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Vestfold is a traditional region, a former
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
and a current electoral district in
Eastern Norway Eastern Norway ( nb, Østlandet, nn, Austlandet) is the geographical region of the south-eastern part of Norway. It consists of the counties Vestfold og Telemark, Viken, Oslo and Innlandet. Eastern Norway is by far the most populous regio ...
. In 2020 the county became part of the much larger county of Vestfold og Telemark. Located on the western shore 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 ...
, it bordered the previous Buskerud and Telemark counties. The county administration was located in Tønsberg, Norway's oldest city, and the largest city is Sandefjord. With the exception of the city-county 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 ...
, Vestfold was the smallest county in Norway by area. Vestfold was the only county in which all municipalities had declared
Bokmål Bokmål () (, ; ) is an official written standard for the Norwegian language, alongside Nynorsk. Bokmål is the preferred written standard of Norwegian for 85% to 90% of the population in Norway. Unlike, for instance, the Italian language, there ...
to be their sole official written form of the
Norwegian language Norwegian ( no, norsk, links=no ) is a North Germanic language spoken mainly in Norway, where it is an official language. Along with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a dialect continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regi ...
. Vestfold is located west 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 ...
, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten; these towns run from Oslo in an almost constant belt of urban areas along the coast, ending in Grenland in neighbouring region Telemark. The river Numedalslågen runs through the county. Many islands are located at the coast. Vestfold is mostly dominated by lowland and is among the best agricultural areas of Norway. Winters last about three months, while pleasant summer temperatures last from May to September, with a July average high of 17 °C (63 °F). Vestfold is traditionally known for shipping and sailing. Sandefjord was formerly a headquarters for the Norwegian whaling fleet, and Horten used to be Norway's main naval port. The coastal towns of Vestfold now engage in fishing and shipbuilding. Some lumbering is carried on in the interior. The area also includes some of the best farmland in Norway. Vestfold merged with neighboring Telemark County on 1 January 2020 as part of a nationwide municipal reform. The new county name is Vestfold og Telemark. Vestfold as a county is expected to be re-established by 1 January 2024, following a vote of the county council of Vestfold og Telemark on 15 February 2022 to split the newly established county into its respective counties that existed before the merger took place; Telemark and Vestfold.


Etymology

''Vestfold'' is the old name of the region which was revived in modern times. ''Fold'' was the old name 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 ...
, and the meaning of the name ''Vestfold'' is the region west of the Fold (see also Østfold). Before 1919, the county was called ''Jarlsberg og Larvik Amt''. The
amt Amt is a type of administrative division governing a group of municipalities, today only in Germany, but formerly also common in other countries of Northern Europe. Its size and functions differ by country and the term is roughly equivalent to ...
was created in 1821, consisting of the two old counties of Jarlsberg and Larvik. In the Viking Age, Vestfold also referred to
Eiker Eiker is a traditional district in the county of Buskerud, Norway. History Eiker consists of the municipalities of Nedre Eiker and Øvre Eiker. The area is located in the southern part of Buskerud county. Eiker is an agricultural area wit ...
, Drammen, Kongsberg, Lier, now in Buskerud.Vol. XIII: ''A History Of Norway'' And ''The Passion And Miracles of the Blessed Óláfr''
Anthony Faulkes and Richard Perkins (Viking Society for Northern Research), p. 128)
Vestfold Hills on Antarctica's
Sørsdal Glacier Sørsdal Glacier () is a heavily crevassed glacier on the Ingrid Christensen Coast of Princess Elizabeth Land in Antarctica, long, flowing westward along the south side of Krok Fjord and the Vestfold Hills and terminating in a prominent glaci ...
is named after the county.


History


Viking history

''Vestfold'' is mentioned for the first time in a written source in 813, when Danish kings were in Vestfold to quell an uprising amongst the Fürsts . There may have been as many as six political centers in Vestfold. At that time Kaupang, which was located in
Tjølling Tjølling is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Tjølling was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Together with Brunlanes, Stavern and Hedrum, it was merged into Larvik on January 1, 1988. Tj ...
near Larvik, had been functioning for decades and had a chieftain. Kaupang, which dates from the
Viking Era 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 Ge ...
, is believed to be the first town in Norway, although Tønsberg (which dates from ca. 900) is the oldest town in Norway still in existence. At Borre, there was a site for another chieftain. That site held chieftains for more than one hundred years prior to 813. The stone mounds at Mølen have been dated to the
Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period The ...
. The mounds at Haugar in present-day Tønsberg's town centre have been dated to the Viking period. At Farmannshaugen in Sem there seems to have been activity at the time, while activity at Oseberghaugen and
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 ...
dates from a few decades later. An English source from around 890 retells the voyage of Ottar (''Ottar fra Hålogaland'') "from the farthest North, along ''Norvegr'' via Kaupang and Hedeby to England", where Ottar places Kaupang in the land of the Dane - ''danenes land''. Bjørn Brandlien says that "To the degree that Harald Hårfagre gathered a kingdom after the Battle of Hafrsfjord at the end of the 9th century - that especially is connected to Avaldsnes - it does not seem to have made such a great impression on Ottar". Kaupang is mentioned under the name of Skiringssal (''Kaupangen i Skiringssal'') in Ottar's tales. By the 10th century, the local kings had established themselves. The king or his ombudsman resided in the old Royal Court at ''Sæheim i Sem'', today the Jarlsberg Estate (''Jarlsberg Hovedgård'') in Tønsberg. The farm Haugar (from
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 ...
''haugr'' meaning hill or mound) became the seat for Haugating, the Thing for Vestfold and one of Norway's most important place for the proclamation of kings. The family of
Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from  872 to 930 and was the first King of N ...
, who was most likely the first king of Norway, is said to have come from this area. The Danish kings seem to have been weak in Vestfold from around the middle of the 9th century until the middle of the 10th century, but their rule was strengthened there at the end of the 10th century. The Danish kings seem to have tried to control the region until the 13th century.


