Sandefjord () is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and the most populous
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 ...
in
Vestfold og Telemark
Vestfold og Telemark (; ) is a county under disestablishment in Norway. The county is the southernmost one of Eastern Norway and consists of two distinct and separate traditional regions: the former counties of Telemark and (most of) Vestfold. T ...
county,
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 ...
. The municipality of Sandefjord
was established on 1 January 1838. The municipality of
Sandar was merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 1969. On 1 January 2017, rural municipalities of
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
and
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
were merged into Sandefjord as part of a nationwide municipal reform. This merger was the first one to take place during the reform.
The city is known for its rich
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
history and the prosperous whaling industry, which made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway.
[Porter, Darwin and Danforth Prince (2003). ''Frommer's Norway''. Wiley. p. 158. .] Today, it has built up the third-largest merchant fleet in Norway.
It is home to Europe's only
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
dedicated to whaling, and is home to
Gokstad Mound
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
where the 9th century
Gokstad Ship was discovered.
Sandefjord has numerous nicknames, including the
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
,
Whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
"capital" of Norway or as the undisputed summer city of
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 ...
. The city is also known as the "whaling capital of the world."
[Engel, Lyle Kenyon (1963). ''Scandinavia: A Simon & Schuster Travel Guide''. Cornerstone Library. p. 145.][Ryder, Simon and Cameron Duffy (2018). ''Insight Guides Norway''. Insight Guides. p. 163. .][Alspaugh, Emmanuelle (2006). ''Fodor's Norway''. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 73. .][Bertelsen, Hans Kristian (1985). ''Sandefjord: A modern city with vast potential''. Grafisk Studio. p. 81. .] It has also been dubbed the "Bathing City" (Badebyen), due to its many beaches and former resort spas.
[Alspaugh, Emmanuelle (2006). ''Fodor's Norway''. Fodor's Travel Publications. pp. F-7, 73. .] It is still considered a resort town, due to high numbers of visitors during summer months.
[Berman, Martha (1995). ''Fielding's Scandinavia''. Fielding Worldwide. p. 240. .]
Sandefjord has become a transportation hub, home of
Torp International Airport, one of Norway's largest airports. Daily ferry connections to Sweden are provided by ''
Fjord Line
Fjord Line is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark; in October 2020 the company announced a scale-back of operations whereby the ferry operations will only serve the ports of Kristiansand, Hirtshals, and St ...
'' and ''
Color Line'' from the city harbor.
European Route E18
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in Northern Ireland to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Scotland, England, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It is about in length.
Although the designation implies the possibility of a through jour ...
, one of Norway's most important roads, traverses the municipality.
Sandefjord is a stronghold for the
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
; the Conservative coalition received over 70 percent of votes cast in 2011. Current mayor is
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch (born 13 January 1963) is a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Conservative Party.
Since 2003 he is the mayor of Sandefjord. Before this he served several terms in the municipal council. from the Conservative Party, who has been mayor since 2004.
General information
Etymology
The name Sandefjord, which dates to 1200 A.D., originates from the ancient farm name ''Sandar''.
[Tore, Sandberg and Cato Arveschoug (2001). ''Sandefjord zoomet inn av fotograf Tore Sandberg''. C. Arveschoug and Magne Helland. p. 6. .] The first element is the
genitive case
In grammar, the genitive case (abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can al ...
of the name of the parish and former municipality of
Sandar. The name Sandar derives from the
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 ...
term "sandar", which is the plural form of "sandr", translating to 'stretch of sand' (sandstrekning).
The name Sandefjord was first mentioned in chapter 169 of ''
Sverris saga'' from the year 1200. It was then referring to the fjord which is now known as ''Sandefjordsfjord''.
Coat-of-arms
The
coat-of-arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its w ...
dates from modern times, having been granted on 9 May 1914.
[Davidsen, Roger (2008). ''Et Sted i Sandefjord''. Sandar Historielag. p. 296. .] The
Viking ship symbolizes the famous
Gokstad ship, which was found in Sandefjord in 1880, one of the best preserved Viking ships known. The whale symbolizes that in the late 19th and early 20th century, Sandefjord was a main home port for
whalers operating in the southern oceans.
On 1 January 2017, Sandefjord received a new coat of arm after the merge with
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
- and
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
municipalities. The arms has the title: Courage and Strength, and is created in black and gold. The arms was designed by Erik Raastad from Sandefjord, with minor modification by the heraldic expert Jan Eide from Oslo. The decision to get a new coat of arms was made by the merger committee in Andebu on 24 May 2016.
History
Viking history
![Gokstad viking ship -excavation](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Gokstad_viking_ship_-excavation.jpg)
Sandefjord has been inhabited for thousands of years.
Excavations indicate that people have inhabited Sandefjord for around 3,000 years. Rock carvings at Haugen farm by
Istrehågan in Jåberg are dated to 1,500–500 BCE.
Haugen farm is home to Vestfold County's largest
petroglyph
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 ...
site.
[Børresen, Svein E. (2004). ''Vestfoldboka: en reise i kultur og natur''. Skagerrak forl. p. 38. .] In 1961-1962, 78 rock carvings were discovered at the site. They consist of ships, spiral figures, circular hollows, and much more.
The Vikings lived in Sandefjord and surrounding areas about 1,000 years ago, and numerous Viking artifacts and monuments can be found in Sandefjord.
One of the most important remains from the
Viking Age
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Ger ...
was found at the grave site ''
Gokstadhaugen
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
'' (Gokstad Mound) in Sandefjord. The
Gokstad ship was excavated by
Nicolay Nicolaysen and is now in the
Viking Ship Museum in Oslo
The Viking Ship Museum ( no, Vikingskipshuset på Bygdøy) is located on the Bygdøy peninsula in Oslo, Norway. It will be temporarily closed from September 2021 until 2025/2026.
It is part of the Museum of Cultural History of the University of ...
. The ''
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
'', an exact replica of the Gokstad ship, crossed the Atlantic Ocean from
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
to be exhibited at the
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordi ...
in Chicago in 1893. A
replica
A 1:1 replica is an exact copy of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a molecule, a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without claiming to be identical. Al ...
of the Gokstad ship, called ''
Gaia
In Greek mythology, Gaia (; from Ancient Greek , a poetical form of , 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea , is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenog ...
'', currently has Sandefjord as home port.
Other known replicas include the ''Munin'', (a half scale replica) located in Vancouver, Canada.
The Gokstad Ship, Norway's largest preserved Viking ship, was discovered during an excavation at
Gokstad Mound
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
in 1880. The Vikings first settled here due to its speedy route from Sandefjord and along the coast.
Viking settlements and grave sites have been discovered in Sandefjord.
Sandefjord functioned as a seaport defined by the twin industries of shipping and shipbuilding throughout the 1600s and 1700s. It was formally recognized as a market town by
King Oscar in 1845. Its population at the time was 749 residents.
Health resort
![Sandefjord dom zdrojowy 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Sandefjord_dom_zdrojowy_2.jpg)
The city became known as a world-renowned health resort destination between 1837 and 1939. Royalty and Prime Ministers from throughout Europe visited the town for its spas in the late 1800s. The city gained its reputation as a health- and pleasure community when
Sandefjord sulfur spa and resort ("Sandefjord Kurbad") was established in 1837. It was the first spa in town and functioned as a medical institution focusing on the treatment of symptoms for rheumatic diseases. The original bathhouse has been restored and is now a culture house by the city center.
It was one of Europe's most visited baths until its closure in 1939.
Around 50,000 people, mostly Norwegians, visited the bath from 1837 to 1939. Majority of spa visitors were from Norway, but international guests from Germany,
Britain and the United States also visited the spas of Sandefjord.
Today the bath's building, ''
Kurbadet
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nordic ...
'', has been restored and hosts cultural events and various annual activities.
Town fires
Sandefjord has experienced numerous town fires, including a town fire in 1800 which led to most of the town burning down and subsequently having to be rebuilt. An additional fire in 1900 destroyed 56 houses and caused major damage.
Sandefjord's most important capital, its ships, and the shipping industry, remained untouched from the major fire of March 1900. The fire, which started on the night before March 16, 1900, led to the entire city center burning down, including important business offices. Both newspapers in town, ''
Sandefjords Blad
''Sandefjords Blad'' is a newspaper published daily in Sandefjord, Norway, except on Sundays. It is available in Norwegian language only. Sandefjords Blad is a private company, owned by Mecom with a circulation of 14,780 copies (2004) and 50 emp ...
'' and ''Vestfold'', saw their offices burnt down. Six jewelry stores, three watchmakers, eight grocery stores, and a variety of other shops were destroyed. The fire started in the factory ''Nordmannen''. The fire caused the loss of 51 buildings for a total value of NOK 1.5 million in addition to NOK 1 million in loss of store items. Sandefjord Church from 1872 also burnt down during the town fire of 1900.
[Davidsen, Roger (2008). ''Et sted i Sandefjord: lokalhistorisk stedsnavnsleksikon''. Sandar historielag. Page 330. ISBN 9788299456753.]
A new town fire March 27 and 28 in 1915 led to the death of two people and destroyed seven farms. Large parts of the street Storgata were also destroyed.
Whaling and ships
![Sandefjord Hvalfangstmonumentet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Sandefjord_Hvalfangstmonumentet.jpg)
Sandefjord is perhaps best known as a whaling community. The centre of the world's modern whaling industry was located in town, and Sandefjordians not only made up practically all the crew on the Norwegian whaling fleet, but substantial numbers of Sandefjordians also worked within the whaling industry in nearby countries. For over fifty years in the late 1800s, Sandefjord functioned as the world center for the whaling industry, including the manufacture and equipment of whaling vessels, floating factories, and whale-catchers. The city has also been named the "whaling capital of the world."
25 whaling companies were established in Sandefjord between 1905 and 1914.
[Schandy, Tom and Tom Helgesen (2012). ''Naturperler i Vestfold''. Forlaget Tom & Tom v/Schandy. Page 170. .] During the 1911/12 season, Sandefjord had 27 whaling companies with a total of 115 vessels. This made up over 30 percent of the world's whaling firms.
From 1850, a number of ships from Sandefjord were
whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
and
sealing in the Arctic Ocean and along the coast of
Finnmark
Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024.
On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...
. The first whaling expedition from Sandefjord to the
Antarctic Ocean was sent in 1905. Towards the end of the 1920s, Sandefjord had a fleet of 15 factory ships and more than 90 whalers. In 1954, more than 2,800 men from the district were hired as crew on the whalers, but from the mid-1950s whaling was gradually reduced. The number of southbound expeditions rapidly decreased during the 1960s, and the 1967/68 season became the last for Sandefjord.
In 1971, the city’s last whale processing vessel was sold to
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. The shipping industry was gradually readjusted from whaling to other ship types during this period. The local
Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted Framnæs shipyard (Framnæs mekaniske Værksted) was a former Norwegian shipbuilding and engineering firm headquartered in Sandefjord, in Vestfold county, Norway. Originally strongly linked to the whaling industry, in later years it entered into mor ...
and
Jotun Group Private Ltd. had major roles in this business.
![Tall ship Christian Radich under sail](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Tall_ship_Christian_Radich_under_sail.jpg)
Today, the memories of this important period of the city's history are kept alive at the
Whaling Museum (''Hvalfangstmuseet''). This museum is the only museum in Europe specializing in whales and the history of whaling.
The history of the whalers can also be explored at the Museum's Wharf with a visit aboard the
whale-catcher
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Jap ...
''
Southern Actor
''Southern Actor'' is a former whale catcher, currently a museum ship based in Sandefjord, Norway and owned by Sandefjord Museum. It is the only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. Over 100,000 ...
''.
Whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
is considered to be the industry which made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway.
Sandefjord also has shipping traditions of tall sailing ships and steam ships. The full-rigged sailing ship ''
Christian Radich'', three-masted
barquentine
A barquentine or schooner barque (alternatively "barkentine" or "schooner bark") is a sailing vessel with three or more masts; with a square rigged foremast and fore-and-aft rigged main, mizzen and any other masts.
Modern barquentine sailing r ...
''
Endurance'',
whale catcher
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, J ...
''
Jason'' and
Viking ship replica ''
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
'' were some of the many ships built by
Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted Framnæs shipyard (Framnæs mekaniske Værksted) was a former Norwegian shipbuilding and engineering firm headquartered in Sandefjord, in Vestfold county, Norway. Originally strongly linked to the whaling industry, in later years it entered into mor ...
.
Hans Albert Grøn of Sandefjord established the first whaling station in the
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
in 1894, which was located at
Gjánoyri on the island of
Streymoy
Streymoy ( da, Strømø) is the largest and most populated island of the Faroe Islands. The capital, Tórshavn, is located on its southeast coast. The name means "island of currents". It also refers to the largest region of the country that also i ...
. As of 1903, half of all whaling companies in the Faroe Islands were operated out of Sandefjord. Furthermore, Sandefjord was the headquarters of the
South African Whaling Company
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
(SAWC), which was established in 1908 and managed by shipowner
Johan Bryde Johan Bryde (June 1858 – May 1925) was a Norwegian businessperson, ship owner and whaler. He helped establish the first modern whaling station in the country of South Africa. The Bryde's whale (''Balaenoptera brydei'') is named after him.
Biogra ...
of Sandefjord. Sandefjordian whaling firms were also established on the coast of Africa, in
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
,
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, among other places.
Antarctic expeditions
![Bouvet island](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Bouvet_island.jpg)
Towards the beginning of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Norwegian whaling spread throughout the world, most and foremost from Sandefjord. Expeditions from Sandefjord went as far as
Norwegian Bay
Norwegian Bay (french: Baie Norvégienne) is an Arctic Ocean waterway in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. Amund Ringnes Island is to the northwest (separated by the Hendriksen Strait from Cornwall Island), and Axel Heiberg Island is t ...
in Australia,
Stewart Island
Stewart Island ( mi, Rakiura, ' glowing skies', officially Stewart Island / Rakiura) is New Zealand's third-largest island, located south of the South Island, across the Foveaux Strait. It is a roughly triangular island with a total land ar ...
in New Zealand,
Walvis Bay in Namibia,
Corral, Chile
Corral is a town, commune and sea port in Valdivia Province, Los Ríos Region, Chile. It is located south of Corral Bay. Corral is best known for the forts of Corral Bay, a system of defensive batteries and forts made to protect Valdivia during ...
