Levanger is a

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 go ...

Trøndelag Trøndelag (; sma, Trööndelage) is a county in the central part of Norway. It was created in 1687, then named Trondhjem County ( no, Trondhjems Amt); in 1804 the county was split into Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag by the King of Denmar ...

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers 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 country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. It is part of the district of

Innherred Innherred or Innherad is a Districts of Norway, traditional district in Trøndelag county in the central part of Norway. It consists of the areas around the inner part of the Trondheimsfjord in the central-east part of the county. The district incl ...

. The

administrative centre An administrative center 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 administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...

of the municipality is the town of Levanger. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include

Alstadhaug Alstadhaug is a parish and small village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The name, which can be traced back to prehistoric times, is derived from the farm of Alstadhaug, located next to the Alstadhaug Church. The far ...

Ekne Ekne is a village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located west of the village of Skogn and about southwest of the Levanger (town), town of Levanger. The lakes Sønningen and Byavatnet lie south of the villag ...

Hokstad Hokstad is a small village and ferry quay on the island of Ytterøya in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory ...

Markabygd Markabygd or Markabygda is a village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the northeast side of the lake Movatnet, about south of the town of Levanger. Markabygda Church is located here, and there is al ...

Momarka Momarka is a village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located just south of the town of Levanger. The Nordlandsbanen railway line and the European route E6 European route E6 ( no, Europavei 6, sv, Europavä ...

Frol Frol is a former municipality in the old Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1856 until its dissolution in 1962. The municipality was first known as ''Levanger landsogn'' and then in 1911 the name was changed to ''Fro ...

Mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two pos ...

Nesset Nesset is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway on the Romsdal Peninsula. The administrative centre was the village of Eidsvåg. Other population centers included Rausand, Boggestranda, Myklebostad, Eresfjord, and Eikesdalen ...

Okkenhaug Okkenhaug is a village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located just north of the Levangselva river, about east of the town of Levanger. Okkenhaug Church is located here and the historic ruins of the Munkeby ...

Ronglan Ronglan is a village in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located southwest of the village of Skogn and southeast of the village of Ekne. The European route E6 highway goes through the village. The Nordlandsbanen ...

Skogn Skogn is a village in Levanger municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located on the eastern shore of the Trondheimsfjorden, about southwest of the town of Levanger. The European route E06 highway runs through the village ...

, and

Åsen Åsen is a village in Levanger municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located between the lakes Hammervatnet Hammervatnet is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies on the north s ...

. The town of Levanger lies at the mouth of the

Levangselva Levangselva or Levangerelva is a river that flows through the area of Frol in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It flows into the Trondheimsfjord in the town of Levanger. The river has Atlantic salmon and trout. The Ha ...

river along the

Trondheimsfjord The Trondheim Fjord or Trondheimsfjorden (), an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third-longest fjord at long. It is located in the west-central part of the country in Trøndelag county, and it stretches from the municipality of Ørland in ...

. One of the main roads through the town is Kirkegata. The town has a population (6 October 2020) of 10,333. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

is . The town has held "town status" as of 1997 and houses a campus of the

Nord University Nord University ( no, Nord universitet; sma, Noerhte universitete; smj, Nuortta universitiehtta) is a state university in the Nordland and Trøndelag counties of Norway. The university has 11,000 students at study locations in Northern and Cent ...

as of 2016. Levanger is a member of the Italian initiative,

Cittaslow Cittaslow is an organisation founded in Italy and inspired by the slow food movement. Cittaslow's goals include improving the quality of life in towns by slowing down its overall pace, especially in a city's use of spaces and the flow of life a ...

, for ''slow towns'' that don't adopt a "fast-lane" approach that is so common in most modern towns. The municipality is the 174th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Levanger is the 62nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 20,171. The municipality's

is and its population has increased by 6.6% over the previous 10-year period.

General information

The kjøpstad of Levanger 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 January ...

law). In 1856, the ''kjøpstad'' (market town) of Levanger (population: 1,017) and the rural areas surrounding the town (population: 2,290) were separated and the rural area became the rural municipality of

Levanger landsogn Frol is a former municipality in the old Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1856 until its dissolution in 1962. The municipality was first known as ''Levanger landsogn'' and then in 1911 the name was changed to ''Fr ...