Kings ruling some or all of Vestfold

* Erik Agnarsson * Halfdan Hvitbeinn (part of Vestfold) * Eystein Halfdansson * Halfdan the Mild * Gudrød the Hunter * Halfdan the Black, together with his brother,
Olaf Gudrødsson Olaf Gudrødsson (c. 810 – c. 860), known after his death as Olaf Geirstad-Alf "Olaf, Elf of Geirstad" (Old Norse Ólafr Geirstaðaalfr), was a semi-legendary petty king in Norway. A member of the House of Yngling, he was the son of Gudrød the Hu ...
* Ragnvald the Mountain-High, Cousin of Harold Fairhair *
Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from  872 to 930 and was the first King of N ...
*
Bjørn Farmann Bjørn Farmann ("Bjørn the Tradesman", also called Bjørn Haraldsson, Farmand and Kaupman, died between 930 and 934) was a king of Vestfold. Bjørn was one of the sons of King Harald Fairhair of Norway. In late tradition, Bjørn Farmann was made ...
* Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf, brother of Bjørn * Harald Gudrødsson Grenske, 976–987


Whaling

Whaling was an important 19th century industry in coastal cities such as Larvik, Tønsberg, and Sandefjord, which was the world centre for the world's modern whaling industry. Not only did men from Vestfold County make up practically all the crew on the Norwegian whaling fleet, but many were also involved in the whaling industry in other nations.Tønnessen, Johan Nicolay and Arne Odd Johnsen (1982). ''The History of Modern Whaling''. University of California Press. Page 25. . As an example, the first phase of modern Australian whaling was almost entirely based on workers from Larvik. While the first whaling station in the
Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic archipelago, island group and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotlan ...
was established by Sandefjordians, Larvik played a similar role for the Shetland Islands. Tønsberg initiated much of the whaling industry in
Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...
and the
Hebrides The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
. 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 Oc ...
, ''
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 bes ...
'', was established by Carl Anton Larsen of Sandefjord on 16 November 1904. Sandefjordian Nils Larsen's expeditions to
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 co ...
in the early 20th century led to the Norwegian annexation of
Bouvet Island Bouvet Island ( ; or ''Bouvetøyen'') is an island claimed by Norway, and declared an uninhabited protected nature reserve. It is a subantarctic volcanic island, situated in the South Atlantic Ocean at the southern end of the Mid-Atlantic ...
(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 thre ...
(1929). A cove on 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 Nils Larsen's hometown. Sandefjord Harbor is now home to ''
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 h ...
'', the only whale-catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original order. The museum ship is owned by Sandefjord Whaling Museum, Europe's only museum dedicated to whaling.Philpott, Don (1991). ''Visitor's Guide: Norway''. Moorland. Page 76. . Sandefjord has been named the centre of the Modern Whaling Epoch, and has been nicknamed "the whaling capital of the world."


Geography

Vestfold was Norway's smallest county, with the exception of the city-county 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 ...
. It lies on the western shore 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 ...
. Vestfold borders with Buskerud County in the north and with Telemark County in the west. It is bordered by
Skagerrak The Skagerrak (, , ) is a strait running between the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, the southeast coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea area through the Danish Straits to the Baltic Sea. T ...
in the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
to both the south and east. The county has a total area of and has a coastline.
Vestfjellet Vestfjellet is a mountain in Hof, Vestfold, Norway. It is located one kilometer south of Skibergfjellet, Vestfold County's highest mountain. At Vestfjellet, which has an elevation of 621 meters, there are panoramic views of Gaustatoppen, Styggem ...
at is the tallest peak in the county. It is also home to 1,407 islands. Nøtterøy () is the largest island in Vestfold, while Tjøme () is the second-largest island.Bertelsen, Hans Kristian (1998). ''Bli kjent med Vestfold / Become acquainted with Vestfold''. Stavanger Offset AS. Page 191. . There is a total of 634 freshwater lakes in Vestfold, with a total area of 79 square kilometers. Large lakes include
Farris Farris is a 20 km long fresh water moraine-dammed lake near the Norwegian coastal town Larvik. The lake would have been a salt water fjord had it not been dammed by an end moraine left by the latest ice age. Farris is drinking water r ...
, Eikeren, Goksjø, Hallevannet, Akersvannet, and others. Vestfold makes up 0.7 percent of Norway's total land area. Ten Norwegian municipalities are larger in size than Vestfold County. As an example, Kautokeino municipality in Finnmark County is over four times larger than Vestfold County. The county of Finnmark is 22 times larger than Vestfold.


Geology

The county's soft soil is composed of varieties of moraine and sedimentary soils. The Ice Age left large parts of Vestfold below sea level, and the most cultivated soil can be found on the marine terraces. Marine clay and sand cover most of the lower lying country in the south-west and north. The Vestfold moraine, a continuation of the Østfold moraine at Moss, is an ice-formed formation which stretches as a cohesive gravel ridge through the county, from Horten in the east to Mølen in the south.


