Stavanger, Norway
Phonetic Pronunciation: Stah-vain-grr (I was way off on this one)
Population: Norway's 4th largest city with 127,506 residents
Location: The city rests on the Stavanger peninsula in southwest Norway, residents are able to look up and see the waters of Hafrsfjorden and Gandesiforden (this one I can see from my house!)Weather: Due it's coastal location, Stavanger is known for fairly mild weather year round. In the summer, temperatures rarely go higher than 17 degrees Celsius (that's 62 degrees Fahrenheit). During winter time the temperature can dip to 4 degrees Celsius (that's a warm 40 degrees Fahrenheit). My friends said this past winter they got very little snow but they did have some spectacular wind storms, which I have no difficulty believing as it has been very windy here. Since I have been here, it's ranged from 10-15 degrees Celsius. There has been quite a bit of rain (which I love!) and a decent amount of sun. I don't mind the sun though, because not only does it still stay fairly cool even when it's shining down, it's also not humid, and that is just beyond fabulous!
History to Today: Stavanger can be found in books of history dating back more than 1000 years, with entries noting the "fierce independence" of the Vikings who lived there and the unavoidable fights that came with that spirit. Once the Viking era died out, the city was no more than a quiet fishing village and held very little influence in the country for many years. In the 19th century the city experienced an influx of herring in it's waters which put them back on the map (figuratively) and, for a time, a fishing and canning industry proved very beneficial to it's residents. In the 1960s, oil was discovered off of the coast and it's influence on Stavanger continues today. According to visitnorway.com, Stavanger is the oil and energy capital of Europe, and it is the main source of income for the majority of the city residents.
Celebrations of History: There are many unique and special places that Stavanger holds claim to, and I'm sure that even after a month here I will not have seen everything. But in the few days I have been able to explore I was able to visit a few spots that tend to always come up whenever the city is mentioned....
Gamle Stavanger (Old Stavanger): If you're heading towards the south/southwest part of the city
center, you will find yourself walking along lamppost dotted cobblestone streets that meander in, out, around and between quaint white-washed wooden houses and flowers of every color. Totaling 156 in all, these homes are some of the oldest known wooden buildings in the world, and today are evenly mixed between family homes and commercial storefronts. Walking through this area, trying to imagine the people who lived in these houses from the time they were built, was really fun - almost magical. It was like I opened the cover of a book and stepped in through it's pages to experience a secret part of history.
Valbergtarnet (Fire lookout tower): Built high on a hill in the year 1850, this lookout came to be after a series of fires caused serious loss and suffering to the inhabitants of the city. According to one source, a 1684 fire left the city so damaged that the choice was almost made not to rebuild. That did not happen (obviously) and after it's construction, guards stood watch for fires and other "suspicious activity" until 1922. This place I did not set out to see, rather I stumbled across this place by accident - I got lost trying to find something else in the city. There is a small museum inside today, but museums aren't typically my thing so I didn't go in.
Domkirken (Stavanger Cathedral): Stavanger has the honor of being home to the country's oldest cathedral. Finished sometime between 1100-1150 (my sources vary on this one), we owe it's creation to the Reinald, an Englishman and first bishop of Stavanger who was given permission and funds from King Sigurd Jorsalfar to build this great structure. It suffered serious damage after a fire in 1272 but was rebuilt, and further restoration efforts took place in 1860 and 1940. Today, the church is a unique mixture of Gothic, baroque, Romanesque and Anglo Norman influence. Unfortunately for me, the church is undergoing some repairs once again and the inside is closed to visitors until September 2015. However, just standing in front of those solid doors and walking around those great stone walls is enough to fill one with wonder and awe.
Sverd i fjell (Swords in the Rock): Built in 1983 under the eye of King Olav, this monument was created to honor Harald Harfagre and the battle he fought in 872 AD that ended with Norway being united into one kingdom. Three swords were built, with the tallest meant to honor Harald Hargagre himself, and the other two to symbolize the other fallen kings. Together they stand for peace, unity and freedom. The swords aren't quite as tall I'd envisioned them to be, but they still have a very strong presence and are cool to walk through and touch. There is a parking area right next to Sverd i fjell, that my friend drove us to for a really cool walk around the coast, but it also is close enough that I could bike there if I so desired.
What the Guidebooks Don't Tell You: I remember being surprised by just how windy Maine was when I first moved there, but compared to Stavanger, Maine really just has a light breeze. But it
Just a note: All the photos in this post are courtesy of the internet, as I'm still trying to figure out a way to get my pictures from my camera to my friends computer.
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