(the name was later changed to ''Frol''). On 13 November 1951, a small area of

(population: 51) was transferred to the town of Levanger. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the

Schei Committee The Schei Committee ( no, Schei-komitéen) was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II. It convened in 1946, and its formal name was (The 1946 Committee on Municip ...

. On 1 January 1962, the town of Levanger (population: 1,669) was merged with the neighboring municipalities of

(population: 3,774),

(population: 1,939), and

(population: 4,756) to form a new, larger municipality called Levanger. Then, on 1 January 1964, the island municipality of

Ytterøy Ytterøy is a former municipality in the old Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. Originally, it was a large municipality that encompassed the island of Ytterøya and parts of the main ...

was merged with the newly enlarged municipality of Levanger. Before the merger, Levanger had 12,281 residents, and Ytterøy added 772 to bring the municipality to a population of 13,053. On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old

Nord-Trøndelag Nord-Trøndelag (; "North Trøndelag") was a county constituting the northern part of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. The county was established in 1804 when the old Trondhjems amt was divided into two: Nordre Trondhjems amt and S ...

county to the new

county.

Name

The municipality (originally the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

) is named after the old ''Levanger'' farm (

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

: ''Lifangr''), since the first church was built there. The first element is "Lif" old Norse for "lun" (sheltered) and the last element is ''angr'' which means "

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, Ice ...

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

was granted on 25 November 1960 as the arms of the town of Levanger. The arms show a gold-colored horse on a red background. The

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

is a symbol for the town as a major trading center between

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 country located on ...

and Norway for many centuries. The arms did not change after the addition of the other municipalities (they had no arms when they were merged with Levanger). Alstadhaug kirke 002

Churches

The

Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...

has seven parishes () within the municipality of Levanger. It is part of the

Sør-Innherad prosti This list of churches in Nidaros is a list of the Church of Norway churches in the Diocese of Nidaros which covers all of Trøndelag county in Norway. The list is divided into several sections, one for each deanery in the diocese. Administrati ...

(

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman 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 residenc ...

) in the

Diocese of Nidaros Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Trøndelag county in Central Norway and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. Since 10 September 2017, the Bishop of Nidaros is Herborg ...

History

Levanger can probably be traced back to the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

, and with certainty back to 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 Ger ...

. Alvshaugen (from the

word ''haugr'' meaning mound) is a large burial mound located in the middle of the cemetery at

Alstadhaug Church Alstadhaug Church ( no, Alstadhaug kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in the village of Alstadhaug, in Levanger municipality in Trøndelag county. It is the church for the Alstadhaug parish, which is part of the Stiklestad prosti ...

. The burial mound has been dated to 300–600 CE. It is about in diameter, and about tall. The name "Levanger" is listed in Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu. The historic town site was located in a place somewhat different from the current town center, probably in relation to the ''Halsstein bygdeborg'' (

hill fort A hillfort is a type of earthwork used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze Age or Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roma ...

). In the

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

, the area now part of the municipality of Levanger was part of the county of Skeyna in the traditional district of

. The county was ruled by

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

s who resided at the manor of Geite, situated on a hill nearby the present town. The county was divided into six parishes:

, Levanger,

, and

Leksvik Leksvik is a former municipality in the old Nord-Trøndelag county (now in Trøndelag county), Norway. The administrative center of the municipality was the village of Leksvik. Other villages in Leksvik included Vanvikan, Seter, and Dalbygda. ...

. The county church was located in Alstadhaug, which also contained the '' fylking'', while Levanger was the main port and

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

. Not much is known about the earls of Skeyna, as few documents still exist that document their existence. The

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

and the Danish occupation of Norway in 1537 caused the

Norwegian nobility Aristocracy of Norway refers to Modern history, modern and Medieval Ages, medieval Aristocracy (class), aristocracy in Norway. Additionally, there have been economical, political, and military elites thatrelating to the main lines of History of N ...

to disintegrate, and the last earl was most likely executed during the Reformation. The Danish rulers united Skeyna with four other counties in Innherred, creating the county of Steinvikholm. Later, the Levanger area was part of '' Trondhjems amt'' which was later divided in '' Nordre Trondhjems amt''. That was later renamed

fylke. On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the old

county to the new

county.