Preserved areas

Færder National Park was the county's first national park when the decision was formalized by King Harald V on 23 August 2013. The visitor center is at
World's End World's End or Worlds End may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature Novels * ''World's End'' (Boyle novel), a 1987 novel by T. Coraghessan Boyle * ''World's End'' (Chadbourn novel), a 2000 novel by Mark Chadbourn * ''World's End'' (Sincl ...
, and was officially opened by Queen Sonja on 26 June 2015. The national park lies in Nøtterøy- and Tjøme municipalities, and is made up of of ocean and of land. It stretches from Ormøy in the north to Færder Lighthouse in the south. It is one of two marine national parks in Norway, and is made up of coast, skerries, islands and sea bed. Mølen in Larvik is home to Norway's largest stone beach and is an ancient burial site consisting of 230 cairns, some exceeding in diameter. Excavations have dated the rock piles to about 250 A.D. It was the first UNESCO Global Geopark in the Nordics when established in 2008. Mølen is one of Larvik's most popular tourist attractions. It is home to over a hundred species of rock, including Norway's national stone, '' Larvikite'', which is named from the area. It is a crucially important seabird habitat, where over 316 species of bird have been recorded.


Municipalities

Vestfold County has experienced a large reduction in number of municipalities. As of 1949, the county was home to 19 rural municipalities and seven city municipalities. There were 14 municipalities as of 2016, but the number will decrease to 8 by 1 January 2020. As of 1 January 2017 the number of municipalities in Vestfold County was reduced from 14 to 12. As of 1 January 2018 the number of municipalities in Vestfold County was reduced from 12 to 9. # Andebu (merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 2017) # Hof (merged into Holmestrand on 1 January 2018) # Holmestrand (added Hof on 1 January 2018) # Horten # Lardal (merged into Larvik on 1 January 2018) # Larvik (added Lardal on 1 January 2018) # Nøtterøy (merged with Tjøme on 1 January 2018 to form the new municipality of Færder) # Re (merged into Tønsberg on 1 January 2020) # Sande (merged into Holmestrand on 1 January 2020) # Sandefjord (added Andebu and Stokke on 1 January 2017) # Stokke (merged into Sandefjord on 1 January 2017) # Svelvik (merged into Drammen on 1 January 2020) # Tjøme (merged with Nøtterøy on 1 January 2018 to form the new municipality of Færder) # Tønsberg (added Re on 1 January 2020)


Cities

* Holmestrand * Horten * Larvik * Sandefjord * Stavern * Tønsberg


Parishes

* Andebu * Arnadal (Arendal) * Berg * Borre * Botne * Brunlanes * Fon * Fredricksværn, see Stavern * Hedrum * Hem * Hillestad * Hof * Holmestrand * Horten * Hvarnes * Høyjord * Kjose * Kodal * Konnerud * Kvelde * Langestrand * Lardal * Larvik * Nykirke * Nøtterøy * Ramnes * Sandar * Sande * Sandefjord * Sandeherred, see Sandar * Sankt Laurentii * Sem * Skjee * Skoger * Slagen * Stavern * Stokke * Strømm (Strømmen) * Strømsgodset * Styrvoll * Svarstad * Svelvik * Tanum * Tjølling * Tjøme * Tønsberg * Undrumsdal * Valløy * Vassås * Vivestad * Vor Frue (Maria) * Våle * Åsgårdstrand * Larvik Branch (LDS, early-1927) * Tønsberg Branch (LDS, early-1951) * Larvik (Katolske Apostoliske, 1888–1963)