, and also isolated places such as
Kerguelen Islands
The Kerguelen Islands ( or ; in French commonly ' but officially ', ), also known as the Desolation Islands (' in French), are a group of islands in the sub-Antarctic constituting one of the two exposed parts of the Kerguelen Plateau, a large ...
,
South Georgia Island,
Bouvet Island, and the
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60° S latitude and encircling Antarctica. With a size of , it is regarded as the second-small ...
.
In the 1910s, affluent Sandefjordian
August F. Christensen was given a grant to practice whaling outside
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
and
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
. He was also appointed Ecuador's consul to Norway. He achieved an agreement with Ecuadorian government officials which allowed Norwegians to inhabit the
Galápagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands (Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuador ...
, and also receive 200 hectares of land, pay no taxes for ten years, and be allowed to keep their Norwegian citizenship. Christensen created huge local interest of Galápagos, and the local company ''
La Colonia de Floreana A/S'' was established on 21 March 1925. Its main goal was to exploit the Norwegian fishing rights at the Galápagos Islands. A ship named ''Floreana'' departed from Sandefjord on 15 May 1925, equipped with enough men and goods to establish a colony.
![Modell av Grytviken kirke (HS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Modell_av_Grytviken_kirke_%28HS.03422%29.jpg)
On 16 November 1904,
Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen (7 August 1860 – 8 December 1924) was a Norway, Norwegian-born Whaling, whaler and Antarctic explorer who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fos ...
of Sandefjord established the whaling community of
Grytviken
Grytviken ( ) is a settlement on South Georgia in the South Atlantic and formerly a whaling station and the largest settlement on the island. It is located at the head of King Edward Cove within the larger Cumberland East Bay, considered the b ...
, the largest settlement in
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type =
, song =
, image_map = South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in United Kingdom.svg
, map_caption = Location of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Oce ...
. South Georgia Island lies a few thousand kilometers east of
Cape Horn
Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramírez ...
.
Nils Larsen
Nils Larsen (19 June 1900 – 29 September 1976) was a Norwegian sea captain. Larsen is perhaps most associated with the Norvegia expeditions of Antarctica.
Larsen was born in Sandar, and became a noted whaler, captaining a number of whalin ...
(1900–76) was a sea captain from Sandefjord, famous for his expeditions of
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
in the early 20th century. It was under his expeditions that Norway achieved annexation of
Bouvet Island in 1927 and
Peter I Island
Peter I Island ( no, Peter I Øy) is an uninhabited volcanic island in the Bellingshausen Sea, from continental Antarctica. It is claimed as a dependency of Norway and, along with Bouvet Island and Queen Maud Land, composes one of the three No ...
two years after. A cove on Antarctica's Peter I Island is named
Sandefjord Cove
Sandefjord Cove (sometimes called Sandefjord Bay) is a cove between Cape Ingrid and the terminus of Tofte Glacier on the west side of Peter I Island. A Norwegian expedition under Eyvind Tofte circumnavigated Peter I Island in the '' Odd I'' in ...
in honor of Larsen's hometown.
Sandefjord Ice Bay in continental Antarctica is also named after Sandefjord.
Mount Nils Larsen
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
in
Queen Maud Land,
Mount Nils Mount Nils () is a prominent, ice-covered mountain standing close west of Rayner Glacier and 3 nautical miles (6 km) south of Mount Christensen, Enderby Land. It was plotted from air photos taken by ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Researc ...
in
Enderby Land and
Nils Larsen Glacier
Nils Larsen Glacier () is a glacier descending to the west coast of Peter I Island close northward of Norvegia Bay. In February 1929 the crew of the Norvegia carried out a series of investigations of this island, landing on February 2. Named for N ...
are examples of many geographical names given in honor of Nils Larsen.
World War II
![Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-113-0003-15, Nordeuropa, Küstenbatterie, Bunker](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-113-0003-15%2C_Nordeuropa%2C_K%C3%BCstenbatterie%2C_Bunker.jpg)
A week after
Operation Weserübung, German forces entered Sandefjord on April 16, 1940. 30-40 men arrived in semi-trucks from
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the town of Åsgårdstrand an ...
under the leadership of Erik von Drydalski. After handing their directives to Sandefjord police chief Kjartan Bruun Hansen, the men left for Hotel Atlantic, where they established their headquarters in the city. German troops in the city soon rose to 200. At the beginning of the
German occupation of Norway
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until the ...
, a German ''Hafenkapitän'' (
harbormaster
A harbourmaster (or harbormaster, see spelling differences) is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct opera ...
) was placed at Tollboden, and a representative for
Admiral Norwegen
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
was placed in an office building at
Framnes verft. German soldiers could be seen marching throughout the city. At the beginning of the occupation, over 2,000 German officers visited ''Socitetsbygningen'' (today's
Park Hotel), which belonged to
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
. The
Nazi flag
The flag of Nazi Germany, officially the flag of the German Reich, featured a red background with a black swastika on a white disc. This flag came into use initially as the banner of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) after its foundation. Following the app ...
was waving over the building during the visit. Norwegian students were told to learn the German language, and handed out a book, ''
Deutsche Fibel
Deutsch or Deutsche may refer to:
*''Deutsch'' or ''(das) Deutsche'': the German language, in Germany and other places
*''Deutsche'': Germans, as a weak masculine, feminine or plural demonym
*Deutsch (word), originally referring to the Germanic ve ...
''. They were also given a copy of Adolf Hitler's book ''
Mein Kampf
(; ''My Struggle'' or ''My Battle'') is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germ ...
'' translated into the Norwegian language.
![Albert-kristoffer-johan-skålsvik](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Albert-kristoffer-johan-sk%C3%A5lsvik.jpg)
German forces constructed two coastal forts in Sandefjord, located at the southern tips of both
West
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
- and
East Islands
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
. The largest German construction in Sandefjord took place at
Folehavna, where a fortress was erected in the spring of 1941. Four cannons with a target range of 14 kilometers were installed at the site, along with a 120-meter tunnel. The four 15 cm cannons were installed in concrete gun pits on the sloping rocks. German construction also took place by
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Goksjø is 5 km from north to south, and has a circumference of 20 km. At its deepest, Goksjø is no deeper than 26 meters. Goksjø ha ...
Lake, and also at Jernbaneallén, where a former garage structure was turned into a prison camp.
Many Sandefjordians were killed during World War II, including a number of seamen. Håkon Andersen of Framnes was killed onboard ''Arcturus'' when the ship was attacked by British
Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort ...
s. Albert K. J. Skålsvik (1921–1944) of Krokemoa, a member of the Norwegian Homefleet ("Hjemmeflåten"), was 18 years when the war broke out. Skålsvik was killed, along with the captain, when the ship ''DS Kong Bjørn'' was attacked by allied warplanes by
Ryvingen Lighthouse
Ryvingen Lighthouse ( no, Ryvingen fyrstasjon) is a coastal lighthouse located on the island of Låven in the North Sea. It is the southernmost lighthouse in Norway. It is located in the municipality of Lindesnes in Agder county. The island lies ...
in 1944. He is now commemorated at the
Hall of Remembrance
The Hall of Remembrance was a series of paintings and sculptures commissioned, in 1918, by the British War Memorials Committee of the British Ministry of Information in commemoration of the dead of World War I.
History
The artworks commissi ...
in
Stavern
Stavern is a small water-side town in Larvik municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It is south of the city of Larvik. Currently there are around 3,000 inhabitants in Stavern. It is a small town where tourism is one of the most important sou ...
(
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
). Skålsvik's younger brother, Bernard, was also a part of the Homefleet and was killed at age 17 in 1945.
[Holskjær, Lars (2017). ''Kamper uten tall''. Forlagshuset i Vestfold. p. 192. .]
Radios were illegal, and Sandefjordians such as Henry Melby of
Gokstad
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
was arrested for having a radio in 1942. He was incarcerated at the tanker ''Inger Johanne'', which was attacked by allied warplanes in 1944, killing 15 people, including Henry Melby.
In the fall of 1941, German occupation forces replaced Sandefjord's city manager Finn Sandberg with
NS-member
Frithjof Holtedahl
Friðþjófur (variations: Fritiof, Frithiof, Fritjof, Frithjof, and Fridtjof) is a Scandinavian masculine given name derived from Old Norse friðr (“peace”) + þjófr (“thief”). Maybe a kenning (a metaphorical phrase used in Old Norse poe ...
who was soon appointed mayor.
Sandar received its NS mayor in November 1941, Ole Kristian Holtan.
[Olstad, Finn (1997). ''Sandefjords historie. B. 2: En vanlig småby?'' Sandefjord kommune. Page 119. ISBN 8299379725.] Olaf Bøe from
Nasjonal Samling was appointed editor for
Sandefjords Presse by
Anders Beggerud Anders Beggerud (22 June 1894 in Sandsvær – 22 June 1957) was a Norwegian civil servant during the Nazi regime.
He hailed from Kongsberg, and was a crafts teacher by profession. He was a member of Nasjonal Samling. From 1940 to 1945, during the ...
in 1944.
Following World War II, Norway became one of the founding members of
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
and several air bases were constructed in Norway using NATO funds. One of these was
Sandefjord Airport Torp, which was to be used by the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
in case of war. Construction began in 1953 and was completed in July 1956.
SAS merge
![Dalaåsen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Dala%C3%A5sen.jpg)
The municipalities of Sandefjord (S),
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
(A) and
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
(S) merged on 1 January 2017. The merge was the first of numerous nationwide merges following a municipal reform by the
Solberg Cabinet. The "new" municipality is 425.47 km
2, including freshwater lakes and rivers. It is 11th most populated municipality in Norway, and the most populous in Vestfold County.
[Larsen, Erlend (2016). ''Tre kommuner blir til én''. Erlend Larsen Forlag. pp. 13 and 171. .] Proposed names for the "new" municipality were
Gokstad
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
,
Sandar and
Torp, however, the name ''Sandefjord'' was ultimately kept.
A poll conducted by ''Sandefjords blad'' in January 2015 called 600 residents in Andebu, 750 in Stokke, and 1,000 in Sandefjord. All were given the question "Do you think Stokke, Andebu, and Sandefjord should establish one single municipality?". 69% of Sandefjord residents answered "yes", while 64% (Andebu) and 61% (Stokke) answered "yes" in Stokke and Andebu.
Few Stokke residents read ''
Sandefjords Blad
''Sandefjords Blad'' is a newspaper published daily in Sandefjord, Norway, except on Sundays. It is available in Norwegian language only. Sandefjords Blad is a private company, owned by Mecom with a circulation of 14,780 copies (2004) and 50 emp ...
'', the main newspaper of Sandefjord, and relatively few residents commute to Sandefjord proper for work. However, Sandefjord's wealth and its international airport have been seen as key factors as to why Stokke residents decided to merge. 77.8 percent of Stokke residents ultimately voted to merge into Sandefjord during the September 2015 elections.
Historical population
![Sandefjord_(14547787946)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Sandefjord_%2814547787946%29.jpg)
The city experienced a 98.6 percent population growth from 1875 to 1900. Even not including Sandar's merge into Sandefjord in 1888, this population increase was substantially higher than most Norwegian cities. Sandar experienced the largest population growth of any Norwegian town, and over twice the growth of other towns in Vestfold County.
From 1875 to 1900, the disposable income of Sandefjordians increased by over 200 percent. Total assets in local banks also increased, and in 1895–1900, total assets went from 0.6 to 1.9 million in Aktiekreditbanken and from 1.1 million to 1.3 million in Sandefjords Sparebank. Even after whaling lost its importance, Sandefjord remained Norway's richest city, and from 1913 to 1917, the median income increased by over 350 percent.
Geography
![Brua til Natholmen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Brua_til_Natholmen.jpg)
Sandefjord is a coastal city on the western shore of the
Oslo Fjord. It can be described as a suburb of
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, situated southwest of the capital.
[Bertelsen, Hans Kristian (1985). ''Sandefjord: A modern city with vast potential''. Grafisk Studio. p. 4. .] It is the largest city in
Vestfold og Telemark
Vestfold og Telemark (; ) is a county under disestablishment in Norway. The county is the southernmost one of Eastern Norway and consists of two distinct and separate traditional regions: the former counties of Telemark and (most of) Vestfold. T ...
County. Its 93-mile long coastline has various beaches and sheltered coves, and several forests are also within city limits.
The two
peninsulas called
Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
("East Island") and
Vesterøya
Vesterøya (West Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It is primarily known for its many beaches and idyllic coastal landscape, but there are also numerous trails used for hiking and biking.Mšbius, Aaron and Michael (2014). ...
("West Island") contribute to a total coastline of , and form the
Sandefjordsfjord
The Sandefjordsfjord (), sometimes also called the Sandefjord (), is an approximately 9 km long fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is located to the west of Vesterøya. The Sandefjordsfjord is the longest of the ...
and
Mefjord
The Mefjord (''Mefjorden'') is a small fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is a 9 km long fjord which lies in-between Vesterøya (West Island) and Østerøya (East Island). It is a narrow fjord with many minor islands an ...
. The coastline offers a wide variety of sandy beaches,
skerries
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation.
Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to:
Geography
Northern Ireland
* Skerries, County Armagh, a townland in County Armagh
* Skerry, County Antrim, a ...
, and
islets (116 in total), along with
bay
A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
s and sloping rocks. Forested areas are often laced with paths and lighted for trails for summer hikes and winter skiing. Of Sandefjord's total area, (31%) is agricultural and (26%) is forest. 2 percent is made up of lakes and rivers. Neighbouring towns are
Tønsberg and
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
.
124
-116 islands are within city limits. Small island bays give shelter for overnight campers, and many islets have relatively accessible beaches.
Sandefjord is home to several peninsulas, including
West Island
The West Island () is the unofficial name given to the cities, towns and boroughs at the western end of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. It is generally considered to consist of the Lakeshore municipalities of Dorval, Pointe-Cla ...
(12 km²),
East Island (8 km²),
Engø
Engø is a peninsula in Sandefjord, Norway. The original name was ''Engøy'', which is a combination of the words ''eng'' (“meadow”) and ''øy'' (“island”). Former written forms include ''Ænghøy'' (in 1398), ''Enngøenn'' (1575), ''Engø ...
(1 km²), Marøy, and Årø.
Langøya (Langø) is the largest island at 0.55 km², while other islands include Ravnø (0.40 km²), Skogøy/Storøya (0.25 km²),
Natholmen
{{Infobox islands
, name = Natholmen
, native_name =
, native_name_link =
, sobriquet =
, image_name = Brua_til_Natholmen.jpg
, image_size ...