Town

Sverres gate i Levanger mot jernbanestasjonen

The

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 ori ...

of Levanger was founded by King

Charles XIV John of Sweden sv, Karl Johan Baptist Julius , spouse = , issue = Oscar I of Sweden , house = Bernadotte , father = Henri Bernadotte , mother = Jeanne de Saint-Jean , birth_date = , birth_place = Pau, ...

on 18 May 1836, on the site where the village of Levanger already existed. The village had expanded from the traditional winter

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...

, known as the ''marsimartnan'' (lit. ''the St. Marcus Market of Levanger''), dating back to the 13th century. In October 1836, as the town's borders set,

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

Mons Lie Mons Lie (15 February 1757 – 2 August 1827) was a Norwegian police chief and writer. He was born in Ålen as a son of Jonas Monsen Storli (1715–1791) and Karen Svendsdotter Aspaas (born 1717). His mother was a first cousin of Svend Aspaas ...

proposed that "the town shall bear the name of ''Carlslevanger'', so the name of this ancient soil can be united with that of the new town's glorious founder". Despite the suggestion's being refused, the town protocols spoke of ''Carlslevanger Stad'' instead of ''Kjøpstaden Levanger'' until 1838. In 1838, the

law classified this town as a '' ladested'' or port town. The inhabitants of Levanger were not prepared for becoming a town, and so it took a long time before the town was constituted. In these early days the town was ruled by the Foged (Royal rural administrator). At that time there were already established a trade organization, "Levangerpatrisiatet", from 1695, based on the market. But only citizens of

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...

could be members, until Levanger became a town in its own right. In 1839, the first

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

of the town was established, and in the following years several new trades and craftsmen settled in the town. In 1841, the first official elections were held, and Hans Nicolai Grønn was elected the first mayor of the town. Two years later, the town got its first water-pipe system, its first two primitive street lamps and a town hall. The fire-security report of 1844 clearly confirmed the great risk of disastrous fire in the town's narrow lanes; all houses were wooden houses. Therefore, the mayor hired Major Johannes Mathias Sejersted (1797-1886) to make a general report and draw up a new regulation plan, showing Levanger as a more "continental" town. And already in 1846, two years later the town was nearly totally ruined by a great fire. Sejersted's regulation plan was used when the town was rebuilt. Levanger was damaged by two great fires after that time, in 1877 and 1897, but each time the town has been rebuilt as a wooden town, and still today most houses are wooden houses. Throughout the 19th century, the famous market's economical importance faded out, and the ancient arrangement was reduced to a tradition without much content. That was the end of Levanger as an important port of foreign trade between Sweden and Norway. However, in the early 20th century, the town of Levanger was pleased by new establishments such as county hospital and college of education. The German occupation in 1940 was the beginning of a 40-year-long "

interregnum An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...

" of the traditional "Marsimartnan". In 1961, the town of Levanger decided to merge with its neighbors. On 1 January 1962,

, and

were merged with Levanger, and at the same time, it lost its "town status". The municipality of

was merged with Levanger two years later. Over thirty years later, in 1997, as a result of the resurrection of the "Marsimartnan" in 1989, the town of Levanger was re-established, though the town still is part of Levanger municipality. But the center of administration is to be found in the town of Levanger, which is also, in historical terms, the administrative basis for the municipality. And Levanger's town traditions and culture go way back. The town is laid out according to an urban and regulated plot with proper streets such as Kirkegata. It's more than just a town hall and a city square. In fact, Levanger's always been a town, though not always officially, and every inhabitant in the town area carries this piece of knowledge with pride. Thus there does exist a sense of distinction between town people and the people from the countryside. In 2002, Levanger joined the

movement, although there have been some violations of the Cittaslow charter, of which can be mentioned the construction of the unharmonic new mini mall in Sjøgata, down by the seaside. This mini mall includes two grocery stores and several electrical appliances stores .

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Levanger, are responsible for

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

(through 10th grade), outpatient health services,

senior citizen Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...

services,

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for Work (human activity), w ...

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. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...

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

economic development In the economics study of the public sector, 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 o ...