Villages

* Andebu *
Barkåker Barkåker is a village in the municipality of Tønsberg, 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 Sc ...
* Berger *
Bergsåsen Bergsåsen is a village in the municipality of Re, Norway. Together with the nearby village Revetal Revetal was the administrative centre of Re municipality, Norway, until the municipality was merged into Tønsberg. Together with the nearby ...
*
Bjerkøya Bjerkøya is a populated island in Holmestrand Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The island lies in the Ytre Oslofjord, near the mouth of the Drammensfjorden. It lies about to the north of the town of Holmestrand in a small group of ...
*
Bjørnevåg Bjørnevåg is a village in Færder Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located on the southern part of the island of Tjøme, about south of the villages of Tjøme, Solvang, and Ormelet. Verdens Ende Verdens Ende ("World ...
* Borgheim * Borre * Brekkeåsen * Buerstad * Duken * Eidsfoss * Eik *
Eikeberg Eikeberg is a village in the municipality of Sande, 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 Scandi ...
* Fevang * Fokserød * Fon *
Freberg Freberg is a small, rural village in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located between the villages of Gokstad to the west, Helgerød to the northeast, and Lahelle Lahelle is a neighborhood and statistical area ...
* Føynland *
Gjone Gjone is a small part of the district Kvelde, which is situated approximately 20 km north of Larvik, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises ...
* Glomstein *
Gretteåsen Gretteåsen is a village in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located about north of the Tønsberg (town), city of Tønsberg, about west of the Horten (town), city of Horten, and about east of the village of Rev ...
*
Grimestad Grimestad is a village in Færder Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located on the island of Tjøme, about to the northeast of the village of Tjøme, about to the north of the village of Hulebakk, about to the southeas ...
* Gullhaug * Hafallen * Helgeroa * Hem * Hof *
Hulebakk Hulebakk is a village in Færder Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located on the island of Tjøme, about to the northeast of the village of Tjøme, about to the northwest of the village of Ormelet, and about to the so ...
* Husvik * Husøy * Hvasser * Høyjord * Hårkollen * Kaupang *
Kjose Kjose is a village in Larvik Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located on the western shore of the large lake Farris Farris is a 20 km long fresh water moraine-dammed lake near the Norwegian coastal town Larvik. T ...
*
Kjøpmannskjær Kjøpmannskjær is a village and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Nøtterøy municipality, Norway. The statistical area Kjøpmannskjær, which also can include the peripheral parts of the village as well as the surrounding countryside, has a po ...
* Klever * Kodal * Kvelde * Lahelle *
Linnestad Linnestad is a village in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located about to the northwest of the city of Tønsberg, about to the southeast of the village of Ramnes, and about to the southeast of Revetal. The ...
* Melsomvik * Nesbrygga *
Nesbygda Nesbygda is a village in the municipality of Svelvik, 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 Scand ...
* Nykirke *
Ormelet Ormelet is a village and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Tjøme municipality, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and nor ...
* Oterbekk * Ramnes * Revetal *
Rånerudåsen Rånerudåsen is a village in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located about to the north of the city of Tønsberg, about to the northeast of the village of Brekkeåsen, and about to the west of the village o ...
*
Råstad Råstad is a village area in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located just south of Sandefjord Airport, Torp, about south of the village of Stokke, and about northeast of the city of Sandefjord. It is home to ...
* Sande *
Selvik Selvik is a village in the municipality of Holmestrand, Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and nor ...
* Sem * Skallestad *
Skinmo Skinmo is a village in Larvik Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located on the eastern edge of the municipality, along the border with Sandefjord Municipality. The village of Verningen lies about to the southwest, the villa ...
*
Skjerve Skjerve is a village and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Nøtterøy municipality, Norway. The statistical area Skjerve, which also can include the peripheral parts of the village as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of 152 ...
* Skoppum *
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 ...
* Solvang * Stavern * Stokke * Storevar * Strand *
Strengsdal Strengsdal is a village and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Nøtterøy municipality, Norway. The statistical area Strengsdal, which also can include the peripheral parts of the village as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population o ...
*
Sundbyfoss Sundbyfoss is a village in the municipality of Hof, 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 Scand ...
*
Sundene Sundene is a village and statistical area (''grunnkrets'') in Tjøme municipality, Norway. The statistical area Sundene, which also can include the peripheral parts of the village as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of 345. T ...
*
Svarstad Svarstad is a village in Larvik, Norway. Its population (2011) is 566, and it is situated on the Numedalslågen river, approximately north of urban Larvik and south of Hvittingfoss in Kongsberg Kongsberg () is a historical mining town and mu ...
* Svelvik *
Svinevoll Svinevoll is a small village in the local area of Våle in Vestfold, Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portio ...
*
Teie Teie is a part of the urban area of Tønsberg, located on the island of Nøtterøy, as well as in Nøtterøy municipality, Norway. It is located at the northern end of the island, near Vestskogen. The newspaper '' Øyene'' has been published in ...
* Tenvik * Torød * Ula *
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 ...
* Valberg *
Vassås Vassås is a small village in the municipality of Bindal in Nordland county, Norway. It is located along the Tosen arm of the Bindalsfjorden, just north of the Vassås Bridge which connects the village to the larger village of Terråk. The villa ...
* Vear * Veierland * Verdens Ende *
Verningen Verningen is a village in Larvik Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The village is located along the European route E18 highway, about to the northeast of the town of Larvik. The village of Himberg (an exclave of Sandefjord Municipality) ...
* Vestskogen * Vollen * Årøysund * Åsgårdstrand


Former Municipalities

* Andebu * Borre * Botne * Brunlanes *
Hedrum Hedrum is a parish and the site of a historic church in Vestfold county, Norway. Hedrum was annexed by Larvik on January 1, 1988. History The parish of Hedrum was established as a municipality on January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Small ...
* Hof * Lardal * Nøtterøy * Ramnes * Sandar * Sem *
Skoger Skoger is a village located on the border between Buskerud and Vestfold counties, Norway. Of its population of 1,082 as of 2005, 654 were registered as residents of Drammen whereas 428 live in Sande in Vestfold county, Norway. History H ...
* Stavern * Stokke * Strømm *
Tjølling Tjølling is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Tjølling was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Together with Brunlanes, Stavern and Hedrum, it was merged into Larvik on January 1, 1988. Tj ...
* Tjøme *
Våle Våle is a village in Tønsberg municipality, and former municipality, in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. Våle is a rural, agricultural area, with Kirkevoll/Brekkeåsen, Rånerudåsen, Svinevoll, Sørby and Gretteåsen as more dense housing ...
* Åsgårdstrand


Political strength

Results from parliamentary elections in Vestfold County since 1973: Bold letters represent the alliances (Leftwing Ap+ SV. Centre KrF+ V+ Sp. Rightwing H+ Frp). M = Number of elected parliamentarians.


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 ye ...
, Vestfold County was home to 244,967 residents as of 1 January 2016. Immigrants made up 11.9 percent of the population in 2017. Most immigrants were from Poland (4,287 people), followed by Lithuania (2,794) and Iraq (1,549). Despite its small size, Vestfold had the third-highest
population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
in Norway. However, the population density may still have been considered low; as an example, the population density 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 ...
was four times higher than that of Vestfold County in 1998. Sandefjord was the most populous city of Vestfold County; one in four people from Vestfold were from Sandefjord, or 25.2 percent of the county population.