(0.2 km²), Storholmen (0.13 km²), Ormestadholmen (0.1 km²), Grindholmen (0.08 km²), and
Granholmen
Granholmen is a island located in the Sandefjordsfjord of Sandefjord, Norway. Situated around five kilometers south of the city center, the island is housing a campground, a cafe, kiosk, pub, soccer field, along with grassland and sandy beaches. I ...
(12 acres). Despite its location in-between Flautangen and Lindholmen (
Tjøme) in the Tønsbergfjord, the archipelago of
Stauper belongs to Sandefjord. It consists of ten large islands and a number of smaller skerries and islets.
There were two natural lakes in Sandefjord prior to the 2017 merge:
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Goksjø is 5 km from north to south, and has a circumference of 20 km. At its deepest, Goksjø is no deeper than 26 meters. Goksjø ha ...
, which is the third-largest in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County, and the smaller Napperødtjern (). Napperødtjern lies a few hundred meters north of Goksjø and is a
nature preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
surrounded by swamp forests and wetland. Artificial ponds include
Bugårdsdammen,
Brydedammen, Virikdammen, Kroksjø, Veradammen, Svarttjern, and others. Local wildlife such as moose, deer, and avifauna can often be observed near freshwater lakes and rivers.
Sandefjord has four fjords:
Sandefjordsfjord
The Sandefjordsfjord (), sometimes also called the Sandefjord (), is an approximately 9 km long fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is located to the west of Vesterøya. The Sandefjordsfjord is the longest of the ...
,
Lahellefjord
Lahellefjord is a minor fjord-arm in the Tønsbergfjord in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Natholmen Island to its base at Lahelle. The Lahellefjord is 5 kilometers long, and is one of four fjords
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord ...
,
Mefjord
The Mefjord (''Mefjorden'') is a small fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is a 9 km long fjord which lies in-between Vesterøya (West Island) and Østerøya (East Island). It is a narrow fjord with many minor islands an ...
, and
Tønsbergfjord, which it shares with neighboring
Tønsberg.
The highest point in the municipality is
Brånafjell at , which lies northwest of
Høyjord
Høyjord is a minor village in the municipality of Sandefjord, Norway, with a population of 379 as of 2005. It is famous for the Høyjord Stave Church. Høyjord, which was part of the former municipality of Andebu, was transferred along with Andeb ...
.
Hjertås at above sea level is the highest point in the city of Sandefjord. From the peak are surrounding views of the
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord (, ; en, Oslo Fjord) is an inlet in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the and lighthouses and down to in the south to Oslo in the north. It is part of the Skagerrak strait, connecting the Nor ...
,
Vealøs by
Skien,
Skrim
Skrim is a mountain of Buskerud, in southern Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion ...
and
Torp.
Climate
The climate of the entirety of Norway is extremely affected by the
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...
. Were it not for the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, coastal cities by
Oslo Fjord would be up to 4 °C (7 °F) colder. This means that the climate, the summers especially, are warmer than in other regions at the same latitude, i.e. the
State of Alaska or
Siberia
Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
. Sandefjord has a higher latitude than
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau, more commonly known simply as Juneau ( ; tli, Dzánti K'ihéeni ), is the capital city of the state of Alaska. Located in the Gastineau Channel and the Alaskan panhandle, it is a unified municipality and the se ...
; Sandefjord is at 59°08′N, while the capital of Alaska is at 58°18′N. Sandefjord experiences more sun than any other Norwegian city during the summer months.
Warm breezes from
Skagerrak cause a mild climate, and Sandefjord experiences the highest annual number of cloud-free days in Norway.
The climate is relatively mild for its latitude. Fields become green in early May, but the air remains slightly cold. The summer seldom begins before the end of May, when temperatures often rapidly increase. The whole month of June and most of July experience little darkness during night and
songbirds are silent for only 2–3 hours at most.
[Ebbesen, Jorgen Tandberg (2018). ''The Sulphureous Bath at Sandefjord in Norway''. Sagwan Press. p. 6. .] July is the warmest month of the year in Sandefjord when temperatures often rise above .
Sandefjord has a relatively humid
continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing som ...
(
Dfb) with warm summers, no dry season, and relatively much precipitation year long. During the colder season, which is from the end of November until early March, there is a 56 percent average chance that precipitation will be observed during a given day. The likelihood of snow falling is highest in late January and the season in which it is likely to snowfall spans from early November until early April. The coldest day of the year in Sandefjord is 4 February, with an average low temperature of and average high of only .
Villages
![Høyjord stavkirke, MIS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/H%C3%B8yjord_stavkirke%2C_MIS.jpg)
Sandefjord Municipality consists of Sandefjord proper and an additional six villages:
*
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
(2016 pop. 3,391)
*
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
(pop. 2,160)
*
Melsomvik
Melsomvik is a village in the municipality of Sandefjord, Norway, which lies by the Tønsberg Fjord. Its population is 2,076 as of 2016. It has been a boat harbor since Medieval times when the Leidang fleet was located in Melsomvik. When the confli ...
(pop. 2,076)
*
Kodal
Kodal is a village and parish in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Kodal is mostly a rural area, with a population of 971 as of 2014. It is located ten kilometers north of Sandefjord city center and eleven miles south of the tow ...
(pop. 1,002)
*
Fossnes (pop. 519)
*
Høyjord
Høyjord is a minor village in the municipality of Sandefjord, Norway, with a population of 379 as of 2005. It is famous for the Høyjord Stave Church. Høyjord, which was part of the former municipality of Andebu, was transferred along with Andeb ...
(pop. 316)
A small part of Sandefjord –
the Himberg farm – is lying as an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
inside the borders of the municipality of
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
. All efforts at annexing Himberg into surrounding Larvik have been met with massive protests from local residents. A 1995 annexation attempt was ultimately canceled due to large protests from Himberg residents. Himberg is a rural agricultural community consisting of no more than ten households. There are only four similar exclaves in Norway, and
Himberg
Himberg am Wald () is a municipality in the district of Bruck an der Leitha in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.
It belonged to Wien-Umgebung District
Bezirk Wien-Umgebung was a district of the state of Lower Austria in Austria. The district ...
is the most populous exclave in the nation, with a population of around 40. It is .
Townscape
Whaler's Monument
Whaler's Monument, also known as The Whaling Monument (Norwegian: ''Hvalfangstmonumentet''), is a rotating bronze memorial statue situated by the harbor in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located at the end of Jernbanealleen, which is the main street i ...
, a Sandefjord trademark, is located at the end of the city's main street, Jernbanealléen, in the harbour area. Nearby are the oceanfront restaurants ''Kokeriet'' and ''La Scala'', two of the relatively few places where
whale meat
Whale meat, broadly speaking, may include all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) and all parts of the animal: muscle (meat), organs (offal), skin (muktuk), and fat (blubber). There is relatively little demand for whale meat, compared to ...
is regularly served. The
Train
In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and Passenger train, transport people or Rail freight transport, freight. Trains are typically pul ...
- and nearby bus stations are approximately up Jernbanealléen from the waterfront.
[Lee, Phil and Jules Brown (2003). ''The Rough Guide to Norway''. Rough Guides. p. 129. .] The main commercial areas are found on Jernbanealléen (main street), Storgata, Kongensgate and
Hvaltorvet
Hvaltorvet, or Hvaltorget, is the largest shopping mall in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located in the town square in the city centre. It first opened in 1989, but an expanded mall was opened on 20 November 2008. It is home to 7-63 stores including H ...
Shopping Centre.
Sandefjord has a city centre, consisting of a mixture of old and modern buildings and a selection of shops.
It has a good selection of restaurants and cafés. According to the renowned restaurant guide, ''Salt & Pepper,'' Sandefjord holds what is possibly Norway's best gourmet restaurant which is located in a modern building near the harbour, known as ''Brygga11'', run by
Bocuse d'Or
The Bocuse d'Or (the ''Concours mondial de la cuisine'', World Cooking Contest) is a biennial world chef championship. Named for the chef Paul Bocuse, the event takes place during two days near the end of January in Lyon, France, at the SIRHA Inter ...
winner
Geir Skeie
Geir Skeie (born July 2, 1980, Fitjar) is a Norwegian chef and restaurateur, winner of the 2008 Bocuse d'Or Europe,Aardal Hagen, Guro, ''Dagens Næringsliv'' (July 2, 2008)Norsk gull i Bocuse d’OrHolt, Morten, ''Horecanytt'' (August 15, 2008)Boc ...
.
[Gjerseth, Simen (2016). ''Nye Sandefjord''. Liv forlag. Page 329. .] Other restaurants include ''Chili'', ''Kismat'', ''Restaurant La Scala'', ''
Peppes Pizza'', ''Kokeriet'', ''Zorba'', ''Lady og Landstryker'n'', and others. Also located at the harbour, is the
fishmonger
A fishmonger (historically fishwife for female practitioners) is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, me ...
well known for the quality of its goods and delicacies, including freshly caught shrimp, crab and fish.
The fishmonger, known as ''Brødrene Berggren'', was established in 1911 and is among the oldest in Norway.
It processed 1,000 tons of fish and shellfish per year as of year 2000.
In the Bakgaarden (backyard) area are numerous cafés, boutiques, and art shops, as well as occasional summer concerts. Restaurants are found throughout the city and offer local specialties such as smoked salmon, dry-cured salmon, moose, reindeer, grouse, and deer. ''Sandar Haandverksbryggeri'' is a popular microbrewery, while wine tastings are offered at ''SMAK Winebar''. Bars include ''Draaben Bar'', ''James Clark Pub'', ''Brygga Bar'', and ''Pir 4''.
Street names are named for notable women in the Krokemoa area, such as Lauras vei (named for Laura Konstanse Jensen in 1993), planets (Mosserød), bird species (Lystad), plant species (
Unneberg
Unneberg is a residential- and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Sandefjord municipality, Norway. The statistical area Unneberg, which also can include the peripheral parts of the village as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population ...
), rock species (Nygård), insects (Gjekstad), and
Norse mythology
Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...
(
Breidablik } and ang, fācenstafas respectively). In Beowulf, the lack of refers to the absence of crimes being committed, and therefore both halls have been proposed to be sanctuaries.
In popular culture
* Breidablik is a sacred weapon in ''Fire Emblem He ...
k), which has streets named for
Freyja,
Odin
Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...
,
Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...
,
Týr,
Baldr
Baldr (also Balder, Baldur) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, Baldr (Old Norse: ) is a son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg, and has numerous brothers, such as Thor and Váli. In wider Germanic mythology, the god was kno ...
,
Frigg,
Mjölnir,
Bragi,
Urðr
Urðr (Old Norse "fate"Orchard (1997:169).) is one of the Norns in Norse mythology. Along with Verðandi (possibly "happening" or "present"Orchard (1997:174).) and Skuld (possibly "debt" or "future"Orchard (1997:151).), Urðr makes up a trio of ...
,
Loki
Loki is a god in Norse mythology. According to some sources, Loki is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mentioned as a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi or Na ...
,
Þrymr,
Jötunheimr, and various
Norse gods
Norse is a demonym for Norsemen, a medieval North Germanic ethnolinguistic group ancestral to modern Scandinavians, defined as speakers of Old Norse from about the 9th to the 13th centuries.
Norse may also refer to:
Culture and religion
* Nors ...
. Streets are also named for notable people with ties to the city, including
Wilhelm Wetlesen
Wilhelm Laurits Wetlesen (28 November 1871 – 15 June 1925) was a Norwegian painter and illustrator. He was part of the circle around painter Erik Werenskiold.
Biography
Wetlesen was born at Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. He was the son of Chr ...
,
Johan Bryde Johan Bryde (June 1858 – May 1925) was a Norwegian businessperson, ship owner and whaler. He helped establish the first modern whaling station in the country of South Africa. The Bryde's whale (''Balaenoptera brydei'') is named after him.
Biogra ...
,
Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen (7 August 1860 – 8 December 1924) was a Norway, Norwegian-born Whaling, whaler and Antarctic explorer who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fos ...
,
Christen Christensen,
Jørgen Tandberg Ebbesen
Jørgen Tandberg Ebbesen (11 December 1812 – 16 July 1887) was a Norwegian politician for the Conservative Party.
Jørgen Tandberg Ebbesen was born in Fredrikstad as the son of Hans Christian Ebbesen (1774–1858) and Abigael Marie Bing (1785– ...
,
Heinrich Arnold Thaulow
Heinrich Arnold Thaulow (10 June 1808 – 19 August 1894) was a physician known for the introduction of balneotherapy in Norway.
Thaulow founded Sandefjord Spa in Sandefjord in 1837. He was Sandefjord's first physician. He also made the first ...
,
Nils Vibe Stockfleth,
Peter Hersleb Harboe Castberg
Peter Hersleb Harboe Castberg (22 July 1794 – 10 June 1858) was a Norwegian priest and politician.
Personal life
Peter Hersleb Harboe Castberg was born in Bergen as the son of Tycho Didrich Castberg (1755–1801) and his wife Helene Margaretha ...
,
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad (7 October 1802 – 8 October 1880) was a Norwegian parish priest and provost, hymn writer, and poet who published the first collection of authentic Norwegian traditional ballads in 1853.
Biography
Landstad was born in ...
, and others.
Architecture
![Sandefjord_kamienica_Kirkegata_8](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Sandefjord_kamienica_Kirkegata_8.jpg)
Sandefjord's architecture varies from smaller tree homes to large modern complexes. Sandefjord is one of few
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
towns in Norway; it is the town with the second-most Art Nouveau buildings in Norway. The major town fires of 1882, 1900 and 1915 devastated much of town and paved the way for new architecture. While neighboring towns mostly consist of wooden clapboard houses, Sandefjord is home to pastel-painted fronts, spires, turrets, and gargoyles.
Jugend style
''Jugendstil'' ("Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of ...
structures include
Saint John the Baptist's Church, Privatbanken, Gunilla's (''Kongens gate 18''), and an award-receiving 1915 structure at ''Stockfleths gate 9''. Noble examples are also found at Christopher Hvidts Plass, including the bakery Ivar Halvorsen (built in 1900) and the former Methodist Church (1918).
[Tore, Sandberg and Cato Arveschoug (2001). ''Sandefjord zoomet inn av fotograf Tore Sandberg''. C. Arveschoug and Magne Helland. p. 147. .]
Certain parts were left untouched by the town fires, including the street known as
Bjerggata. Bjerggata is the oldest or one of the oldest parts of Sandefjord. It consists mostly of white wooden homes and is an indicator of how Sandefjord looked until the 1950s.