, and municipal

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

s. 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, rural counci ...

of elected representatives, which in turn elect a

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a 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 responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

. The municipality falls under the

Trøndelag District Court Trøndelag District Court ( no, Trøndelag tingrett) is a district court located in Trøndelag county, Norway. This court is based at four different courthouses which are located in Brekstad, Namsos, Steinkjer, and Trondheim. The court serves the ...

and the

Frostating Court of Appeal The Frostating Court of Appeal ( no, Frostating lagmannsrett) 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 ...

Municipal council

The

() of Levanger is made up of 35 representatives that are elected every four years. The

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...

breakdown of the council is as follows:

Mayors

Since the municipal merger in 1961 that created the present municipality of Levanger, there have been several people who have served as mayor.

Economy

The world's largest paper-producing company,

Norske Skog Norske Skog ASA, formerly Norske Skogindustrier ASA, which translates as ''Norwegian Forest Industries'', is a Norwegian pulp and paper company established in 1962. The company has long been one of the world's leading manufacturers of newsprint ...

, built its first ever factory in

, south of the town of Levanger. This factory started production in 1966, is working today, and it provides 530 jobs at the plant, and an additional 1,900 jobs in transportation and

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

. Levanger encompasses some of the best agricultural areas in

. The

Fiborgtangen Fiborgtangen is a peninsula and industrial site located along Trondheimsfjord in the northwest part of the village of Skogn in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The site hosts the paper mill Norske Skog Skogn and the asso ...

industrial area is located in

and has freight access to the

Nordland Line The Nordland Line ( no, Nordlandsbanen, ) is a railway line between Trondheim and Bodø, Norway. It is the longest in Norway and lacks electrification. The route runs through the counties of Trøndelag (formerly Sør-Trøndelag and Nord-Trønd ...

. Most of the town's commercial area is concentrated around the main street, called Kirkegata (Church Street), and in more recent years around the shopping mall Magneten, located at the suburban area of Moan. Magneten has since its beginning faced rapid growth, and several stores earlier located in Kirkegata have now moved to Moan and/or Magneten. The Inntrøndelag District Court is also located in the town. The Levanger Hospital and the

also are major employers in the municipality.

Transportation

The main street of the town of Levanger has roads connecting to the E6 highway at both ends and the

Norwegian County Road 774 Norwegian County Road 774 ( no, Fylkesvei 774) is a long Norwegian county road, county road in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It begins at the junction with the European route E06 highway at the village of Mule, Nor ...

at the north end which connects to the

Levanger–Hokstad Ferry The Levanger–Hokstad Ferry is an automobile ferry on Norwegian County Road 774 that connects the island of Ytterøya to the town of Levanger on the mainland of Levanger municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The long passage on Trondheimsf ...

, which regularly runs between the town of Levanger and the island of

Ytterøya Ytterøya is an island in the Trondheimsfjord in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag Trøndelag (; sma, Trööndelage) is a county in the central part of Norway. It was created in 1687, then named Trondhjem County ( no, Trondhjems Amt) ...

in the

. The

runs to the north through the municipality. It stops at the following stations:

Åsen Station Åsen Station ( no, Åsen stasjon) is a railway station located in the village of Åsen in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordland Line. The station is served hourly by SJ Norge's Trøndelag Commu ...

, HiNT Station,

Ronglan Station Ronglan Station ( no, Ronglan stasjon) is a railway station located in the village of Ronglan in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordland Line. The station is served irregularly by the Trøndelag Co ...

Skogn Station Skogn Station ( no, Skogn stasjon) is a railway station located in the village of Skogn in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located on the Nordland Line railway line. The station is served hourly by the Trøndelag ...

, and

Levanger Station Levanger Station ( no, Levanger stasjon) is a railway station located in the centre of the town of Levanger in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located along the Nordland Line. The station serves both loc ...

. The train used to stop at Levanger Hospital at the

Innherred Sykehus Station Sykehuset Levanger Station ( no, Sykehuset Levanger holdeplass), previously Innherred Sykehus Station (), was a railway station located in the town of Levanger in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It was located on the No ...

, but that station is now closed.

Geography

The municipality is located in the

region of

county. It lies on the eastern shore of the

and it includes the island of

. There are many lakes in the municipality, including

Byavatnet Byavatnet is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located about south of the village of Ekne and about west of the village of Ronglan. The lake Hammervatnet lies about south of Byavatnet and the lake S ...