Economy

Traditional industries in Vestfold have included whaling and ship building. For over 50 years in the 19th century, Sandefjord and partially Tønsberg functioned as the world centre for the whaling industry. However, whaling ended in the 1960s and the ship building industry has gradually reduced since the 1980s.
Information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system ...
is currently a growing industry, and the county is home to large web shops such as
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 ...
, MPX.no and netshop.no. 18.9 percent of the county's total area is used for agriculture, the highest percentage of any county in Norway. 70% of agricultural lands are used for the cultivation of grains. Vestfold's farming area makes up five percent of Norway's cultivated areas. However, by area, Vestfold only makes up 0.7 percent of Norway's land area. Vestfold has Norway's most expensive vacation homes. Sandefjord had Norway's most expensive vacation homes in 2012, while Tjøme had the most expensive homes as of 2010. General property values appreciated 28.3 percent between 2010 and 2015.


Tourism

Summer tourism is an important industry in Vestfold, particularly in coastal communities such as Sandefjord, Tjøme and Stavern. Coastal cities also have large numbers of vacation homes. There were 534,724 hotel stays in 2015, where the purpose was vacationing for 236,895. Most international tourists were from the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, Sweden, and
Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establishe ...
. There were 781,459 stays at rental cabins or campgrounds in 2015. Consequentially, the population increases drastically during summer months in municipalities such as Sandefjord, Tjøme, and elsewhere. The population at Tjøme goes from 4,500 to around 50,000 each summer. The population of islands such as Tjøme often quadruple during summer, while summer communities as Stavern often sees a doubling or tripling.Evensberget, Snorre (2014). ''DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Norway''. Penguin. Page 129. . Tjøme Island is home to nearly as many vacation homes as residential homes. While Tjøme has the nickname ''Sommerøya'' ("the Summer Island"), Sandefjord is nicknamed ''Badebyen'' ("the Bathing City") due to its many beaches and former spas. Sandefjord is known for its many great beaches, and it is primarily known as a summer resort community. It first became a bathing destination when sulphur was discovered in 1837. The city gained further recognition when Sandefjord Sulfur Spa and Resort (''Kurbadet'') was established in 1837. The bath was one of the most visited in Europe during the late 19th century.Jøranlid, Marianne (1996). ''40 trivelige turer i Sandefjord og omegn''. Vett Viten. Page 36. . Vestfold's most visited tourist attractions include
Borre mound cemetery Borre mound cemetery (Norwegian: ''Borrehaugene'' from the ''Old Norse'' words ''borró'' and ''haugr'' meaning mound) forms part of the Borre National Park at Horten in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is home to seven large and 21 smaller b ...
, the largest burial site in Northern Europe, as well as numerous sites along the coast. Architectural sites include the villages of Åsgårdstrand, Karljohansvern in Horten, and Fredriksvern in Stavern. Other important attractions are Sandefjord Whaling Museum, Mølen Geopark in Larvik, as well as Tønsberg Fortress (''Slottsfjellet'') in Tønsberg.


Largest companies

Largest companies in Vestfold County based on operating income in 2015:


Culture

Vestfold is the county in Norway with the most traces 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 The ...
. Examples include the Oseberg- and Gokstad Burial Mounds. While the Oseberg Ship was discovered in Tønsberg, the Gokstad Ship was discovered in Sandefjord. The Gokstad Ship is Norway's largest preserved Viking ship. Both ships are now located at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. Additional burial mounds are found at
Borre mound cemetery Borre mound cemetery (Norwegian: ''Borrehaugene'' from the ''Old Norse'' words ''borró'' and ''haugr'' meaning mound) forms part of the Borre National Park at Horten in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is home to seven large and 21 smaller b ...
and Mølen, an UNESCO Global Geopark. Borre mound cemetery is home to Northern Europe's largest burial mound site from Viking Age. Vestfold is home to 21 churches dating to
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 period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
times. It is also home to one stave church, Høyjord Stave Church in Andebu (Sandefjord). Nearby Andebu Church also has Norway's oldest parish register, dating to 1623. The city of Sandefjord proper is home to Europe's only museum dedicated to whaling, Sandefjord Museum in the city centre. This museum also owns ''
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 h ...
'', a whale-catcher 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 num ...
. Southern Actor is the only whale-catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. Also at Sandefjord Harbor is the Harbour Chapel (''Bryggekapellet''), which is the only floating church in Norway and most likely Europe, perhaps the only floating church in the world. The city of Tønsberg is Norway's oldest city, most likely founded in year 871. Tønsberg is home to Tønsberg Fortress, which is Scandinavia's largest ruin site. It includes ruins from ''Castrum Tunsbergis'', Norway's largest castle in the 13th century. An outdoor music festival is held at Tønsberg Fortress every July. Ruins of a German fortress can be seen at Folehavna Fort on West Island, Sandefjord.


Transportation

The Vestfold Line is a railway line that runs from Drammen, through a number of towns in Vestfold and ending in the town of Skien in Telemark. European route E18 runs through the county roughly parallel to the railway. There are two international ferry connections, both operated by Color Line. Larvik is connected to the Danish town Hirtshals, the other route is between Sandefjord and Strømstad in Sweden. Fjord Line is also a ferry operator between Sandefjord and Strømstad. In addition there is a domestic route connecting Horten and
Moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta ('' sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and ...
. Sandefjord Airport Torp is one of Norway's largest airports. Only Bergen- and Oslo Airports have more international flights than Torp Airport. 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 on Vestfoldbanen. Torp is regional hub for low-cost carrier Norwegian, as well as low-cost carriers
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 WizzAir also operate from the airport. 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 List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...
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 ...
.