[Lee, Phil (2012). ''The Rough Guide To Norway''. Rough Guides. p. 118. .][Davidsen, Roger (2008). ''Et Sted i Sandefjord''. Sandar Historielag. pp. 304–305. .] Most of the homes at Bjerggata are dated to the early 1800s.
Other architecture includes the Viking-inspired dragon style complex from 1899, which housed
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
.
[Bertelsen, Hans Kristian (1985). ''Sandefjord: A modern city with vast potential''. Grafisk Studio. p. 51. .] It is one of Scandinavia's largest wooden buildings.
Politics and government
Sandefjord is a stronghold for the
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
. In the
Norwegian local elections of 2011, 47.9% of voters voted for the Conservative Party. The right-wing parties received a total of 70.4% of the vote in Sandefjord, compared to 51.2% nationwide. The current mayor,
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch (born 13 January 1963) is a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Conservative Party.
Since 2003 he is the mayor of Sandefjord. Before this he served several terms in the municipal council. , was elected in 2004 with the support of the
Progress Party. Gleditsch is the wealthiest mayor to ever be elected in Norway.
Cathrine Andersen from the Progress Party has been deputy mayor since 2015.
Municipal council
![Bjørn Ole Gleditsch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Bj%C3%B8rn_Ole_Gleditsch.JPG)
The
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 Sandefjord is made up of 57 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. Each representative from Sandefjord proper is represented by 1,160 inhabitants, representatives from
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
by 1,045, and
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
by 837 residents per municipal council member.
The party breakdown as of 2017 is:
Demographics
According to
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 ...
in 2017, the municipality is home to 62,622 residents. There were 2,797 vacation homes in Sandefjord as of 2018, and 2,19 people per housing unit. 69.2% are members of
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 ...
, 18% are unaffiliated and 12.8% are members of other religious communities.
In addition to State Churches, the city also houses various minor congregations, including an Adventist- and Methodist Church.
Religious minorities with congregations in town include
Pentecostals (Salem),
Catholics
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
(
St. Johannes Døperen),
Methodists (Metodistkirken),
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventism, Adventist Protestantism, Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the Names of the days of the week#Numbered days of the week, seventh day of the ...
(Adventkirken),
Baptists
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...
(Baptistkirken),
Norwegian Lutheran Mission (Den lille gren),
Jehovas Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ev ...
(Rikets Sal) and
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
(Alkawther Islam Center and Sandefjord Islamic Center). Baptists first established a congregation in town in the 1880s and Methodists in the 1890s.
Brunstad Christian Church
Brunstad Christian Church (BCC) is a worldwide evangelical non-denominational Christian church. Established in Norway early in the 20th century. It is represented by more than 220 churches in 54 countries. An overview of members per country shows ...
(Smith's Friends) is an
evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
non-denominational
A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination.
Overview
The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...
church which was established in neighboring
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the town of Åsgårdstrand an ...
in 1905.
Brunstad Conference Center
Oslofjord Convention Center is a convention center in Stokke, Norway, as well as the company established to manage the facility.
Ownership and management
Oslofjord Convention Center is a commercial entity ( joint-stock company) with ''Stiftelse ...
is the denomination's headquarters and is located in
Stokke
Stokke is a town in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold County, Norway. It lies in-between Sandefjord and Tønsberg, two of Vestfold's largest cities. It was a municipality from 1838 to 2016. The administrative centre of the municipality was the ...
. It is the only worldwide denomination which was established in Norway.
The largest minority groups in 2017 (first- and second generation immigrants) are Lithuanians (1.95%), Polish (1.93%), Iraqis (1.24%), Vietnamese (0.80%), Germans (0.71%), Swedes (0.69%), Kosovans (0.67%), Bosnians (0.64%), and Danes (0.51%).
Sandefjord has a high population density of 339 people per square kilometre. The population density is particularly high in Sandefjord proper, and between
E18 and the coast, the city has an equivalent population density to that of the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. The population increases significantly during summer months due to tourism.
After the merge with Stokke and Andebu in 2017, Sandefjord has a population of over 63,000. This makes Sandefjord to the 11th most populous municipality in Norway.
It is the most populous city in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County;
One in four people from Vestfold County are from Sandefjord, or 25.2 percent of the county population.
Economy
![Jotun_malingsfabrikk_(77754127)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Jotun_malingsfabrikk_%2877754127%29.jpg)
Sandefjord is the wealthiest city in Norway.
Important industries in Sandefjord are information technology, chemical production, tourism, navigation, ship building and fishing.
It is home to the international airport
Torp Airport
Sandefjord Airport, Torp ( no, Sandefjord lufthavn, Torp; ) is an international airport located northeast of Sandefjord, Norway and south of Oslo. The airport features a runway aligned 18/36. Torp partially serves as a regional airport for Ve ...
, paint producer
Jotun, the brewery
Grans Bryggeri, the chocolate factory
Hval Sjokoladefabrikk, and the engineering company Ramboll Oil & Gas. High-tech and information technology have become important industries in recent times, represented by some of Norway's largest web shops: Komplett, mpx.no, and netshop.no.
The largest employer, besides the city itself, is
Jotun, which was established in Sandefjord in 1926. Jotun is now one of the world's largest manufacturers of paints and coating products.
As of February 2017, Jotun has a presence in over 100 countries and employed 9,500 employees worldwide. The Jotun Group operates four divisions, while its head office is located in Sandefjord.
As of 2016, Jotun had 9,800 employees including one thousand employees within Norway. It operated 37 factories in 21 countries and is represented in 120 countries through distributors, offices, and agents. It is owned by the
Gleditsch family and
Orkla ASA.
While Jotun by far is the largest company in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County, the second-biggest company is
Komplett
Komplett AS is a Norwegian e-commerce company with nine webshops in 3 countries in Scandinavia. The main part of their product assortment is computers and components, but they have also expanded to include photographic, Hi-Fi, TV, gaming and w ...
. A web shop operating in all of Scandinavia, Komplett had a 7.3 billion
NOK
Nok is a village in Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The village is an archeological site.
Archaeology
The discovery of terracotta figurines at this location caused its name to be used for the Nok culture, of which these ...
revenue in 2015 and had 800 employees.
![Åsnes - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/%C3%85snes_-_panoramio.jpg)
Sandefjord had Norway's most expensive seaside vacation homes as of 2011, with an average price of 7.2 million crowns. General property values in Sandefjord appreciated 25.7 percent between 2010 and 2015.
![Sandefjord Muzeum Wielorybnictwa 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Sandefjord_Muzeum_Wielorybnictwa_3.jpg)
Largest companies in Sandefjord based on
operating income in 2015:
Tourism
Sandefjord is dubbed a resort town due to its many summer visitors.
Sandefjord is also nicknamed the "Bathing City" due to its many beaches, islands and minor archipelagos. Beaches such as Vøra and nearby
Langeby
Langeby is a beach at West Island (Vesterøya) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is described as the city’s best beach by both Frommer's- and Fodor's Travel Guides. Besides its sandy beach, it is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rent ...
on
West Island
The West Island () is the unofficial name given to the cities, towns and boroughs at the western end of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. It is generally considered to consist of the Lakeshore municipalities of Dorval, Pointe-Cla ...
attract summer visitors from
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
and other larger Norwegian cities.
Sandefjord became a bathing destination when
sulphur
Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
was discovered in waters and
gyttja Gyttja (sometimes gytta, from Swedish gyttja) is a mud formed from the partial decay of peat. It is black and has a gel-like consistency. Aerobic digestion of the peat by bacteria forms humic acid and reduces the peat in the first oxygenated metre ...
in 1837.
Sandefjord is home to over two thousand vacation homes, most of which are built along the seaside.
Sandefjord had Norway's most expensive vacation homes as of 2012; the mean vacation home price was 7.1 million crowns in 2012.
![Sandefjord Voera](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Sandefjord_Voera.JPG)
The city of Sandefjord may be best known for its bathing and many beaches.
[Alspaugh, Emmanuelle (2006). ''Fodor's Norway''. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 74. .] It is first and foremost known as a summer community.
The city lies on a low, slightly inclined
strand, protected on three sides by hills, and only open towards the south where the
Sandefjordsfjord
The Sandefjordsfjord (), sometimes also called the Sandefjord (), is an approximately 9 km long fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is located to the west of Vesterøya. The Sandefjordsfjord is the longest of the ...
is located. It is known for its great bathing and pure sea water quality. It has a country-like appearance with clean streets and quaint roads. The city is dependent on the bathing establishment during the summer season when many tourists arrive in Sandefjord.
The bathing season in Sandefjord generally begins on 1 June, while it ends on the last day of August.
Visitors to
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
in the 19th century were the city's first tourists, and made Sandefjord into a popular holiday destination.
[Tollnes, Ivar and Olaf Akselsen (1994). ''Sandefjord: Den lille storbyen''. Sandefjords blad. p. 140. .] The city's fame as a seaside mecca dates back to 1837, when
sulphur spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produces hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage underg ...
s first were discovered in town.
Sandefjord has been nicknamed "Eastern Norway's vacation paradise." A majority of current tourists and vacation homeowners are from the capital of
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
.
Sandefjord is home to four hotels:
Scandic Park Hotel
Scandic Park Hotel (formerly Rica Park Hotel) is a large hotel in Sandefjord, Norway. The Park Hotel was completed in 1960 and was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Vestfold County when established. Park Hotel was built on a site that previ ...
,
Hotel Kong Carl, Torp Hotel, and
Clarion Collection
Choice Hotels International, Inc. is an American multinational hospitality company based in Rockville, Maryland. The company, which is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, owns several hotel brands ranging from upscale to economy. As of ...
Hotel Atlantic.
Culture
![HjertnesKulturhusSandefjord](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/HjertnesKulturhusSandefjord.jpg)
The 9th century
Gokstad Ship was discovered in Sandefjord during an 1880 excavation led by
Nicolay Nicolaysen. The ship itself, which is now at the
Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, was built around year 910. It is the largest preserved Viking ship in Norway.
A Viking chieftain was buried at the
Gokstad Mound
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
(Gokstadhaugen), along with the 23.5-meter Gokstad Ship. Interpretive signs have been put up at the Gokstad Mound on Helgerødveien.
Sandefjord has four churches remaining from the Middle Ages:
Høyjord Stave Church
Høyjord Stave Church ( no, Høyjord stavkirke) is a stave church in the village of Høyjord in Andebu in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. It is the only stave church left in Vestfold County. It is also Norwa ...
, Kodal Church, Skjee Church, and Andebu Church. While Andebu Church has Norway's oldest parish register (dated 1623), Høyjord stave church is the only
stave church left in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County. Its chancel dates to the year 1100 and is the oldest part of the church. Burial mounds dating to the Viking Age can be seen around the church.
Sandar Church
Sandar Church (Norwegian: ''Sandar kirke'') is the oldest church in Sandefjord, Norway in Vestfold og Telemark. The church was erected at the ruins of a mediaeval stone church from the 13th century. The current church was built in 1792 in the st ...
by
Sandefjord Station
Sandefjord Station ( no, Sandefjord stasjon) is a railway station on the Vestfold Line in Sandefjord, Norway. The station is served with regional trains operated by Vy. The station opened as part of the Vestfold Line in 1881. Norsk Spisevognsels ...
was constructed atop of the ruins of a Medieval church dated to the 13th century. The present church, however, was erected in 1792.
![Sandefjord Bryggekapellet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Sandefjord_Bryggekapellet.jpg)
Midtåsen Sculpture Park contains a collection of bronze- and marbleworks by sculptor
Knut Steen
Knut Steen (19 November 1924 – 22 September 2011) was a Norwegian sculptor. Steen lived in Sandefjord for most of his life and dedicated works such as the Whaler's Monument to the city. Many of his sculptures may also be seen at Midtåsen ...
, which is housed in a pine forest
pavilion overlooking Sandefjord and its
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 ...
. The former estate of shipping magnate
Anders Jahre
Anders August Jahre (28 May 1891 – 26 February 1982) was a Norwegian shipping magnate. Jahre was educated in law, and worked as a lawyer in Sandefjord from 1916 until 1928. Meanwhile, he was also involved in the whaling industry, and he founded ...
is located at Midtåsen, and is now owned by the municipality. Guided tours of the villa are available. The 1200 km
2 (23,916 sq. ft.) villa was designed by architect
Arnstein Arneberg
Arnstein Rynning Arneberg (6 July 1882 – 9 June 1961) was a Norwegian architect. He was active professionally for 50 years and is often considered the leading architect in Norway of his time.
Personal life
Arnstein Rynning Arneberg was b ...
. It is located in a 60-decare (15 acre) park.
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center is a series of municipal buildings in Sandefjord, Norway, which houses the City Hall, city library and a movie theater. It is situated next-door to Scandic Park Hotel at Sandefjordsveien in the city center. It has ...
is home to three auditoriums and an outdoor
amphitheater
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
. A movie theater, City Hall and library are found at Hjertnes. Concerts, opera, and other cultural events also take place at Hjertnes Civic Center.
Art
![Midtåsen_skulpturpaviljong](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Midt%C3%A5sen_skulpturpaviljong.png)
Sandefjord is the city in Norway with the most sculptures per inhabitant. The city is home to around 100 sculptures from over 50 artists and sculptors including
Ørnulf Bast
Ørnulf Bast (25 January 1907 – 28 October 1974) was a Norwegian sculptor and painter particularly known for his public monuments.
Background
Ørnulf Bjarne Bast was born in Oslo. His parents were Halsten Andersen Bast Birklund (1870–19 ...
,
Nils Aas
Nils Sigurd Aas (21 April 1933 – 10 February 2004) was a Norwegian sculptor. He was one of the most prominent artists in modern Norwegian sculpture and is particularly well known for his statue of Haakon VII, located in the June Seventh Squar ...
,
Dagfin Werenskiold
Dagfin Werenskiold (16 October 1892 – 29 June 1977) was a Norwegian sculptor and painter.
He was born in Bærum as son of Norwegian painter and illustrator Erik Werenskiold, and brother of geologist Werner Werenskiold. He first learned drawing ...
,
Knut Steen
Knut Steen (19 November 1924 – 22 September 2011) was a Norwegian sculptor. Steen lived in Sandefjord for most of his life and dedicated works such as the Whaler's Monument to the city. Many of his sculptures may also be seen at Midtåsen ...
