Sarpsborg

Sarpsborg [ˈsɑ̀ʂ.bɔr] or [ˈsɑ̀rps.bɔrg], historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Viken county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sarpsborg.

Sarpsborg kommune
Municipality
Parts of Sarpsborg
Coat of arms
Viken within
Norway
Sarpsborg within Viken
Coordinates: 59°17′09″N 11°06′43″E
CountryNorway
CountyViken
Administrative centreSarpsborg
Government
 • Mayor (2011)Sindre Martinsen-Evje (Ap)
Area
 • Total406 km2 (157 sq mi)
 • Land370 km2 (140 sq mi)
Area rank238 in Norway
Population
 (30 September 2019)
 • Total56,559
 • Rank13 in Norway
 • Density134/km2 (350/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
6.6%
Demonym(s)Sarping[1]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-3003
Official language formBokmål[2]
Websitewww.sarpsborg.com
Data from Statistics Norway

Sarpsborg is part of the fifth largest urban area in Norway when paired with neighbouring Fredrikstad. As of 1 January 2018, according to Statistics Norway these two municipalities have a total population of 136,127 with 55,840 in Sarpsborg and 81,278 in Fredrikstad.[3]

Borregaard Industries is, and always has been, the most important industry in the city. The city is also the home of Borg Bryggerier, part of the Hansa Borg Bryggerier, which is Norway's second largest brewery-group.

General information

Name

In Norse times the city was just called Borg (from borg which means "castle"). The background for this was the fortification built by Olav Haraldsson (see History section). Later the genitive case of the name of the waterfall Sarpr (Sarp Falls) was added.

In Norse times Østfold county was called Borgarsýsla which means "the county (sýsla) of Borg" and the law district of southeast Norway was called Borgarþing meaning "the thing/court of Borg".

The old name has been revived in the diocese of Borg (1968) and Borgarting Court of Appeal (1995).

Coat of arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times and was granted on 13 November 1991. It is based on a coat of arms dating from 1556 and shows a bear above a castle. The bear was introduced as early as some time in the 13th century, by the earl of Sarpsborg (Comes de Saresburgh), Alv Erlingsson. He used the bear to symbolise his strength. The castle symbolises the fortress (borg) that gave the city its original name.[4]

History

The city was founded as Borg by the Viking King Olav Haraldsson (Saint Olaf) in 1016. It was burned to the ground by Swedish invaders in 1567 during the Northern Seven Years' War. Half the population was evacuated down the river to what is today known as Fredrikstad, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) downstream.

Much of the rebuilt town disappeared into the river Glomma during a 1702 mudslide. Again Borg was rebuilt, and it was recreated as a city in 1839, and separated from Tune as a municipality of its own.

The rural municipalities of Tune, Skjeberg, and Varteig were merged with the city on 1 January 1992. The population is steadily growing, and during the summer of 2005 it reached 50,000 inhabitants.

In 2016 the town celebrated its 1,000th anniversary, and the entire year was commemorated by a special programme that encouraged historic preservation within the town.[5]

Number of minorities (1st and 2nd generation) in Sarpsborg by country of origin in 2020[6]
Ancestry Number
 Poland1,585
 Iraq1,323
 Bosnia-Herzegovina1,098
 Kosovo796
 Somalia679
 Sweden467
 Syria451
 Iran363
 Afghanistan357
 Vietnam303
 Lithuania271
 Philippines250
 Thailand230
 Pakistan193
 Denmark164
Downtown Sarpsborg (Roald Amundsens Gate)

City districts

Sport

During the 1950s and 1960s, Sarpsborg was famous for its football (soccer) team, Sarpsborg FK, but is now more known for its ice hockey team, Sparta Warriors. In football, Sarpsborg 08 FF has taken over the local throne, currently playing at the highest national level. On 6 November 2009, they sent arch-rival FFK down from the top division in a play-off game in Fredrikstad stadion. Sarpsborg 08 has a women's football team that was promoted to the women's Division 1 at the end of 2011, at the same time as the club's under-19 girls reached the Junior Cup Final. Sarpsborg BK plays in the highest bandy division.

Sarpsborg is famous for its two elite leagues teams in floorball, Sarpsborg IBK and Greåker IBK.

Musical artists and bands

Notable residents

Harald Dahl, father of the British writer Roald Dahl, also came from Sarpsborg.

Sport

Twin towns - Sister cities

Sarpsborg has several sister cities:[7]

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. "Population 1 January and population changes until now this year. The whole country, counties and municipalities". Statistics Norway. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  4. "Vedtak om bruk av byvåpenet i den nye kommunen" (in Norwegian). Sarpsborg. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  5. "Sarpsborg 1016-2016".
  6. "Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by immigration category, country background and percentages of the population". ssb.no. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. "Vennskapsbyer" (in Norwegian). Sarpsborg kommune. Archived from the original on 2012-02-14. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  8. "::Bethlehem Municipality::". www.bethlehem-city.org. Archived from the original on 2010-07-24. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
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