Points of interest


Larvik

* Bøkeskogen, world's northernmost beech tree forest.Ham, Anthony and Stuart Butler (2015). ''Lonely Planet Norway''. Lonely Planet. Page 91. . * Kaupang, home to remains for the oldest Nordic town yet discovered. The remains are from one of
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
's earliest urban sites, established in year 800 A.D.Skre, Dagfinn (2007). ''Kaupang in Skiringssal''. Aarhus University Press. Page 13. .Doreen, Taylor-Wilkie (2018). ''Insight Guides Norway''. Insight. Page 157. . * Mølen, Scandinavia's first UNESCO Global Geopark. * Nevlunghavn and Helgeroa, adjacent coastal villages. *
Larvik Museum Larvik () is a town and municipality in Vestfold in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. The municipality of Larvik has about 46,364 inhabitants. The municipality has a 110  ...
*
Fritzøehus Fritzøehus is a private estate and palace located in Larvik, Norway. It is the largest privately owned estate in Norway. History The estate has traditionally been associated with various members of the Treschow family. Fritzøehus was built for ...
, largest privately owned estate in Norway. * Stavern, small coastal town, home of Citadell Island ** Fredriksvern, Norway's main naval base from the mid-1750s until 1864. ** Minnehallen (Hall of Remembrance), largest monument in Vestfold.


Horten

*
Borre National Park Borre mound cemetery (Norwegian: ''Borrehaugene'' from the ''Old Norse'' words ''borró'' and ''haugr'' meaning mound) forms part of the Borre National Park at Horten in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is home to seven large and 21 smaller ...
, largest burial mound site in Northern Europe. * Løvøy Chapel * Royal Norwegian Navy Museum * Preus Museum *
Borre Church Borre may refer to: Places * Borre, Norway, a former municipality and village ** The Borre mound cemetery ** Borre Golfbane, a golf course **Borre IF, multi-sports club * Borre, Nord, a commune of the Nord ''département'', France * Borre, Denmar ...
, romanesque medieval church constructed in the 1100s. * Tordenskioldeika * Åsgårdstrand, oceanside resort town. *
Borre Golfbane Borre Golf Club is a golf club situated by the Oslofjord in Horten, north of Tønsberg in the south east of Norway. The club was founded in 1990 and the same year established its golf course with nine holes. The following year another nine holes ...


Tønsberg and Færder

* Tønsberg Fortress, largest ruin park in the Nordic countries. * Oseberg Mound, site of the discovery of the '' Oseberg Ship'' * Haugar * Tønsberg Cathedral * Sem Church * Slottsfjellmuseet *
Nordbyen Nordbyen is a satellite town some north of Nykøbing Falster on the Danish island of Falster. It was formed on 1 January 2007 bringing together the districts of Bangsebro, Møllehave and Stubberup. As of 2022, it has a population of 1,770.
*
World's End World's End or Worlds End may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature Novels * ''World's End'' (Boyle novel), a 1987 novel by T. Coraghessan Boyle * ''World's End'' (Chadbourn novel), a 2000 novel by Mark Chadbourn * ''World's End'' (Sincl ...
, southernmost point at Tjøme. * Herkelås * Tjøme Church * Færder National Park, first National Park in Vestfold.


Sandefjord

* Sandefjord Museum (the Whaling Museum), Europe's only museum dedicated to whaling. **
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 h ...
, only whale-catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. * Gokstad Mound, site of the discovery of the 9th-century '' Gokstad Ship''. *
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, ...
, replica of the ''Gokstad Ship'' docked at Museum's Wharf. *
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 s ...
, 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 period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
stone church. Present church was erected in 1792. * Whaler's Monument, rotating bronze monument erected in honor of pioneering whalers. *
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 ...
* Istrehågan, ancient burial ground which dates to the Roman Iron Age around 1500-500 BCE. *
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 ...
, former resort spa and one of Europe's most visited baths in the late 19th century. * Folehavna Fort, ruins from a German fortress erected in 1941 during the German occupation of Norway. * Høyjord Stave Church, the only stave church left in Vestfold County. *
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 ...
, popular bathing beach at West Island. * Goksjø, third-largest lake in Vestfold County.


Archaeological sites


Istrehågan

Istrehågan is an ancient burial ground which dates to the Roman Iron Age around 1500-500 BCE. It is located at Jåberg in
Tjølling Tjølling is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. Tjølling was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Together with Brunlanes, Stavern and Hedrum, it was merged into Larvik on January 1, 1988. Tj ...
, on the border between Sandefjord and Larvik. The rock settings at Istrehågan resemble a ship. It is long, and meters broad. Archaeological excavations made in 1959-61 uncovered remains of bones, bear claws, pottery shards, a brooch, and more. At Haugen farm on the Sandefjord side is Vestfold County's largest collection of petroglyphs.


Borre National Park

At Borrehaugene near Borrre there are 9 large mounds and around 30 smaller ones. It is the largest burial mound site in Northern Europe. Borre mound cemetery most likely contains graves belonging to kings of the Yngling dynasty. It is mentioned in the poem '' Ynglingatal'' as the burial site of one of two kings belonging to the royal dynasty of the Ynglingas.


Kaupang

Kaupang in Skiringssal ( Larvik) is home to remains from the oldest Nordic town yet discovered. It was a trade centre established around year 800, making it one of
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
's earliest urban sites. The settlement was abandoned in the mid-10th century. It is located in Kaupang Bay in Viksfjord, Larvik. Archeological finds include melting pots, jewelry parts, casting moulds and casting models. Most of Kaupang remains not excavated. There are replicas of Viking homes at Kaupang today, giving insight to how homes were constructed during 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 The ...
.


Oseberg Burial Mound

Oseberg Mound is located in Tønsberg and is where the '' Oseberg Ship'' was discovered. The ship, which dates to 834 A.D., had a length of . Two female skeletons were found in the ship's burial chamber.