,
Per Krogh
Per Lasson Krohg (18 June 1889 – 3 March 1965) was a Norwegian artist. He is best known for the mural he created for the United Nations Security Council Chamber, located in the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Biography
Per Krohg ...
, and others. Notable sculptures include the
Whaler's Monument
Whaler's Monument, also known as The Whaling Monument (Norwegian: ''Hvalfangstmonumentet''), is a rotating bronze memorial statue situated by the harbor in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located at the end of Jernbanealleen, which is the main street i ...
and the Sea Queen (“Havdronningen”) by
Arnold Haukeland
Arnold Haukeland (28 March 1920 – 18 June 1983) was a Norwegian sculptor.
Biography
He was born at Verdal in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway. He was the son of Arnold Martin Haukeland (1891–1977) and Lilly Karoline Wallem (1896–1969).
He att ...
, which is located outside
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center is a series of municipal buildings in Sandefjord, Norway, which houses the City Hall, city library and a movie theater. It is situated next-door to Scandic Park Hotel at Sandefjordsveien in the city center. It has ...
.
Midtåsen Sculpture Park contains a collection of bronze and marble works by Knut Steen in a park and villa designed by
Arnstein Arneberg
Arnstein Rynning Arneberg (6 July 1882 – 9 June 1961) was a Norwegian architect. He was active professionally for 50 years and is often considered the leading architect in Norway of his time.
Personal life
Arnstein Rynning Arneberg was b ...
. Poseidon Sculpture Park, which is located in
Badeparken
Badeparken ("the Bathing Park") is a 12-acre (4.8 ha) public park in the city centre of Sandefjord, Norway. It is near the harbor and is home to a playground, sculpture park, several reflection mirrors, and an amphitheater. The park was establish ...
, features Greek mythology sculptures by
Nina Sundbye
Nina Sundbye (born 4 August 1944) is a Norwegian sculptor, born in Oslo. Her debut was a bust of illustrator Finn Graff from 1967. Among her other works is a bronze statue of Aasta Hansteen placed at Aker Brygge, and busts of resistance fighter Gre ...
.
Arne Durban
Arne Durban (16 June 1912 – 18 March 1993) was a Norwegian sculptor and art critic. He was born in Kristiania, and was a brother of Halvor Durban-Hansen. His works are represented in more than thirty cities in Norway. Among his works are sc ...
’s sculpture "Mother and Child" is located in the City Park (“Byparken”), while a sculpture of priest
Magnus Brostrup Landstad
Magnus Brostrup Landstad (7 October 1802 – 8 October 1880) was a Norwegian parish priest and provost, hymn writer, and poet who published the first collection of authentic Norwegian traditional ballads in 1853.
Biography
Landstad was born in ...
made by
Hans Holmen
Hans Holmen (January 8, 1878 – August 16, 1958) was a Norwegian painter and sculptor.
Hans Holmen was born at the Holmen farm in Hedrum, Norway, the son of the farmer Iver Holmen (1839–1915) and Anne Marie Svartsrød (1835–1916). He studie ...
can be seen at ''Landstads plass'' by
Sandar Church
Sandar Church (Norwegian: ''Sandar kirke'') is the oldest church in Sandefjord, Norway in Vestfold og Telemark. The church was erected at the ruins of a mediaeval stone church from the 13th century. The current church was built in 1792 in the st ...
. A polar bear sculpture by
Skule Waksvik is located outside
Sandefjord Museum
Sandefjordmuseene (''Hvalfangstmuseet'') is a museum located in Sandefjord, Norway. It is dedicated to the whaling industry and is the only specialized museum on the subject of whales and whaling in Europe. Since 2009, the museum has been associa ...
, while a whale jawbone arch is placed outside
Scandic Park Hotel
Scandic Park Hotel (formerly Rica Park Hotel) is a large hotel in Sandefjord, Norway. The Park Hotel was completed in 1960 and was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Vestfold County when established. Park Hotel was built on a site that previ ...
. A memorial to fallen sailors (Sjømannsminnesmerket) was placed outside Sandefjord Church in 1920 and was made by sculptor
Gustav Lærum.
The fountain at Christopher Hvidts Plass, the Thaulow fountain, was donated to the city in 1875 by
Heinrich Arnold Thaulow
Heinrich Arnold Thaulow (10 June 1808 – 19 August 1894) was a physician known for the introduction of balneotherapy in Norway.
Thaulow founded Sandefjord Spa in Sandefjord in 1837. He was Sandefjord's first physician. He also made the first ...
, the city's first physician and founder of
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
. It is the city's oldest sculpture and its first donation.
In 2017, the NGO ''Art for All in the World'' conducted a project where seven mural artists contributed. A mural by
Eduardo Kobra
Carlos Eduardo Fernandes Léo (born January 1, 1976 in São Paulo, Brazil), known as Eduardo Kobra, nicknamed Kobra, is a street artist who officially began his career in 1987 at 11 years old, in his hometown of São Paulo. Since then he has pai ...
, “Peace between nations”, can be seen behind ''Peter Grøns gate 2B''. Street art by graffiti artist
Victor Ash can be seen at ''Stockfeldsgate 6-8''.
Museums
Sandefjord is home to Europe's only museum dedicated to
whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
, which is located in the city center.
[Philpott, Don (1991). ''Visitor's Guide: Norway''. Moorland. p. 76. .] The museum was one of the first original museums in Norway when established in 1917. Today it boasts over 150,000 photographs as well as exhibits of marine animals, a restored whale catcher, and more.
A whale catcher named ''
Southern Actor
''Southern Actor'' is a former whale catcher, currently a museum ship based in Sandefjord, Norway and owned by Sandefjord Museum. It is the only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. Over 100,000 ...
'' is docked at Museum's Wharf and is a part of the Maritime Museum. It is the only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. It was constructed by
Sevilla Whaling Co. in 1950 and brought to Sandefjord in 1989.
[Olstad, Finn (1997). ''Sandefjords historie B.2: En vanlig småby?'' Sandefjord kommune. Page 395. ISBN 8299379725.] Museum's Wharf ("Museumsbrygga") was established in 1995 and both the ''
Gaia ship
The Gaia ship is a replica of the 9th century Viking ship '' Gokstad ship''. It was built in 1990 and departed Bergen for North America on 17 May 1991. It was named Hav-Cella prior to departing but was renamed ''Gaia'' by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, ...
'' and ''Southern Actor'' were placed at the wharf.
There are six protected buildings in Sandefjord as of 2008: City Museum (Bymuseet), Maritime Museum (Sjøfartsmuséet), and the three farms Elverhøy-, Nordby-, and Auve farms. The city's oldest house, which is located at Skippergaten 6 and was built in 1667, is also one of the city's protected structures. The City Museum and Maritime Museum, along with
Sandefjord Museum
Sandefjordmuseene (''Hvalfangstmuseet'') is a museum located in Sandefjord, Norway. It is dedicated to the whaling industry and is the only specialized museum on the subject of whales and whaling in Europe. Since 2009, the museum has been associa ...
, are the three museums found in Sandefjord. Sandefjord Museum is among the world's largest whaling museums.
It was established in 1917 and was a gift to the city from
Lars Christensen
Lars Christensen (6 April 1884 – 10 December 1965) was a Norwegian shipowner and whaling magnate. He was also a philanthropist with a keen interest in the exploration of Antarctica.
Career
Lars Christensen was born at Sandar in Vestfold, Norw ...
.
Transportation
Sandefjord Airport Torp is one of Norway's largest airports, and is particularly known for its high number of international flights.
Torp is Norway's second-largest airport in terms of international flights in 2003. As of 2003, Torp had over one million annual passengers, of which around 50% were for international flights. Despite being located 74 miles south of Oslo, Torp is sometimes
called Oslo Airport Torp. It is reached with a free shuttle bus from
Sandefjord Airport Station
Torp Station ( no, Torp stasjon), also known as Sandefjord Airport Station (), is on the Vestfold Line in Sandefjord, Norway. It is served with regional trains operated by Vy. Located close to Sandefjord Airport, Torp, the station is served by ...
on
Vestfoldbanen
The Vestfold Line ( no, Vestfoldbanen) is a railway line which runs between Drammen and Eidanger in Norway. The line connects to the Drammen Line at the northern terminus at Drammen Station and continues as the Bratsberg Line past Skien Station. ...
.
Sandefjord Airport is a budget airline hub for airlines such as
Widerøe,
Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish ultra low-cost carrier founded in 1984. It is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland and has its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. It forms the largest part of the Ryanair Holdings family ...
, and
Wizz Air
Wizz Air, legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary Ltd. ( hu, Wizz Air Hungary Légiközlekedési Zrt.) is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline serves many cities across Europe, as well as s ...
. Torp offers direct routes to over 30 international and domestic destinations, including daily flights to European cities such as
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
and
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
.
The city is served by frequent intercity trains to Oslo and onwards to
Oslo Airport
Oslo Airport ( no, Oslo lufthavn; ), alternatively referred to as Oslo Gardermoen Airport or simply Gardermoen, is the international airport serving Oslo, Norway, the capital and most populous city in the country. A hub for Flyr, Norse Atl ...
.
Daily ferries connect Sandefjord to Sweden.
[Fodor, Eugene (1991). ''Fodor's Scandinavian Cities''. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 93. .] Color Line ferries ''
MS Color Hybrid
MS ''Color Hybrid'' is a cruiseferry owned and operated by Color Line (ferry operator), Color Line on their route between Sandefjord in Norway and Strömstad in Sweden. The largest Plug-in hybrid, plug-in diesel-electric hybrid ferry, hybrid ves ...
'' and ''
Color Viking'' connect the town to
Strömstad in Sweden.
Fjord Line
Fjord Line is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark; in October 2020 the company announced a scale-back of operations whereby the ferry operations will only serve the ports of Kristiansand, Hirtshals, and St ...
is another ferry service connecting Sandefjord and Sweden. Neighboring town of
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
is home to daily ferry operations between Norway and
Hirtshals, Denmark.
Scandi Line
A Scandinavian is a resident of Scandinavia or something associated with the region, including:
Culture
* Scandinavianism, political and cultural movement
* Scandinavian design, a design movement of the 1950s
* Scandinavian folklore
* Scandinavi ...
was a former ferry service operating ferries between Sandefjord and Sweden. Sandefjord is also home to a domestic ferry route:
MF Jutøya transports people and goods to
Veierland
Veierland is a populated, carfree island in Færder municipality, Norway. A ferry service operated by Jutøya AS connects the island with the nearby, larger island of Nøtterøy. The island also has a permanent ferry link to Engø peninsula in n ...
Island from Engø peninsula several times per day. Sandefjord is also a cruise ship destination.
European route E18
European route E18 runs from Craigavon in Northern Ireland to Saint Petersburg in Russia, passing through Scotland, England, Norway, Sweden and Finland. It is about in length.
Although the designation implies the possibility of a through jour ...
traverses the municipality. It is one of Norway's most important main roads, and makes the drive to
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
approximately 90 minutes.
Public transit
Sandefjord Station
Sandefjord Station ( no, Sandefjord stasjon) is a railway station on the Vestfold Line in Sandefjord, Norway. The station is served with regional trains operated by Vy. The station opened as part of the Vestfold Line in 1881. Norsk Spisevognsels ...
is the central train station and is served by regional trains operated by
Vy. The main bus station is also located by Sandefjord Station. Fast and frequent express buses from Sandefjord shuttle along
E18, connecting to
Kristiansand
Kristiansand is a seaside resort city and municipality in Agder county, Norway. The city is the fifth-largest and the municipality the sixth-largest in Norway, with a population of around 112,000 as of January 2020, following the incorporation ...
and linking key resorts in
Southern Norway.
Trains and buses for Sandefjord leave
Oslo Central Station
Oslo Central Station ( no, Oslo sentralstasjon, abbreviated ) is the main railway station in Oslo, and the largest railway station within the entire Norwegian railway system. It connects with Jernbanetorget station. It's the terminus of Dramme ...
(Oslo S) every 30 minutes, and the journey takes two hours. The public transportation system in Sandefjord is known as
Vestfold Kollektivtrafikk
Vestfold Kollektivtrafikk (VKT) (lit. ''Vestfold Public Transport'') is the public transport administration for the county of Vestfold in Norway. VKT is responsible for planning, organising and marketing bus transport in the county, but does not ...
(VKT).
Besides Sandefjord Station, additional railway stations include
Sandefjord Airport Station
Torp Station ( no, Torp stasjon), also known as Sandefjord Airport Station (), is on the Vestfold Line in Sandefjord, Norway. It is served with regional trains operated by Vy. Located close to Sandefjord Airport, Torp, the station is served by ...
and
Stokke Station
Stokke Station ( no, Stokke stasjon) is a railway station on the Vestfold Line in Stokke, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western a ...
. Torp Express Bus Service operates buses from Sandefjord Airport to Oslo. There are free shuttle buses between Sandefjord Airport Station and Sandefjord Airport.
Sports
Bugårds Park is home to the city's largest sporting grounds and facilities, including areas for soccer, tennis, frisbee golf, handball, badminton, archery, rollerskating, horseback-riding, water sports, ice hockey, and ice skating. The 60-acre park sits by
Sandefjord High School
Sandefjord Upper Secondary School (, often abbreviated to SVGS) is a public upper secondary school in Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. It is the largest secondary school in Norway.
It is housed in two-story facilities which are located at Krokemoa ...
and is also home to a walking path,
duck pond
A duck pond is a pond for ducks and other waterfowl. Duck ponds provide habitats for water fowl and other birds, who use the water to bathe in and drink.
Typically, such ponds are round, oval or kidney-shaped. An example is the lily pond in th ...
and designated picnic areas. The swimming center with its 2,500 m
2 public pool is also located in Bugårds Park. Indoor handball courts are housed in Jotunhallen, while tennis courts are found in Pingvinhallen.
Sandefjord Golfbane is an 18-hole golf course located at Jåberg, 5 km (3.1 mi.) from the city center. It was designed by
Peter Chamberlin
Peter Hugh Girard Chamberlin (31 March 1919, London – 23 May 1978, Berkshire), most commonly known as Joe Chamberlin, was a post-War English architect most famous for his work on the Barbican Estate in London.
Biography
Chamberlin was born ...
. It was established in August 2009.
Professional sports
Sandefjord Fotball is a professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
club which plays in
Tippeligaen/Eliteserien (Norwegian Premier League). The team previously played home games at
Storstadion
Storstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Sandefjord, Norway. It was the home ground of Sandefjord Fotball until the summer of 2007. It is currently used mostly for track and field meets and football matches, and is the home ground of Sandefjord ...