Feren Feren or Færen is a lake in the municipality of Meråker in Trøndelag county, Norway. A small part in the northwestern corner of the lake extends into the municipalities of Stjørdal, Levanger, and Verdal at the outlet into the river Forra. Th ...

Hammervatnet Hammervatnet is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies on the north side of the village of Åsen. The European route E6 highway runs along the eastern tip of the lake. The nearby lake Hoklingen flo ...

Hoklingen Hoklingen is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies just to the east of the village of Åsen and about south of the village of Skogn. The lake Movatnet is the main inflow of water into Hoklingen. T ...

Movatnet Movatnet is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies immediately to the east of the lake Hoklingen and just to the west of the village of Markabygd. See also *List of lakes in Norway This is a li ...

, and

Sønningen Sønningen is a lake in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies about southwest of the village of Ekne, about west of the lake Byavatnet, and about southeast of the shore of the Trondheimsfjorden. See also *L ...

. The

river runs through the municipality. The

Rinnleiret Rinnleiret is an area on the border of the municipalities of Levanger and Verdal in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is partially a nature reserve and it contains one of the county's largest beaches. Also located in the area is a former Royal Norwe ...

beach area lies on the Levanger–

Verdal Verdal is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Verdalsøra. Some villages in the municipality include Forbregd/Lein, Lysthaugen, Stiklest ...

border.

Attractions

* Alvshaugen

burial mound Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...

at Alstadhaug * Alstadhaug Medieval church (next to Alvshaugen burial mound) * Brusve Museum * Falstad Center *

Falstad concentration camp '', '' no, Falstad fangeleir'', construction=1895-1910 Falstad concentration camp (Norwegian: ''Falstad fangeleir'', German: ''SS-Strafgefangenenlager Falstad'') was situated in the village of Ekne in what was the municipality of Skogn (now in the ...

* Fenka art gallery * Hveding Auto Museum *

Munkeby Abbey Munkeby Abbey ( no, Munkeby kloster) was a Cistercian monastery near the village of Okkenhaug in the municipality of Levanger in Trøndelag county, Norway. It was located about east of the town of Levanger. The name "Munkeby" in Norwegian means ...

ruins * Halsteinen hillfort * The Iron to Viking Age gravemounds at Gjeite

Notable people

Oluf Christian Dietrichson, norwegian polar explorer

Public service and public thinking

Frederik Heidmann Frederik Heidmann (27 July 1777 – 17 October 1850) was a Norwegian military officer, civil servant and politician. Biography Frederik Hartvig Johan Heidmann was born at Skogn (now Levanger) in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. He was the son of Lorent ...

(1777 in Skogn – 1850) military officer, civil servant and politician * Oluf Christian Dietrichson (1856 in Skogn – 1942) a polar explorer and military officer * Peter August Poppe (1870 in Skogn – 1933) an engineer, designer and developer of engines and complete motor vehicles for the British motor industry *

Arne Falstad Arne Falstad (1 May 1874 – 27 November 1958) was a Norwegian attorney, banker and politician for the Conservative Party. He was born at Skjerpengen in Skogn as a son of banker Peder Falstad (1842–1921) and his wife Oline Kathrine Sæther (18 ...

(1874 at Skjerpengen – 1958) attorney, banker and Mayor of Levanger in 1930's *

Albert Fredrik Eggen Albert Fredrik Eggen (29 September 1878 – 1966) was a Norwegian farmer and politician for the Liberal Party. He was born at Østborg in Levanger landsogn as a son of farmer and petty officer Martin Gunerius Eggen (1839–1917) and his wife Kare ...

(1878 at Østborg – 1966) farmer, politician, pre-WWII Mayor of Stod * Helge Klæstad (1885–1965) a Norwegian judge, a

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

Justice 1929-1946 *

Bjarne Skard Bjarne Skard (23 December 1896 – 28 July 1961) was a Norwegian bishop. Personal life He was born in Levanger as a son of educators Matias Skard (1846–1927) and Gyda Christensen (1868–1916). The family moved to Kristiansand in 1901. He wa ...

(1896 in Levanger – 1961) Bishop of Tunsberg; put carrots in his beard *

Erling Gjone Erling Gjone (8 May 1898 – 10 October 1990) was a Norwegian architectural historian and antiquarian. Gjone made significant contributions to the preservation of medieval-era Norwegian buildings. He is most noted for his work with the res ...