Viking burial site at Gulli

Gulli, outside Tønsberg, was the site of an archaeological excavation during the period from 2003 to 2004, prior to asphalt being laid for constructing the new E18 (road). There were 60 graves - 20 of those were preserved to a degree that uthorities decidedpermitted examinations. "Perhaps the most spectacular temwas a ''høvre''" - used with a horse's harness. "There are few of those in Norway - one in
Trøndelag Trøndelag (; sma, Trööndelage) is a county in the central part of Norway. It was created in 1687, then named Trondhjem County ( no, Trondhjems Amt); in 1804 the county was split into Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag by the King of Denmar ...
and a gilded one found in Borre". The artifacts are on display at the Midgard Historical Centre in Borre.


Fevang

19th century archeologists were struck by the many burial mounds and artifacts discovered at Fevang near
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 Ves ...
in Sandefjord. Local farmers had discovered various artifacts in the 19th- and early 20th centuries. Archeologist Nicolay Nicolaysen traveled to Fevang and concluded that Fevang was home to an array of ancient burial mounds. Nicolaysen further discovered that Fevang had been an active graveyard for over 1,000 years - since year 0 A.D. until the first Christian cemeteries were established. Among the artifacts discovered were a gold jewel named ''Berlokk'', which was retrieved in a woman's grave along with two gold beads, two blue glass beads, a hairpin, ceramic, burnt bones, and two clips of bronze. Her tomb is dated to the Old
Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
, around 0-400 A.D.


Gokstad Mound

Gokstad Mound in Sandefjord was where the '' Gokstad Ship'' was excavated by Nicolay Nicolaysen in 1880. The skeleton of a man was found in the ship, long believed to be Olaf Geirstad-Alf, former king of Vestfold and half-brother of Halfdan the Black, the father of
Harald Fairhair Harald Fairhair no, Harald hårfagreModern Icelandic: ( – ) was a Norwegian king. According to traditions current in Norway and Iceland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, he reigned from  872 to 930 and was the first King of N ...
, Norway's first king. However, recent discoveries have increased uncertainty and it therefore remains unknown what chieftain was buried at Gokstad. The ship, which is the largest found in Norway, is currently located at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. The ship was buried along with numerous gifts, including weapons, jewels, a gaming board, fish-hooks, 64 shields, six beds, three smaller boats and kitchen utensils. Twelve horses, eight dogs, two goshawks and two peacocks were also discovered in the grave. Interpretive signs have been put up at the mound and ''
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 parthe ...
'', an exact replica of the Gokstad Ship, can be seen on Museum's Wharf at Sandefjord Harbor.


Mølen

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 ...
word ''Mol'' translates to cairns, a site often used by ancient peoples to mark a burial site. Mølen, which is Norway's largest stone beach, is home to 230 cairns, which have been built over ages. Some cairns have been dated to 250 A.D. The isthmus of Mølen is home to stone piles, grave mounds, and stone settings, which are all part of a protected historic site. The last Ice Age pushed large amounts of gravel and stones ahead of it, and deposited it as a
moraine A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris ( regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice sh ...
through all of Vestfold, known as ''Vestfoldraet''.
Raet Raet is the largest terminal moraine in Scandinavia. It was formed during the end of the last glacial period, 12,800–11,500 years ago, in one of the latest advances of the glaciers. As the glacier retreated towards the end of this period, it ...
meets the ocean at Mølen, where the moraine sinks into the sea. Its encounter with the
Skagerrak The Skagerrak (, , ) is a strait running between the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, the southeast coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea area through the Danish Straits to the Baltic Sea. T ...
ocean waves has uncovered and polished the huge round stone floor for centuries.


Bøkeskogen

Besides being the largest beech tree forest in
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 ...
, and the most northernmost beech tree forest in the world, Bøkeskogen is also an important archeological area. 83-90 burial mounds have been discovered in the forest. Some of these include the largest burial grounds from the Pre-Roman Iron Age in Vestfold County.


Recreation

At least 238 kilometers of coastal hiking trails can be found in Vestfold County, from Larvik in the south to Svelvik in the north. Hiking trails are found throughout the county, including at
World's End World's End or Worlds End may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature Novels * ''World's End'' (Boyle novel), a 1987 novel by T. Coraghessan Boyle * ''World's End'' (Chadbourn novel), a 2000 novel by Mark Chadbourn * ''World's End'' (Sincl ...
in Færder National Park. Furthermore, there is a 35 km (22 mi.) marked trail between the towns of Stavern and Helgeroa. Mølen, Kjærrafossen and Bøkeskogen are also home to various trails.
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 ...
, an old beacon dated to '' Sverris saga'' in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, sits at
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 ...
on Sandefjord's East Island. West Island is home to Folehavna Fort and additional trails. Combined, the trails on Sandefjord's East- and West Islands are 45 km (28 mi.), and a 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 ...
. Bøkeskogen in Larvik is home to various trails, varying from 2.6 km (1.6 mi.) to 10 km (6.2 mi.) in length.