, but has played at
Komplett Arena
Release Arena (previously called Komplett Arena for sponsorship reasons and Sandefjord Arena) is the current stadium of Sandefjord Fotball. It was opened on 21 July 2007, when Lyn visited Sandefjord, and is still the match with the highest attendan ...
since its opening in 2007. The club reached the
Norwegian First Division
The Norwegian First Division, also called 1. divisjon and OBOS-ligaen (named sponsor is property developer OBOS), is the second-highest level of the Norwegian football league system. Each year, the top finishing teams in the 1. divisjon are p ...
in 1999, the year after its foundation.
Sandefjord is noted for its strong performance in professional handball. The city is home to two top league handball teams:
Sandefjord TIF
Sandefjord Turn- og Idrettsforening is a sports club in Sandefjord, Norway. The club has activities in basketball, team handball, handball, orienteering, sport of athletics, athletics, skiing, volleyball, gymnastics and children's allsports.
Its ...
and
IL Runar. From 1991 to 2008 Sandefjord TIF won nine Men's Premier League and another local team,
Runar Håndball, won four.
Sandefjord TIF Handball won the Men's Premier League again in 2005–06.
In professional ice skating, Sandefjord has been the location of
Norwegian Allround Championships in 1928, 1958, and 1961.
Education
Sandefjord High School
Sandefjord Upper Secondary School (, often abbreviated to SVGS) is a public upper secondary school in Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. It is the largest secondary school in Norway.
It is housed in two-story facilities which are located at Krokemoa ...
(SVGS) has about 2,000 students and is Norway's largest high school.
It is a result of the merge between Sandefjord's four former high schools.
Skagerak International School
The international schools at Skagerak are a group of private schools located on the waterfront in Sandefjord, Norway. Skagerak is located at the prestigious premises of the former shipyard administration at Framnes.Tore, Sandberg and Cato Arvesch ...
is also located in town and offers English-speaking kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and high school. Other private schools include Moe- and Mokollen schools. Skiringssal folkehøyskole is a
folk high school
Folk high schools (also ''Adult Education Center'', Danish: ''Folkehøjskole;'' Dutch: ''Volkshogeschool;'' Finnish: ''kansanopisto'' and ''työväenopisto'' or ''kansalaisopisto;'' German: ''Volkshochschule'' and (a few) ''Heimvolkshochschule;'' ...
in Sandefjord, which is owned by
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County.
There are six public middle schools in Sandefjord: Andebu-, Breidablikk-, Bugården-, Ranvik-, Stokke- and Varden middle schools. There are 21 public elementary schools in town.
Sandefjord High School (SVGS) and its two-story 32,000 m
2 (344,000 sq. ft.) facilities are located at Krokemoa near the
Bugårds Park. It is a public
International Baccalaureate World School
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...
, but also offers general academics (the college preparatory ''studiespesialisering'' of the Norwegian school system), as well as elite sports, vocational education, and more.
Skagerak International School
The international schools at Skagerak are a group of private schools located on the waterfront in Sandefjord, Norway. Skagerak is located at the prestigious premises of the former shipyard administration at Framnes.Tore, Sandberg and Cato Arvesch ...
is a private, English-language,
International Baccalaureate World School
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...
at Framnes. Its education is offered to both international- and Norwegian students. Established as a High School in 1991, the school expanded to include a kindergarten as well as Primary- and Middle schools in 2000. The basis of the education is formed by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma (DP) programs. Skagerak is located in a renovated shipyard on the waterfront at
Framnes. Camps and excursions are offered for all Primary- and Middle School students, as well as two or more annual trips abroad. High School students travel abroad for cultural and service-oriented trips, mostly to areas in Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. The High School is a member of
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's ''SOUL'' project.
As of 2018, 250 students are enrolled at
Pilot Flight Academy at
Torp Airport
Sandefjord Airport, Torp ( no, Sandefjord lufthavn, Torp; ) is an international airport located northeast of Sandefjord, Norway and south of Oslo. The airport features a runway aligned 18/36. Torp partially serves as a regional airport for Ve ...
.
Points of interest
![Sandar kirke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Sandar_kirke.jpg)
Notable points of interest include:
*
Gokstad Burial Mound, site of the discovery of the 9th-century
Gokstad Ship.
*
Sandefjord Museum
Sandefjordmuseene (''Hvalfangstmuseet'') is a museum located in Sandefjord, Norway. It is dedicated to the whaling industry and is the only specialized museum on the subject of whales and whaling in Europe. Since 2009, the museum has been associa ...
(the Whaling Museum), Europe's only museum dedicated to the whaling industry.
**
Gaia ship
The Gaia ship is a replica of the 9th century Viking ship '' Gokstad ship''. It was built in 1990 and departed Bergen for North America on 17 May 1991. It was named Hav-Cella prior to departing but was renamed ''Gaia'' by Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, ...
, 1990 replica of the
Gokstad Ship at Museum's Wharf in Sandefjord Harbor.
**
Southern Actor
''Southern Actor'' is a former whale catcher, currently a museum ship based in Sandefjord, Norway and owned by Sandefjord Museum. It is the only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. Over 100,000 ...
,
whale-catcher
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Jap ...
turned
museum ship
A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...
. Only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order.
*
Whaler's Monument
Whaler's Monument, also known as The Whaling Monument (Norwegian: ''Hvalfangstmonumentet''), is a rotating bronze memorial statue situated by the harbor in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located at the end of Jernbanealleen, which is the main street i ...
, rotating bronze monument, erected in honor of pioneering whalers
*
Sandefjord Spa
Sandefjord Spa ( no, Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nord ...
(Kurbadet), the 1899 thermal baths are housed in one of Scandinavia's largest wooden buildings.
* Bjerggata, one of the oldest parts of town with preserved wooden houses.
*
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center is a series of municipal buildings in Sandefjord, Norway, which houses the City Hall, city library and a movie theater. It is situated next-door to Scandic Park Hotel at Sandefjordsveien in the city center. It has ...
, adjacent to
Badeparken
Badeparken ("the Bathing Park") is a 12-acre (4.8 ha) public park in the city centre of Sandefjord, Norway. It is near the harbor and is home to a playground, sculpture park, several reflection mirrors, and an amphitheater. The park was establish ...
and
Scandic Park Hotel
Scandic Park Hotel (formerly Rica Park Hotel) is a large hotel in Sandefjord, Norway. The Park Hotel was completed in 1960 and was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Vestfold County when established. Park Hotel was built on a site that previ ...
.
*
Sandar Church
Sandar Church (Norwegian: ''Sandar kirke'') is the oldest church in Sandefjord, Norway in Vestfold og Telemark. The church was erected at the ruins of a mediaeval stone church from the 13th century. The current church was built in 1792 in the st ...
, built on ruins of a 13th-century
medieval
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, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
stone church. Present church was erected in 1792.
*
Sandefjord Church
Sandefjord () is a List of cities in Norway, city and the most populous List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The municipality of Sandefjord formannskapsdistrikt, was established on 1 January 1838 ...
, 1903 church, home of Sandefjord Church Bells and host of various concerts and events.
*
Høyjord Stave Church
Høyjord Stave Church ( no, Høyjord stavkirke) is a stave church in the village of Høyjord in Andebu in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. It is the only stave church left in Vestfold County. It is also Norwa ...
, in
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
, only preserved
stave church in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County.
*
Hvaltorvet
Hvaltorvet, or Hvaltorget, is the largest shopping mall in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located in the town square in the city centre. It first opened in 1989, but an expanded mall was opened on 20 November 2008. It is home to 7-63 stores including H ...
Shopping Centre, largest shopping mall in Sandefjord, located in the city center.
* Harbour Chapel ("Bryggekapellet"), Europe's only floating church.
*
Folehavna Fort, ruins from a German fortress constructed in 1941 during the
German occupation of Norway
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway until the ...
.
[Schandy, Tom and Tom Helgesen (2012). ''Naturperler i Vestfold''. Forlaget Tom & Tom v/Schandy. Pages 173-175. ISBN 9788292916148.][Gjerseth, Simen (2016). ''Nye Sandefjord''. Liv forlag. Page 71. ISBN 9788283301137.]
*
Sundås Fort, ruins from fortifications constructed in 1899 during the
Union between Sweden and Norway
Sweden and Norway or Sweden–Norway ( sv, Svensk-norska unionen; no, Den svensk-norske union(en)), officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and known as the United Kingdoms, was a personal union of the separate kingdoms of Swede ...
.
*
Istrehågan, ancient burial ground which dates to the
Roman Iron Age around 1500–500 BCE.
Recreation
![Utsikt fra Tønsberg tønne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Utsikt_fra_T%C3%B8nsberg_t%C3%B8nne.jpg)
Sandefjord has some of Eastern Norway's largest preserved coastal recreation areas.
This includes
Yxnøy
Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It i ...
, which is one of the largest preserved nature areas along
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
's coast. There are 20 km (12.4 mi) of coastal hiking trails on
Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
peninsula, including to its southern tip where
Tønsberg Barrel
Tønsberg , historically Tunsberg, is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, eastern Norway, located around south-southwest of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near its mouth onto the Skagerrak. The administrative ce ...
is located. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon mentioned in ''
Sverris saga''. The 20 km coastal path at Østerøya (East Island) is an extension of the 25 km (15.5 mi) coastal path on
Vesterøya
Vesterøya (West Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It is primarily known for its many beaches and idyllic coastal landscape, but there are also numerous trails used for hiking and biking.Mšbius, Aaron and Michael (2014). ...
(West Island). These 45 kilometers (28 mi.) of hiking trails are part of the international
North Sea Trail
The North Sea Trail is a transnational long-distance hiking trail along the coast of the North Sea. The route passes through seven countries and 26 partner areas. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable tourism and to keep alive the com ...
. Additional hiking trails are found at Preståsen, Hjertnes Forest, Fjellvikåsen, Mokollen, Midtås, as well as the Culture Walk. 100 km of hiking trails are attached to trailheads by Heisetra in rural
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
. Sandefjord is home to ten
cross-country skiing trails (loipes).
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Goksjø is 5 km from north to south, and has a circumference of 20 km. At its deepest, Goksjø is no deeper than 26 meters. Goksjø ha ...
is a 3.47 km
2 (2.15 mi
2) lake on the border between Sandefjord,
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
, and
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
. It is the third-largest lake in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County. Goksjø is popular for swimming, kayaking and fishing; some of the fish species found here are
Northern pike
The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus '' Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are known simply as a ...
,
European perch,
Ide,
Common dace
The common dace (''Leuciscus leuciscus'') is a species of freshwater and brackish water ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae which is native to Europe but which has been introduced to other parts of the world. It is a quarry species for coa ...
,
European eel
The European eel (''Anguilla anguilla'') is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They are normally around and rarely reach more than , but can reach a length of up to in exceptional cases.
Eels have been important sources of fo ...
,
Salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
and
Brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
. Freshwater fishing is also common by rivers such as Svartåa in
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
and the Hagenes River in
Kodal
Kodal is a village and parish in Sandefjord municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Kodal is mostly a rural area, with a population of 971 as of 2014. It is located ten kilometers north of Sandefjord city center and eleven miles south of the tow ...
.
Numedalslågen
Numedalslågen is a river located in the counties of Vestfold and Telemark and Viken in southeastern Norway. It is one of the longest rivers in Norway.
Location
Numedalslågen stretches for over through the counties of Vestfold and Telemark and ...
, which is considered one of Norway's best salmon fishing rivers, is located in neighboring town of
Larvik
Larvik () is a List of cities in Norway, town and Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality ...
.
Sandefjord is home to numerous campgrounds, all which are located along the seaside. Campgrounds include Asnes,
Langeby
Langeby is a beach at West Island (Vesterøya) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is described as the city’s best beach by both Frommer's- and Fodor's Travel Guides. Besides its sandy beach, it is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rent ...
, Vøra, Sjøbakken, Strand Leirsted,
Solløkka
Solløkka is a residential- and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, Norway. Solløkka is home to a boat harbor and beach in innermost Lahellefjord. A number of cabins and vacation homes can be found at Sol ...
, and islands such as
Granholmen
Granholmen is a island located in the Sandefjordsfjord of Sandefjord, Norway. Situated around five kilometers south of the city center, the island is housing a campground, a cafe, kiosk, pub, soccer field, along with grassland and sandy beaches. I ...
and
Natholmen
{{Infobox islands
, name = Natholmen
, native_name =
, native_name_link =
, sobriquet =
, image_name = Brua_til_Natholmen.jpg
, image_size ...
.
Langeby
Langeby is a beach at West Island (Vesterøya) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is described as the city’s best beach by both Frommer's- and Fodor's Travel Guides. Besides its sandy beach, it is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rent ...
is considered Sandefjord's best beach by
Frommer's
Frommer's is a travel guide book series created by Arthur Frommer in 1957. Frommer's has since expanded to include more than 350 guidebooks in 14 series, as well as other media including an eponymous radio show and a website. In 2017, the company ...
and
Fodor's Travel Guides,
and is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rentals. Tent camping is permitted on numerous nearby islands, including the 11-acre (4.5 ha) Hellesøya and 12-acre (5 ha) Buerøya. Langeby lies adjacent to
Vøra, a neighboring beach and campground. Vøra tends to get crowded during warm summer days due to tourism. It attracts summer vacationers from throughout Norway during warm summer months.
The archipelago of
Stauper in the Tønsbergfjord, in-between
Tjøme and
Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
, is particularly popular during summer months. These islands are popular for swimming, kayaking, boating, and camping. It consists of four larger islands, four small islands, and a number of islets.
Tent camping is permitted in forests, minimum 150 meters (492 ft.) from nearest settlement.
Beaches
![Sandefjord Langeby](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Sandefjord_Langeby.JPG)
Sandefjord's 146 km (90.7 mi.) of coastline is home to various beaches:
[http://www.oslofjorden.com/badesteder/kart_badeplasser_sandefjord_kommune.html]
* Asnes (
West Island
The West Island () is the unofficial name given to the cities, towns and boroughs at the western end of the Island of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. It is generally considered to consist of the Lakeshore municipalities of Dorval, Pointe-Cla ...
): Campground, convenience store, public restrooms, diving boards, sloping rocks.
* Flautangen (
East Island): Firepits, fishing, public restrooms.
*
Folehavna (West Island): Hiking trails, fishing, sloping rocks. Ruins from a German fortress built in 1941.