(1898 in Levanger – 1990) an architectural historian and antiquarian *

Henry Rinnan Henry Oliver Rinnan (14 May 1915 – 1 February 1947) was a notorious Norwegian Gestapo agent in the area around Trondheim, Norway during World War II. Rinnan led a group called ''Sonderabteilung Lola''. This group, known as ''Rinnanbanden'' among ...

(1915 in Levanger – 1947) a Gestapo agent and Nazi collaborator *

Martin Stavrum Martin Stavrum (23 June 1938, Levanger Levanger is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the district of Innherred. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Levanger. Some of the notable villages in t ...

(born 1938) a politician, Mayor of Levanger 1996-1999 *

Erling Folkvord Erling Folkvord (born 15 June 1949) is a Norwegian politician for the Red party, and a former member of the Parliament of Norway. A revolutionary socialist, he was one of the leading members of the Workers' Communist Party and the Red Electora ...

(born 1949 in Levanger) a left wing politician and writer * Per Erik Bergsjø (born 1958 in Levanger) a

Justice from March 2012 *

Per Sandberg Per Sandberg (born 6 February 1960) is a Norwegian politician for the Capitalist Party and formerly the Progress Party who served as the Norwegian Minister of Fisheries from 2015 to 2018. Sandberg was a member of the Norwegian parliament from ...

(born 1960 in Levanger) a politician, stokes controversy

The Arts

* Martin Aagaard (1863 in Levanger – 1913) a Norwegian painter of marine paintings *

Benny Motzfeldt Benny Anette Motzfeldt (née Berg Nilssen; 26 June 190924 November 1995) was a Norwegian visual artist and glass designer and sculptor. Biography Benny Anette Berg Motzfeldt was born at Levanger in Trøndelag, Norway. She was a daughter of phy ...

(1909 in Levanger – 1995) a visual artist, glass designer and sculptor *

Jens Bolling Jens Bolling (23 June 1915 – 13 December 1992) was a Norwegian actor and theatre director. He was among the founders of Studioteatret, and a well-known interpreter of Norwegian fairy-tales. Early and personal life Bolling was born in Leva ...

(1915 in Levanger – 1992) a Norwegian actor and theatre director *

Sverre Valen Sverre Valen (9 May 1925 – 18 March 2023) was a Norwegian choir conductor. He founded and directed Sandefjord Girls Choir (Sandefjord Jentekor), Bel Canto-koret, the Valen Choir (Valen-koret) and Valens Solistensemble, many of which have won a ...

(born 1925 in Levanger) a Norwegian retired choir conductor * Eli Rygg (born 1955) a TV personality and children's writer, brought up in Levanger *

Frode Haltli Frode Haltli (born 15 May 1975 in Levanger), is a Norwegian accordion player. Biography Haltli started to play the accordion at the age of seven and over the following few years he won several national competitions and scholarships and was awa ...

(born 1975 in Levanger) a Norwegian accordion player

Sport

Einar Jørum Einar Jørum (16 June 1924 – 10 September 1997) was a Norwegian football player and leader. He was born in Åsen. He played for the clubs Rosenborg BK, Vålerenga Fotball, Bodø/Glimt and Bardufoss Bardufoss is a town and commercia ...

(1924 in Åsen – 1997) footballer and president of the

Football Association of Norway The Norwegian Football Federation ( nb, Norges Fotballforbund, nn, Noregs Fotballforbund; NFF) is the governing body of football in Norway. It was formed in 1902 and organises the men's and women's national teams, as well as the league systems f ...

1970-1980 *

Knut Knudsen Knut Knudsen (born 12 October 1950) is a retired Norwegian road and track cyclist. As an amateur, he placed fifth in the 4000m individual pursuit at the 1968 Olympics before becoming Olympic champion in the same discipline in 1972. He would foll ...

(born 1950) retired track-cyclist, gold medallist at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

* Sturla Voll, (Norwegian Wiki) (born 1954) a Norwegian soccer coach *

Marit Breivik Marit Breivik (born 10 April 1955) is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norway women's national handball team. As coach, she has led the team to victory in the 2008 Olympic tournament, the World Women's Handb ...