Fauna

Vestfold's fauna includes species such as the White-tailed eagle, Roe deer,
Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...
, European hedgehog,
Eurasian eagle-owl The Eurasian eagle-owl (''Bubo bubo'') is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Palearctic, Eurasia. It is also called the Uhu and it is occasionally abbreviated to just the eagle-owl in Europe. It is one of the largest species of owl, ...
, Mountain hare, European badger, European pine marten, and Norway lemming. Rare observations of Gray wolf, European lynx, and Brown bear do occur. A wolf shot in Lardal in 2013 was the first wolf killed in the county in over 100 years. Between 700 and 800 moose are annually hunted in Vestfold. Larvik has one of the highest numbers of moose in Norway. The Harbor seal is the most commonly observed species of seal in Vestfold, and it was estimated to be at minimum 183 seals in Vestfold as of August 2014. Dolphins are uncommon, however, a Common bottlenose dolphin was observed by Nøtterøy in 2014, and a Striped dolphin was observed the same summer at Helgeroa in Larvik.
Common European Viper ''Vipera berus'', the common European adderMallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. . or common European viper,Stidworthy J. (1974). ...
is the only venomous snake found in Norway. There are two non-venomous snake species in Vestfold County:
European grass snake The grass snake (''Natrix natrix''), sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake, is a Eurasian non- venomous colubrid snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians. Subspecies Many subspecies are recogn ...
and
European smooth snake The smooth snake (''Coronella austriaca'')Street D (1979). ''The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe''. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 268 pp. . is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in northern and cen ...
. Vestfold has a rich avifauna: over 130 bird species have been observed in Svelvik, while Mølen in Larvik has the national record of 320 species.


Wildlife refuge

Saltstein is part of a protected habitat for birds. From 2014 surfing was permitted off Saltstein. Besides being an UNESCO Global Geopark, Mølen in Larvik is a habitat for a variety of rare bird species. Mølen became a protected sanctuary for birds in 1970. 320 species of birds have been recorded at Mølen, more species than at any other site in Norway. Wildlife preserves include Melsom- and Hemskilen Wildlife Preserves. Hemskilen Wildlife Preserve lies on the Larvik- Sandefjord border and is an important habitat for shorebirds, geese, and Passerines. Melsom Plant- and Wildlife Preserve in Sandefjord is home to various older oaks, some of them home to as many as 1,500 different species of insects. Marøyskjæra Bird Preserve consists of two skerries west of
Natholmen {{Infobox islands , name = Natholmen , native_name = , native_name_link = , sobriquet = , image_name = Brua_til_Natholmen.jpg , image_size ...
Island, which have been important nesting areas for
Common tern The common tern (''Sterna hirundo'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migrat ...
and Common gull since the 1980s. Over 500 seagulls hatched on the islets in the 1990s.


In popular culture

Although not filmed in Vestfold, the City of Tønsberg appears in the films ''
Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing ...
'' (2011) and also in '' Captain America: The First Avenger'' (2011), and in Avengers: Endgame Some films shot in Vestfold include: * ''
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 ...
'' (2018), movie based on the 2011 Norway attacks, filmed in Tønsberg and Nøtterøy. * ''
Olsenbanden tar gull ( "The Olsen Gang Takes the Gold") is a 1972 Norwegian comedy-crime film of the '' Olsenbanden'' film series, directed by Knut Bohwim. Plot The gang is now up to finding an old bunker from World War II, in the southern parts of Norway. after ...
'' (1972), filmed in Stavern ( Larvik) and Sande in Vestfold. * '' Baadshah'' (1999), Tønsberg * ''
Christmas Blood Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...
'' ("Juleblod") (2017), Tønsberg and Sandefjord. * '' Wisting'' (2018– ), Larvik and Sandefjord. * ''
Nonni and Manni ''Nonni and Manni'' is an adventure children's television series produced as a joint venture between Iceland and West Germany. It debuted on 26 December 1988 on West Germany's ZDF channel and lasted for six episodes with the last one being aired o ...
'' (1988–89), Horten. * ''
Head Above Water ''Head above Water'' is a 1986 non-fiction book by Nigerian novelist Buchi Emecheta. It was published in 1986 in the African Writers Series by Heinemann and has been described as " anecdotal autobiography." Plot summary ''Head above Water'' is ...
'' (1993), filmed at East Island in Sandefjord. * '' Deadline Torp'' (2005), movie based on the 1994 Torp hostage crisis, filmed in Sandefjord and Larvik. * '' Valfångare'' (1939), Sandefjord. * ''
Den starkaste ''The Strongest'' ( sv, Den starkaste) is a 1929 Swedish silent drama film directed by Axel Lindblom and Alf Sjöberg and starring Bengt Djurberg, Anders Henrikson and Gösta Gustafson.Gustafsson p.89 It was Sjöberg's debut film as a director ...
'' (1929), Sandefjord.


Gallery

Færder.jpg, Færder National Park Borreparken, gravhaug, Horten kommune, Vestfold.jpg,
Borre National Park Borre mound cemetery (Norwegian: ''Borrehaugene'' from the ''Old Norse'' words ''borró'' and ''haugr'' meaning mound) forms part of the Borre National Park at Horten in Vestfold og Telemark, Norway. It is home to seven large and 21 smaller ...
in Horten Excavation Oseberg ship 1.jpg, The Oseberg Ship was discovered in Tønsberg. Stavern Wasilioff.jpg, Town centre in Stavern Citadellet 1.jpg, Citadellet, 19th-century fortress in Stavern Høyjord stavkirke, MIS.jpg, Høyjord Stave Church, only stave church left in Vestfold Trollfoss.jpg, Trollfoss in Larvik, the tallest waterfall in Vestfold.Schandy, Tom and Tom Helgesen (2012). ''Naturperler i Vestfold''. Forlaget Tom & Tom v/Schandy. Page 192. .


References


External links


Vestfold photo gallery
{{Authority control Former counties of Norway 2020 disestablishments in Norway Petty kingdoms of Norway States and territories disestablished in 2020