* Fruvika (West Island): Firepits, benches, public restrooms.
*
Granholmen
Granholmen is a island located in the Sandefjordsfjord of Sandefjord, Norway. Situated around five kilometers south of the city center, the island is housing a campground, a cafe, kiosk, pub, soccer field, along with grassland and sandy beaches. I ...
(islet): Campground, convenience store, public restrooms, pier, boat rentals, playground.
* Grubesand (West Island): 100-meter beach with hiking trails, firepits, sloping rocks, picnic tables, fishing, and public restrooms.
*
Langeby
Langeby is a beach at West Island (Vesterøya) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is described as the city’s best beach by both Frommer's- and Fodor's Travel Guides. Besides its sandy beach, it is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rent ...
(West Island): Campground, convenience store, fishing, boat pier, restrooms, sloping rocks, floating platform, diving boards, showers, volleyball court, soccer field, playground.
* Sandtangen (
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Goksjø is 5 km from north to south, and has a circumference of 20 km. At its deepest, Goksjø is no deeper than 26 meters. Goksjø ha ...
Lake): Freshwater beach with pier and floating platform.
*
Skjellvika Skjellvika is a lagoon and one of the most visited beaches in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It has the most shallow waters of any beach in town, furthermore, it has one of the city’s purest sea water quality. It is situate ...
(East Island): Oceanside pier, diving boards, hiking trails, floating platform, sloping rocks.
* Strømbadet (city center): floating jetty for swimming in the Sandefjord Harbor. Access from Hjertnesstranda.
* Tangen (West Island): Diving boards, floating platform, soccer field, playground, volleyball court, benches, toilets.
* Truber and
Yxnøy
Yxnøy (also spelled Yxney, formerly: Yxnøyn) is the southernmost part of Østerøya (East Island) in Sandefjord, Norway. It stretches from Nordre Truber to Ertsvika. It is one of the largest undeveloped areas found along the Vestfold coast. It i ...
(East Island): Sloping rocks, public restrooms, hiking trails, picnic tables.
* Vøra (West Island): Campground, convenience store, volleyball court, public restroom, playground, soccer field, floating platform.
![Sandefjord, Norwegia 15](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Sandefjord%2C_Norwegia_15.JPG)
Additional beaches include Bogen (Nallberg), Brunstad, Kleivern, Korsvik, Kulerødvannet, Sandbånn and Rossnesodden (Melsomvik), Storevar, Stålerødvannet, Ertsvika, Strandvika, Albertstranda, Ormestadvika, Trollsvann, and Vårnes.
Several islands with beaches are only accessible by boat, including Gokstadholmen, Lindholmen, Gåsø, Furuholmen, Gåsøkalven, Ravnø, Buerøya and Hellesøya.
The lake
Goksjø
Goksjø is a lake in the municipalities of Sandefjord, Larvik and Andebu in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Goksjø is 5 km from north to south, and has a circumference of 20 km. At its deepest, Goksjø is no deeper than 26 meters. Goksjø ha ...
is home to beaches such as Gubbetangen and Sandtangen.
In the early 1940s, the city, under the leadership of mayor
Frithjof Holtedahl
Friðþjófur (variations: Fritiof, Frithiof, Fritjof, Frithjof, and Fridtjof) is a Scandinavian masculine given name derived from Old Norse friðr (“peace”) + þjófr (“thief”). Maybe a kenning (a metaphorical phrase used in Old Norse poe ...
, acquired the beaches Asnes on
Vesterøya
Vesterøya (West Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It is primarily known for its many beaches and idyllic coastal landscape, but there are also numerous trails used for hiking and biking.Mšbius, Aaron and Michael (2014). ...
and
Skjellvika Skjellvika is a lagoon and one of the most visited beaches in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It has the most shallow waters of any beach in town, furthermore, it has one of the city’s purest sea water quality. It is situate ...
on
Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
. Mayor Holtedahl was also instrumental in acquiring the beach
Vøra in 1943.
Nature preserves
The early 1980s saw the establishment of several nature preserves in Sandefjord, including at
Fokserød
Fokserød is a residential- and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Sandefjord municipality, Norway. Fokserød was originally the name of three former farms located near the current ''Coop Obs!'' megastore, relatively near Sandefjord Airport Torp ...
,
Strandvika,
Hemskilen, and
Vøra.
Sandefjord is home to 16
nature preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
s as of 2017:
* Dalaåsen (
beech forest
Beech Forest is a town in Victoria, Australia. The area of Beech Forest is largely used for potato farming.
History
The town was named after the many myrtle beech trees of the area. Beech Forest Post Office opened on 10 May 1890 and closed in ...
)
* Flisefyr-Hidalen (forest)
* Storås and Spirås (forest)
* Veggermyra og Nordre Skarsholttjønn (marsh)
*
Langø
Langø is an island in Denmark. It is situated in the Ulvsund between Sjælland
Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larg ...
and Bokemoa (
protected landscape)
* Robergvannet (
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
)
* Melsom (plant- and
wildlife preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
)
* Napperødtjern (
riparian forest)
*
Fokserød
Fokserød is a residential- and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Sandefjord municipality, Norway. Fokserød was originally the name of three former farms located near the current ''Coop Obs!'' megastore, relatively near Sandefjord Airport Torp ...
(beech forest)
* Holtan (plant preserve)
* Strandvika (riparian forest)
*
Hemskilen (wetland)
* Vøra (geological area)
* Akersvannet (marsh)
Public parks
Public parks in Sandefjord include:
![Sandefjord,_Norway_-_panoramio_(3)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Sandefjord%2C_Norway_-_panoramio_%283%29.jpg)
*
Bugårdsparken
Bugårdsparken (''English language, English'': the Bugårds Park) is a 60-acre park and the main sports center in Sandefjord, Norway. It is also home to a 20-acre (8.2 ha) duck pond, Bugårdsdammen, as well as designated picnic areas and hiking tra ...
("the Bugårds Park"), 60-acre park that is home to
Storstadion
Storstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Sandefjord, Norway. It was the home ground of Sandefjord Fotball until the summer of 2007. It is currently used mostly for track and field meets and football matches, and is the home ground of Sandefjord ...
, a 20-acre
duck pond
A duck pond is a pond for ducks and other waterfowl. Duck ponds provide habitats for water fowl and other birds, who use the water to bathe in and drink.
Typically, such ponds are round, oval or kidney-shaped. An example is the lily pond in th ...
, public pools, ice-skating rink, and a sports facilities.
* Byparken ("the Town Park"), built after the town fire of 1900. Home of the statue ''Mother and Child'' by
Arne Durban
Arne Durban (16 June 1912 – 18 March 1993) was a Norwegian sculptor and art critic. He was born in Kristiania, and was a brother of Halvor Durban-Hansen. His works are represented in more than thirty cities in Norway. Among his works are sc ...
. The decision to establish a city park was made by the city council on June 28, 1901. In 1906, enough funds had been received to secure the land. The park has a cubic stone pedestal gifted to the city in May 1995 from
Sandefjord Rotary. On this pedestal is where the “sculpture of the month” has been placed every month since 1995.
*
Badeparken
Badeparken ("the Bathing Park") is a 12-acre (4.8 ha) public park in the city centre of Sandefjord, Norway. It is near the harbor and is home to a playground, sculpture park, several reflection mirrors, and an amphitheater. The park was establish ...
("the bathing park"), 15-acre city park with fitness trail, an amphitheater, and playground, adjacent to
Scandic Park Hotel
Scandic Park Hotel (formerly Rica Park Hotel) is a large hotel in Sandefjord, Norway. The Park Hotel was completed in 1960 and was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Vestfold County when established. Park Hotel was built on a site that previ ...
and
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center is a series of municipal buildings in Sandefjord, Norway, which houses the City Hall, city library and a movie theater. It is situated next-door to Scandic Park Hotel at Sandefjordsveien in the city center. It has ...
** Poseidon Sculpture Park, sculpture park by
Nina Sundbye
Nina Sundbye (born 4 August 1944) is a Norwegian sculptor, born in Oslo. Her debut was a bust of illustrator Finn Graff from 1967. Among her other works is a bronze statue of Aasta Hansteen placed at Aker Brygge, and busts of resistance fighter Gre ...
established in 1995
* Andebuparken, park in the center of
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
* Sandefjord Hundepark (Sandefjord Dog Park), dog park near
Sandefjord Upper Secondary School managed by Sandefjord hundeklubb
*
Midtåsen Sculpture Park, 15-acre park at Anders Jahre's former villa, sculptures and views of the
Sandefjordsfjord
The Sandefjordsfjord (), sometimes also called the Sandefjord (), is an approximately 9 km long fjord in the municipality of Sandefjord in Vestfold, Norway. It is located to the west of Vesterøya. The Sandefjordsfjord is the longest of the ...
. The park was dedicated to artist
Knut Steen
Knut Steen (19 November 1924 – 22 September 2011) was a Norwegian sculptor. Steen lived in Sandefjord for most of his life and dedicated works such as the Whaler's Monument to the city. Many of his sculptures may also be seen at Midtåsen ...
.
* Hjertnesstranda ("the Hjertnes Beach"), park at the harbor-front with barbecue grills, sand volleyball fields, benches, public toilets.
** Sandefjord Skatepark
* Kirkeparken ("the church park"), park immediately west of Sandefjord Church.
* Preståsen, park and recreation area situated on a 44-meter (144 ft.) high hill overlooking the city. Preståsen has various hiking trails, benches, a playground, barbecue sites, a water fountain, and
Brydedammen, which is a large pond. It has two access points from Bjerggata in the city center.
Notable residents
Business & Public Service
![Bjørn Ole Gleditsch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Bj%C3%B8rn_Ole_Gleditsch.JPG)
*
Christen Christensen (1845–1923) a Norwegian shipyard and ship-owner
*
Johan Bryde Johan Bryde (June 1858 – May 1925) was a Norwegian businessperson, ship owner and whaler. He helped establish the first modern whaling station in the country of South Africa. The Bryde's whale (''Balaenoptera brydei'') is named after him.
Biogra ...
(1858–1925) a ship owner and whaler, set up a whaling station in South Africa
*
Carl Anton Larsen
Carl Anton Larsen (7 August 1860 – 8 December 1924) was a Norway, Norwegian-born Whaling, whaler and Antarctic explorer who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fos ...
(1860–1924) an Antarctic explorer, set up the Antarctic whaling industry and the settlement at
Grytviken
Grytviken ( ) is a settlement on South Georgia in the South Atlantic and formerly a whaling station and the largest settlement on the island. It is located at the head of King Edward Cove within the larger Cumberland East Bay, considered the b ...
on
South Georgia
South Georgia ( es, Isla San Pedro) is an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It lies around east of the Falkland Islands. Stretching in the east ...
*
Olaf Alfred Hoffstad
Olaf Alfred Hoffstad (18 March 186515 September 1943) was a Norwegian botanist, writer, school principal and Conservative politician. Born in the mid-Norwegian city of Stjørdal to a mercantile family, he initially embarked on an educational car ...
(1865–1943) botanist, school principal and Mayor of Sandefjord, 1911/1934
*
Christian Theodore Pedersen (1876–1969),
Norwegian American
Norwegian Americans ( nb, Norskamerikanere, nn, Norskamerikanarar) are Americans with ancestral roots in Norway. Norwegian immigrants went to the United States primarily in the latter half of the 19th century and the first few decades of the ...
seaman,
whaling
Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution.
It was practiced as an organized industry ...
captain and
fur trader
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
in
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
, Canada and the northern Pacific
*
Lars Christensen
Lars Christensen (6 April 1884 – 10 December 1965) was a Norwegian shipowner and whaling magnate. He was also a philanthropist with a keen interest in the exploration of Antarctica.
Career
Lars Christensen was born at Sandar in Vestfold, Norw ...
(1884–1965) a Norwegian shipowner and whaling magnate
*
Ole Aanderud Larsen
Ole Aanderud Larsen (18 December 1884 – 6 October 1964) was a ship designer and businessman from Norway.
Larsen was born in Tønsberg and died in Sandefjord, in the county of Vestfold. Larsen is best known for designing the ''Endurance,'' ...
(1884–1964), ship designer, co-founder of the paint company
Jotun
*
Ingrid Christensen
Ingrid Christensen (10 October 1891 – 18 June 1976) was an early polar explorer. She was known as the first woman to view Antarctica and land on the Antarctic mainland.
Early life
Christensen (née Dahl) was the daughter of Alfhild Freng Dahl ...
(1891–1976) polar explorer, first woman to set foot on
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
*
Anders Jahre
Anders August Jahre (28 May 1891 – 26 February 1982) was a Norwegian shipping magnate. Jahre was educated in law, and worked as a lawyer in Sandefjord from 1916 until 1928. Meanwhile, he was also involved in the whaling industry, and he founded ...
(1891–1982) shipping magnate
*
Odd Gleditsch, Sr. Odd Gleditsch Sr. (2 October 1894 – 17 January 1990) was a Norwegian business entrepreneur. The founder of the paint company Jotun. He was CEO of the company from 1926 to 1967.
Personal life
Gleditsch was born in Sandefjord in Vestfold, No ...
(1895–1990), business entrepreneur, co-founder of the paint company
Jotun
*
Theodore Theodorsen
Theodore Theodorsen (January 8, 1897 – November 5, 1978) was a Norwegian-American theoretical aerodynamicist noted for his work at NACA (the forerunner of NASA) and for his contributions to the study of turbulence.
Early yea ...
(1897–1978), Norwegian American theoretical
aerodynamicist
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
*
Anton Fredrik Klaveness Anton Fredrik Klaveness may refer to:
* Anton Klaveness (Anton Fredrik Klaveness, 1874–1958), Norwegian ship-owner
* Anton Fredrik Klaveness (1903–1981)
Anton Klaveness (8 November 1903 – 15 April 1981) was a Norwegian equestrian and sh ...
(1903–1981) a Norwegian equestrian and ship-owner
*
Karenanne Gussgard
Karenanne Gussgard (born 2 January 1940) is a retired Norwegian judge.
She was born in Sandefjord in 1940. She studied law and earned her cand.jur. degree in 1964. She worked as a lawyer in Bergen from 1974, secretary in the Appeals Selection Co ...
(born 1940) retired justice of the
Supreme Court of Norway 1990/2010
*
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch
Bjørn Ole Gleditsch (born 13 January 1963) is a Norwegian businessperson and politician for the Conservative Party.
