Svelvik

Svelvik [ˈsvæ̀ɽviːk] is a town in Drammen municipality, Viken county. It is also a former municipality, which was a part of former Vestfold county.

Svelvik
Coordinates: 59°37′25″N 10°22′18″E
Area
 • Total58 km2 (22 sq mi)
 • Land56 km2 (22 sq mi)
 • Rank419
Population
 (2004)
 • Total6,445
 • Rank153
 • Density115/km2 (300/sq mi)

The town of Svelvik was separated from the rural municipality of Strømm to become a municipality of its own in 1845. The two municipalities were merged back together on 1 January 1964.

General information

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was Sverðvík. The first element is sverð n 'sword', the last element is vík f 'cove, wick'. A neighbouring farm has the name Sverstad (Norse Sverðstaðir). The word sverð probably refers to the promontory ridge Ryggen ('the back') in Hurum: This ridge lies right opposite Svelvik and Sverstad, and is almost (like a sword) cutting the Drammensfjord in two parts.[1]

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 4 September 1964. The arms show a gold-colored trident on a red background, as a symbol for the sea.[2][3]

Geography
The Svelvik ferry line is the shortest in Norway.

The narrow Svelvikstrømmen sound separates Svelvik from the municipality of Asker, and the county of Viken. This sound is served by a ferry, which has the shortest line in Norway.

The village is quite characteristic, with small winding streets and traditional, white-painted houses. Svelvik has many venues for swimming and sunbathing.

Media

The newspaper Svelviksposten is published in Svelvik.[4]

Notable residents
See also: Drammen § Notable_residents
  • The built up area and town of Svelvik lies beside Svelvikstrømmen [no], a narrow sound in the Drammensfjord, which connects to Oslofjorden further south. The flow is amongst Norway's strongest.
    The built up area and town of Svelvik lies beside Svelvikstrømmen, a narrow sound in the Drammensfjord, which connects to Oslofjorden further south. The flow is amongst Norway's strongest.
  • Svelvik church [no] is a long church from 1859 with seating for 450.
    Svelvik church is a long church from 1859 with seating for 450.
  • The ferry MF Svelviksund [no] plies between Verket [no] (Hurum) and Svelvik, and is Norway's shortest ferry crossing.
    The ferry MF Svelviksund plies between Verket (Hurum) and Svelvik, and is Norway's shortest ferry crossing.
  • Fra fjorden, januar 2009, by Håvard Selby Ebbestad
    Fra fjorden, januar 2009, by Håvard Selby Ebbestad
  • Oktoberkveld ved Svelvikstrømmen, by Håvard Selby Ebbestad
    Oktoberkveld ved Svelvikstrømmen, by Håvard Selby Ebbestad

References
  1. Rygh, Oluf (1907). Norske gaardnavne: Jarlsberg og Larviks amt (in Norwegian) (6 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri.
  2. Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". Archived from the original on 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  3. "Kommunevåpenet" (in Norwegian). Svelvik kommune. Archived from the original on 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  4. Store norske leksikon: Svelviksposten.
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