(born 1955 in Levanger), former handballer and head coach for the

national team A national sports team (commonly known as a national team or a national side) is a team that represents a nation, rather than a particular club or region, in an international sport. The term is most commonly associated with team sports, for exa ...

Tina Svensson Tina Svensson Grønlund (born 16 November 1966, in Levanger) is a former Norwegian footballer, world champion and Olympic medalist. She debuted for the Norwegian national team in 1990, and played 57 matches for the national team. She re ...

(born 1966 in Levanger) footballer, team bronze medallist at the

1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...

Stein Berg Johansen Stein Berg Johansen (born 10 June 1969) is a retired Norwegian football striker and current coach. He was born in Levanger, but grew up in Svolvær. He started his career in Svolvær IL and made his senior debut at the age of 18. In 1989, he tran ...

(born 1969 in Levanger) a retired Norwegian football striker and coach *

Jon Olav Hjelde Jon Olav Hjelde (born 30 July 1972) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a central defender. Career Born in Levanger, Hjelde began his career at his local team Vuku, which competed in the Norwegian Third Division. He jo ...

(born 1972 in Levanger) a former footballer with over 250 club caps * Trond Viggo Toresen (born 1978 in Levanger) a footballer with over 250 club caps *

Eldar Rønning Eldar Rønning (born 11 June 1982 in Levanger) is a Norwegian former cross-country skier. He skis with the Skogn IL club, in Nord-Trøndelag. Career In 2004/05, he achieved three podium finishes in World Cup Sprint events, including a win at R ...

(born 1982 in Levanger) a cross-country skier, competed in two

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...

Per Verner Rønning Per Verner Vågan Rønning (born 9 January 1983) is a former Norwegian footballer. He has previously played for Kongsvinger, AIK, Bodø/Glimt, Rosenborg and Levanger. Career Rønning made his debut for AIK on 17 April against IFK Göteborg ...

(born 1983 in Levanger) a former footballer with 380 club caps *

Johan Kjølstad Johan Kjølstad (born 9 March 1983) is a Norwegian cross-country skier who has competed since 2002. Born in Levanger, he represents the sports club Skogn IL. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of seventh in the indivi ...

(born 1983 in Levanger) a cross-country skier, competed in two

Birgit Skarstein Birgit Skarstein (born 10 February 1989) is a Norwegian competitive rower and cross-country skier. She competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in Women's single sculls, winning a gold medal. Career In rowing at the 2016 Summer Paralympics ...

(born 1989) a paraplegic competitive rower and cross-country skier *

Dardan Dreshaj Dardan Dreshaj (born 4 August 1992) is a Norwegian football striker who plays for IF Trauma, Trauma. Of Kosovan descent, his parents migrated to Norway in 1990. Dreshaj was born in Levanger, but grew up in Mandal, Norway, Mandal. After playing y ...

(born 1992 in Levanger) a football striker with over 250 club caps

Expatriates

* Zakarias Toftezen (1821 in Levanger - 1901) an early settler in the

State of Washington Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...

Bernt Julius Muus Bernt Julius Muus (March 15, 1832 – May 25, 1900) was a Norwegian-American Lutheran minister and church leader. He helped found St. Olaf College, a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. Biography Early life and education Mu ...

(1832 in Levanger – 1900) a Lutheran minister and church leader in

Northfield, Minnesota Northfield is a city in Dakota and Rice counties in the State of Minnesota. It is mostly in Rice County, with a small portion in Dakota County. The population was 20,790 at the 2020 census. History Northfield was platted in 1856 by John W. N ...

Bernt B. Haugan Bernt B. Haugan (September 17, 1862 – December 5, 1931) was an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, American Lutheran minister, politician, and temperance movement, temperance leader. Biography Bernt Benjaminsen Haugan was born at Hauga ...

(1862 in Skogn – 1931) a Lutheran minister, politician and temperance leader * Edin Cornelius Alfsen (1896 in Skogn – 1966) a Lutheran missionary, founded the Norwegian Tibet Mission

References

External links

*
Municipal fact sheet
from

Statistics Norway Statistics Norway ( no, Statistisk sentralbyrå, 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 yea ...

Levanger seen from the airAlvshaugen
{{Use dmy dates, date=February 2020 Municipalities of Trøndelag 1838 establishments in Norway