Since 2003 he is the mayor of Sandefjord. Before this he served several terms in the municipal council. (born 1963) heir to paint co.
Jotun; Mayor of Sandefjord since 2003
*
Marie Benedicte Bjørnland
Marie Benedicte Bjørnland (born 30 April 1965) is a Norwegian lawyer. She is the current Director of Police since 2019, and was the head of the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) from 2012 to 2019.
She was born in Kristiansand and grew up ...
(born 1965) head,
Norwegian Police Security Service 2012/2019
*
Frederic Hauge
Frederic Hauge (born 15 August 1965) is a Norwegian environmental activist. He is head of the Bellona Foundation which he co-founded in 1986. Bellona is an international environmental NGO based in countries such as Russia, the United States, Norw ...
(born 1965) environmental activist, founded and runs
Bellona Foundation
The Bellona Foundation is an international environmental Non-governmental organization, NGO headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with branches in Europe and North America. Founded in 1986 by Frederic Hauge and Rune Haaland as a direct action protest gr ...
The Arts
![Ina Wroldsen (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Ina_Wroldsen_%28cropped%29.jpg)
*
Ole Windingstad
Ole Windingstad (May 18, 1886 – June 3, 1959) was a Norwegian conductor, pianist and composer. He was the conductor of the Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra in Brooklyn, New York and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic. His most notable symphonic compos ...
(1886–1959) a Norwegian conductor, pianist and composer
*
Eline Nygaard Riisnæs
Eline Nygaard Riisnæs (5 July 1913 – 3 February 2011) was a Norwegian pianist and musicologist at UiO, mother of the pianist and piano pedagog Anne Eline Riisnæs (1951-), and the saxophonists Knut Riisnæs (1945-) and Odd Riisnæs (1953- ...
(1913–2011) a pianist and musicologist at
UiO UIO may refer to:
* University of Oslo
* Mariscal Sucre International Airport, in Quito, Ecuador
** Old Mariscal Sucre International Airport
Mariscal Sucre International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre) was the main inter ...
*
Teddy Nelson
Teddy Nelson (born ''Terje Nielsen'', August 23, 1939 - died June 8, 1992) was a Norwegian country music artist, best known for his hit singles "Diggy Liggy Lo", "Bonde ifrå Hamlagrø" and "Skilsmisseferd i Hardanger", and his collaborations with ...
(1939–1992) country music singer, sang with
Skeeter Davis
*
Dag Solstad
Dag Solstad (born 16 July 1941) is a Norwegian novelist, short-story writer, and dramatist whose work has been translated into 20 languages. He has written nearly 30 books and is the only author to have received the The Norwegian Critics Prize ...
(born 1941) a Norwegian novelist, short-story writer and dramatist
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Lorene Yarnell
Shields and Yarnell were an American mime team, formed in 1972, consisting of Robert Shields (born March 26, 1951) and Lorene Yarnell (March 21, 1944 – July 29, 2010).
Robert Shields
Shields was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Gra ...
(1944–2010) a dancer and actress, one of an American mime duo
*
Karin Fossum
Karin Fossum (born 6 November 1954) is a Norwegian author of crime fiction, often referred to as the "Norwegian queen of crime".
Early life
Karin Mathisen was born on 6 November 1954 in Sandefjord, in Vestfold county, Norway. She currently lives ...
(born 1954) a Norwegian author of crime fiction; the ''"Norwegian queen of crime"''
*
Bent Hamer
Bent Hamer (born 18 December 1956) is a film director, writer and producer, born in Sandefjord, Norway in 1956.
Biography
Hamer studied film theory and literature at the University of Stockholm and the Stockholm Film School. In addition to his fe ...
(born 1956) a film director, writer and producer
*
Nils Mathisen
Nils Mathisen (born 24 January 1959) is a Norwegian jazz musician (keyboards, violin, guitar and bass) and composer, known from significant efforts within cabaret and musicals. Mathisen has released two solo albums, and contributed to releases by ...
(born 1959) keyboards, violin, guitar and bass and composer,
*
Anita Hegerland (born 1961) singer
*
Finn Gjerdrum
Finn Gjerdrum (born 20 March 1961, in Sandefjord) is a Norwegian film producer.
Gjerdrum started his career making short films with Bent Hamer. His first feature-length movie was Hamer's critically acclaimed '' Eggs'', which was awarded the Amand ...
(born 1961) a Norwegian film producer
*
Ole Mathisen
Ole Mathisen (born 13 February 1965) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone and clarinet) and composer. He is a critically acclaimed saxophonist and active performer on the New York City and the international jazz scene, and known for more than ...
(born 1965) saxophone and clarinet and composer
*
Hans Mathisen
Hans Mathisen (born 27 July 1967 in Sandefjord, Norway) is a Norwegian Jazz guitarist, educated on the Jazzprogram at Trondheim musikkonservatorium (1988–90), well known for his Pat Metheny and Wes Montgomery inspired performances. He is the b ...
(born 1967) guitarist
*
Petter Wettre
Petter Wettre (born 11 August 1967) is a Norwegian Jazz musician (Saxophone) and composer, known from a number of album recordings, accompanied by receiving the Spellemannprisen two times.
Career
Wettre was born and raised in Sandefjord. H ...
(born 1967) a jazz musician (Saxophone) and composer
*
Per Mathisen
Per Mathisen (born 7 October 1969) is a Norwegian jazz bassist and composer who has worked with Terri Lyne Carrington, Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, Bill Bruford, Alex Acuña, Gary Husband, Ralph Peterson, Nguyen Le and Terje Rypdal. He is married t ...
(born 1969) bassist and composer
*
Thomas Numme
Thomas Numme (born 28 February 1970) is a Norwegian television personality.
He was born in Sandefjord, a son of Yngvar Numme, and took media education at Volda University College. He worked in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation on P3 radio ...
(born 1970) television host
*
Espen Sandberg (born 1971) a Norwegian film director and advertising producer
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Joachim Rønning
Joachim Rønning (born 30 May 1972) is a Norwegian film director who previously worked in a partnership with Espen Sandberg, both of whom came from Sandefjord, Norway. As a directing team, they went under the name of Roenberg (a portmanteau of t ...
(born 1972) film director
*
Ina Wroldsen
Ina Christine Wroldsen (born 29 May 1984), previously known simply as Ina, is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. She was a part of the electropop duo Ask Embla with Icelandic producer and songwriter Arnthor Birgisson.
Career
Wroldsen's caree ...
(born 1984) a Norwegian singer and songwriter
*
Per Fredrik Åsly (born 1986) known as ''PelleK'' an actor, composer, singer and YouTuber
*
Tor Eckhoff (1964-2021) an adventurer and
YouTuber
*
Lukas Zabulionis
Lukas Zabulionis (born 6 March 1992 in Lithuania) is a Norwegian saxophonist and composer of Lithuanian origin, residing in Sandefjord, Norway.
Biography
Zabulionis has lived in Sandefjord since he was 7 years old. After graduation at Sandefj ...
(born 1992) a saxophonist and composer, lives in Sandefjord
Sport
![Ronny Johnsen (2017-07-29 img05)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Ronny_Johnsen_%282017-07-29_img05%29.jpg)
*
Thorbjørn Svenssen
Ole Thorbjørn Svenssen (22 April 1924 – 8 January 2011) was a Norwegian footballer, who played a then record 104 international games for Norway, and captained the side 93 times. He was one of the first footballers who played 100 international ...
(1924–2011) footballer with a then record of 104 caps for Norway national football team, Norway
* Solfrid Johansen (born 1956) sport rower, came 4th & 5th at 1976 Summer Olympics, 1976 & 1984 Summer Olympics
* Erik Bjørkum (born 1965) a sailor and team silver medallist at the 1988 Summer Olympics
* Ronny Johnsen (born 1969), Association football, footballer with 384 club caps and 62 for Norway national football team, Norway
* Morten Fevang (born 1975) a football midfielder with 400 club caps
* Geir Ludvig Fevang (born 1980) a retired football midfielder with 390 club caps
In popular culture
![Johnny Depp in Queensland, Australia (June 2015)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Johnny_Depp_in_Queensland%2C_Australia_%28June_2015%29.JPG)
* Both directors of ''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales'' (2017),
Joachim Rønning
Joachim Rønning (born 30 May 1972) is a Norwegian film director who previously worked in a partnership with Espen Sandberg, both of whom came from Sandefjord, Norway. As a directing team, they went under the name of Roenberg (a portmanteau of t ...
and
Espen Sandberg, are from Sandefjord.
* ''Hodet over vannet'' (1993) was filmed at Yxney on
Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
in Sandefjord. The Head Above Water (film), 1996-remake is starring Cameron Diaz.
* ''Deadline Torp'' (2005), Norwegian film based on the 1994 Torp hostage crisis. It was directed by Nils Gaup and written by Jo Nesbø.
* An episode, "Power Junkies" (season 1), of ''Outrageous Acts of Science'' (2012) was partly shot in Sandefjord.
* Episode #5.26 of the British TV series ''Coach Trip'' (2010) was shot in Sandefjord.
* ''Den starkaste'' (1929), Swedish silent film partly shot in Sandefjord.
* ''Valfångare'' (1939), Swedish movie filmed in Sandefjord. It was directed by Anders Henrikson and Tancred Ibsen.
* Music video for "Belinda" (2021) by Marcus & Martinus was shot at Sandefjord Airport
* "Sang til Sandefjord", song played daily by Sandefjord Church
* Music video for "The Cabin" (2013) by Ylvis was shot in
Andebu
Andebu is a village in Sandefjord municipality, Vestfold County, and a former municipality. The administrative centre of the municipality was the village of Andebu. The village is surrounded by forests, mountains, and hills. Its nearest cities a ...
, Sandefjord.
* Music video for "Hvalfangsmuseet" (2011) by Bare Egil Band was shot in Sandefjord.
* ''The Machinery'' (2020–), Viaplay TV show featuring Kristoffer Joner. It is based in and filmed in Sandefjord. Filming began in Sandefjord in 2019.
The city is mentioned in a number of songs, including "Ola var fra Sandefjord" (by Einar Rose, later recorded by the Johnny Band and others), "" (
Anita Hegerland), "En sang om en sjømann" (Lillebjørn Nilsen), "Oasen 2014" (Tix), "Medvind" (Erik og Kriss), "Vanvittig Utopi II" (Gatas Parlament), "Så Det På TV" (Postgirobygget (band), Postgirobygget), and "Helt om natten, helt om dagen" (Lars Vaular).
Fauna
![Lynx Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Lynx_Nationalpark_Bayerischer_Wald_01.jpg)
Wildlife includes the Mountain hare, European badger, European beaver, Roe deer, Red deer, Moose, Red fox, European hedgehog, European pine marten, and Norway lemming. More rare but occasionally encountered are the Gray wolf, Eurasian lynx, Wolverine and Brown bear.
Wolves are extremely rare in Sandefjord, although they have been observed on numerous occasions. A wolf shot in neighboring Lardal in 2013 was the first wolf killed in
Vestfold
Vestfold is a traditional region, a former county and a current electoral district in Eastern Norway. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore of the Oslofjord, it bordered th ...
County in over 100 years.
Common European Viper is the only venomous snake found in Norway. There are an additional two non-venomous snake species found in Vestfold County: European grass snake and European smooth snake. The Slowworm is considered a lizard.
[Larsen, Erlend (2011). ''På Tur i Vestfold del 2''. E-forlag. p. 22. .]
Gallery
Haukerød Skolekorps 2016.jpg, Constitution Day (Norway), 17 May parade, 2016
Tønsberg tønne.jpg, Tønsberg Barrel
Tønsberg , historically Tunsberg, is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, eastern Norway, located around south-southwest of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near its mouth onto the Skagerrak. The administrative ce ...
at the southern tip of Østerøya
Østerøya (East Island) is one of two peninsulas outside Sandefjord, Norway. It borders in west to the Mefjord and east to the Tønsbergfjord. Tønsberg Barrel is located on the southern end of the peninsula. Tønsberg Barrel is an old beacon ...
Joachim Frich Sandefjord.jpg, Sandefjord in 1848, painting
Sandefjord kirke1.JPG, Sandefjord Church
Sandefjord innseiling IMG 6023.jpg, Seaside entry to Sandefjord
Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution (1891) (17813080994).jpg, Gokstad Mound
The Gokstad Mound (Norwegian: Gokstadhaugen) is a large burial mound at Gokstad Farm in Sandefjord (formerly Sandar municipality) in Vestfold County, Norway. It is also known as the King's Mound (''Kongshaugen'') and is where the 9th century Go ...
GransBryggeri2.jpg, Grans Brewery
Sandefjord - building 10.jpg, Typical house in Bjerggata
Sandefjord_Næringsforening.jpg, Sandefjord, spring 2019
Sandefjord Hotel Atlantic.jpg, Clarion Collection
Choice Hotels International, Inc. is an American multinational hospitality company based in Rockville, Maryland. The company, which is one of the largest hotel chains in the world, owns several hotel brands ranging from upscale to economy. As of ...
Hotel Atlantic
SandefjordVGS1.jpg, Sandefjord High School
Sandefjord Upper Secondary School (, often abbreviated to SVGS) is a public upper secondary school in Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. It is the largest secondary school in Norway.
It is housed in two-story facilities which are located at Krokemoa ...
is Norway's largest.
Sandefjord, Norway - panoramio (3).jpg, City Park (Byparken)
See also
* List of schools in Sandefjord
* ''
Sandefjords Blad
''Sandefjords Blad'' is a newspaper published daily in Sandefjord, Norway, except on Sundays. It is available in Norwegian language only. Sandefjords Blad is a private company, owned by Mecom with a circulation of 14,780 copies (2004) and 50 emp ...
'' (local newspaper)
* Larvik/Sandefjord Region, Larvik and Sandefjord metropolitan region
* Sang til Sandefjord
References
External links
Municipal fact sheetfrom
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 ...
Sandefjord Municipality website*
*
Whaling MuseumSandefjord Public Library
The local history society "Gamle Sandefjord" – "Old Sandefjord"
A local history society dedicated to the erstwhile municipality of Sandar – Sandar Historielag i Sandefjord
A biographical dictionary of the population of the town of Sandefjord in 1801 in Norwegian
A blog-format collection of potted biographies of people in Sandefjord who turn up in the sources as of 1762 as well as occasional articles based on that material, mostly in Norwegian
{{Authority control
Sandefjord,
Municipalities of Vestfold og Telemark
Populated places in Vestfold og Telemark
Cities and towns in Norway