz club in Stavanger, and h ...

(born 1974) a Norwegian drummer and composer in jazz and free improvisation *

Ane Brun Ane Brun (; born Ane Brunvoll on 10 March 1976) is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist of Sami people, Sami origin who sings primarily in English. Since 2003, she has released eleven studio albums, six live albums, five compilations, o ...

(born 1976) a Norwegian songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist of Sami origin *

Ola Kvernberg Ola Kvernberg (born 16 June 1981) is a Norwegian jazz musician known for his virtuosic string swing violin playing and his international performances. He is the son of traditional musicians Liv Rypdal Kvernberg and Torbjørn Kvernberg, and the br ...

(born 1981) a jazz violinist *

Daniel Herskedal Daniel Herskedal (born 2 April 1982) is a Norwegian jazz tubist. He is regarded as one of the most talented jazz tubists in Norway. Career Herskedal started playing the French horn as a boy, then later took up the tuba. He started formal studi ...

(born 1982) a Norwegian jazz tuba player *

Hayden Powell Hayden James Richard Powell (born 25 September 1983 in England) is a jazz trumpeter and composer based in Oslo, Norway. Powell is English, but moved to Norway as a child and grew up in Molde. He has collaborated with numerous musicians including ...

(born 1983) a jazz trumpeter and composer, grew up in Molde *

Mari Kvien Brunvoll Mari Kvien Brunvoll (born 20 February 1984 in Molde, Norway) is a Norwegian folk and jazz singer who has attracted attention at festivals internationally with her solo concept, where the voice is complemented by small electronic and acoustic in ...

(born 1984) a Norwegian folk and jazz singer *

Linnéa Myhre Linnéa Solli Myhre (born 16 April 1990) is a Norwegian author and blogger. Her blog was among the country's most read with daily visits by over 30,000 unique readers. In 2011 she was named the best blogger of the year during the Vixen Blog Award ...

(born 1990) a Norwegian author and blogger *

Tuva Halse Tuva Halse (born 1999 in Molde, Norway) is an instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and arranger known for her lyrical jazz improvisations on violin, her refined melodic compositions, and as a founding member of the Fjordgata Records label. Biog ...

(born 1999) a Norwegian violinist, keyboard player, vocalist and composer

Sport

2017 Audi FIS Ski Weltcup Garmisch-Partenkirchen Damen - Ragnhild Mowinckel - by 2eight - 8SC8228

* Otto Berg (1906–1991) a long jumper, competed at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

Arne Legernes Arne Legernes (18 May 1931 – 14 August 2022) was a Norwegian footballer, who played as a midfielder. He played for Molde, making his senior debut in 1948. His brothers Odd, Bjørn and Tore also played for the club. Because of electrical engi ...

(born 1931) a retired Norwegian footballer with 41 caps for

Einar Halle Einar Halle (born 29 December 1943) is a Norwegian former football referee who also represented Molde FK as a player. He officiated 187 matches in Tippeligaen, in addition to 130 matches as a UEFA referee. He has later been a referee observer. ...

(born 1943) a Norwegian former UEFA football referee and referee observer * Harry Hestad (born 1944) a former footballer and coach with 412 club caps and 31 for

Jan Fuglset Jan Fuglset (born 1 October 1945) is a Norway, Norwegian former professional association football, football player. Fuglset is known as one of the Eliteserien#Most goals scored, leading goal-scorers in the Eliteserien, Norwegian top division with ...

(born 1945) a former footballer with over 288 club caps and 20 for

Ingolf Mork Ingolf Mork (4 June 1947 – 1 February 2012) was a Norwegian ski jumper who was born in Molde, and represented IL Hjelset-Fram and SFK Lyn in Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a count ...

(1947–2012) ski jumper, winner of

Four Hills Tournament The Four Hills Tournament () or the German-Austrian Ski Jumping Week () is a ski jumping event composed of four World Cup events and has taken place in Germany and Austria each year since 1953. With few exceptions, it has consisted of the ski ju ...

1971/72 *

Arild Monsen Arild Monsen (born 5 April 1962) is a former Norwegian cross-country skier who competed at international level from 1982 to 1989. He won the 4 × 10 km gold at the 1985 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships The FIS Nordic World Ski Championsh ...

(born 1962) cross-country skier, World Champion 1985 *

Kjetil Rekdal Kjetil André Rekdal (born 6 November 1968) is a Norwegian football manager and a former player. He is the manager of Norwegian club Aalesund. Rekdal began his playing career in Molde FK, playing afterwards for clubs in the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 ...

(born 1968) a football manager and a former player with 484 club caps and 83 for

Trond Strande Trond Strande (born 24 November 1970) is a Norwegian football coach and former player who is assistant coach in Eliteserien club Molde. He spent his entire career playing for Molde FK and was a regular on Molde's team from 1991 to 2007. Club ca ...

(born 1970) a former footballer with 275 caps with

* Petter Rudi (born 1973) a retired footballer with 350 club caps and 46 for

* Mette Solli (born 1974) a Norwegian kickboxer, World Champion 2001, 2004, 2007 * Andrine Flemmen (born 1974) a retired giant slalom alpine skier, won three World Cup races *

Kurt Asle Arvesen Kurt Asle Arvesen (born 9 February 1975) is a Norway, Norwegian former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional between 1998 and 2011. Arvesen is from Eresfjord, Nesset Municipality, Nesset. He won the Norwegian National Roa ...

(born 1975) a Norwegian former professional road bicycle racer * Daniel Berg Hestad (born 1975) a football manager and a former player with 557 club caps *

John Arne Riise John Arne Semundseth Riise (born 24 September 1980) is a Norwegian former professional Association football, footballer and Manager (association football), coach. With 110 caps, Riise is the most capped player for the Norway national football te ...

(born 1980) a former footballer with 546 club caps and 110 for Norway * Christian Gauseth (born 1984) a Norwegian footballer with over 320 club caps *

Johan Remen Evensen Johan Remen Evensen (born 16 September 1985) is a Norwegian former ski jumper. He is a two-time world record holder in ski flying, achieving his peak distance of in 2011. A late bloomer, Evensen made his World Cup debut during the 2008/09 sea ...

(born 1985)

ski jumper Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the fin ...

, former world record-holder in

ski flying Ski flying is a winter sport discipline derived from ski jumping, in which much greater distances can be achieved. It is a form of competitive individual sport, individual Nordic skiing where athletes descend at high speed along a specially de ...

Magnus Wolff Eikrem Magnus Wolff Eikrem (born 8 August 1990) is a Norwegian professional association football, footballer who plays for Molde FK in Eliteserien. His regular playing position is in Midfielder#Attacking midfielder, attacking midfield, though he can pla ...

(born 1990) footballer with over 220 club caps and 17 for

Ragnhild Mowinckel Ragnhild Mowinckel (born 12 September 1992) is a retired Norwegian World Cup alpine ski racer, representing the club SK Rival. Career Born in Molde, Møre og Romsdal, Mowinckel won the gold medal at the Junior World Championships in 2012 in t ...

(born 1992)

alpine skier Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether ...

, twice silver medallist at the

2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...

Ada Hegerberg Ada Martine Stolsmo Hegerberg (born 10 July 1995) is a Norwegian professional Women's association football, footballer who plays as a striker (association football), striker for the Première Ligue club Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, Lyon and the ...

(born 1995) a footballer with over 220 club caps and 80 for

References

External links

Municipal fact sheet
from

Statistics Norway Statistics Norway (, abbreviated to ''SSB'') is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876. Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All rele ...

Tourist information

Molde University college

Molde International Jazz Festival

Romsdals Budstikke

Molde F.K.

VS Molde Futsal

Molde Sports Association

Molde and the Molde Panorama

{{Authority control Molde Cities and towns in Norway Populated places in Møre og Romsdal 1742 establishments in Norway Populated places established in 1742