Skien
Encyclopedia
is a city and municipality in Telemark
county
, Norway. It is part of the traditional region
of Grenland
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county.
The municipality of Skien was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The rural municipalities of Gjerpen
and Solum
were merged into the municipality of Skien on 1 January 1964.
The conurbation
of Skien and Porsgrunn
is considered by Statistics Norway
to be the seventh largest city in Norway straddling an area of three municipalities: Skien municipality (about 52% of the population), Porsgrunn (35%), and Bamble
(11.5%). The area is home to more than 85,000 people.
Skien was historically Norway's most important port town for shipping timber
. The city was the birthplace and boyhood home of playwright Henrik Ibsen
, and many of his famous dramas are set in in places reminiscent of 19th century Skien.
form of the name was Skiða (from the word skiða which means "straight plank"), and the town is probably named after a brook (with a straight run) with this name.
are derived from the oldest known seal of the city, dating back to 1609. The seal shows two ski
s and in the middle a cross
, with a small star on the crosspoint. The skis are a semi-canting
element (based on a misunderstanding of the meaning of the town's name) and the cross is a religious symbol
. There have been several theories about the meaning of the cross, but its meaning is not clearly known. It has been suggested that it is a symbol for the main church in Skien, the Holy Cross church. The small star may be a symbol of St. Mary
as the second medieval church of Skien was devoted to her. Besides the skis and cross, there are two meadow buttercups on each side.
In 1854, the arms were shown as two skis, but the cross was now made from ski pole
s, as another canting element. This remained so until the early half of the 20th century.
In the 1980s, the city officially adopted the current arms, which are identical to the oldest seal. The colours are the colours that have been used since the 19th century. The differences between the seal and the present arms are that in the arms the cross is placed on top of the skis and the star is changed from a four-pointed star to a six-pointed star, and that the cross is made of ski-poles.
(See also Alvdal
and Trysil
)
has established its founding to before 1000 A.D. The city was then a meeting place for inland farmers and sailing traders, and also as a shipping harbour for whetstones
from Eidsborg (inland Telemark). The settlement can be traced back to the 11th century, and Gimsøy Abbey
was founded in the 12th century. Skien was given formal commercial town
rights by the Danish
crown in 1358. Timber
has historically been the most dominant export product from Skien, and the city was the Kingdom's leading port town for shipping timber from the 16th century onwards. The oldest remaining building is Gjerpen church (built in approximately 1150).
From the 16th century, the city came to be dominated by a group of families known as patricians. In an 1882 letter to Rasmus B. Anderson
, Henrik Ibsen
mentions the families Paus
, Plesner, von der Lippe
, Cappelen
and Blom as the most prominent patrician families when he grew up there.
The current town layout was fixed after the last town fire in 1886. In 1964, the rural municipalities Solum and Gjerpen were merged together with Skien town, forming the Skien municipality.
, which consists of two canal
s. In Europe, canals were commonly built in the pre-railroad period to transport goods, timber, and passengers.
Skien harbour is located at Vold havneterminal.
(Vestfoldbanen) in 1882. In 1919, Bratsbergbanen opened between Skien and Notodden
. Norges Statsbaner still operates regular train services on both railways.
and serves domestic flights to Bergen
and Stavanger
as well as flights to Trondheim
by the airline Vildanden
.
, probably the most important writer to emerge from Norway. Many of Ibsen's plays are set in an unnamed provincial town that suggests Skien. The former Ibsen family homestead at Venstøp outside Skien was established as the Ibsen Museum in 1958. The Ibsen Museum has now been incorporated into the multi-site Telemark Museum
, which includes several other historical sites.
Teater Ibsen is the city theatre, and is still used for small productions.
In the summer of 2009 Elton John held a concert at the new Skagerak Arena, the soccer pitch for the local soccer team Odd Grenland. Next to Skagerak Arena is Stevneplassen, where car shows, concerts, flea markets and the annual "Handelstevnet" – a trade fair with entertainment and a small amusement park – are held.
In Skotfoss, a small suburb of Skien further up the Telemarks Canal, concerts are held at Løveid Sluser.
There are plans to hold cultural events and concerts at Klosterøya.
with rides and merry-go-arounds for a week, in "Stevneplassen".
Norway's biggest outside climbing park, Himalaya Park, is located in Skien.
There's an indoor waterpark in Skien Fritidspark.
and Telemarksavisa
are published in Skien. The local television for Telemark
, TVTelemark, is located in Skien.
firm), Norske Skog Union
(a paper mill
which was closed down in the spring of 2006), and EFD Induction (induction heating
and induction welding
).
Other important places of work are the Telemark Hospital
and the County Governor of Telemark.
s:
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, Norway. It is part of the traditional region
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
of Grenland
Grenland
Grenland is a traditional district in the county of Telemark, in the south of Norway. It is composed of the municipalities Skien, Porsgrunn, Bamble, Nome, and Siljan. Sometimes the municipalities Kragerø, and Drangedal are considered being part of the area...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county.
The municipality of Skien was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). The rural municipalities of Gjerpen
Gjerpen
Gjerpen is a former township which is now part of the municipality of Skien, in Telemark county, Norway.-Location:The parish of Gjerpen was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 4,381. Gjerpen was located east of the city...
and Solum
Solum, Norway
Solum is a former municipality in Telemark county, Norway.The parish of Solum was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 3,557. Solum is located west of the city Skien, and encompassed districts such as Nenset, Tollnes,...
were merged into the municipality of Skien on 1 January 1964.
The conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
of Skien and Porsgrunn
Porsgrunn
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....
is considered by Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway
Statistics Norway 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 year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
to be the seventh largest city in Norway straddling an area of three municipalities: Skien municipality (about 52% of the population), Porsgrunn (35%), and Bamble
Bamble
Bamble is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Langesund.-Name:...
(11.5%). The area is home to more than 85,000 people.
Skien was historically Norway's most important port town for shipping timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
. The city was the birthplace and boyhood home of playwright Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
, and many of his famous dramas are set in in places reminiscent of 19th century Skien.
Name
The Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
form of the name was Skiða (from the word skiða which means "straight plank"), and the town is probably named after a brook (with a straight run) with this name.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
are derived from the oldest known seal of the city, dating back to 1609. The seal shows two ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
s and in the middle a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
, with a small star on the crosspoint. The skis are a semi-canting
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
element (based on a misunderstanding of the meaning of the town's name) and the cross is a religious symbol
Religious symbolism
Religious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of compelling ideas or ideals...
. There have been several theories about the meaning of the cross, but its meaning is not clearly known. It has been suggested that it is a symbol for the main church in Skien, the Holy Cross church. The small star may be a symbol of St. Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
as the second medieval church of Skien was devoted to her. Besides the skis and cross, there are two meadow buttercups on each side.
In 1854, the arms were shown as two skis, but the cross was now made from ski pole
Ski pole
Ski poles are used by skiers to improve balance and timing. Early ski poles were simply sticks, then bamboo , then steel . In 1958, Ed Scott invented the aluminium ski pole...
s, as another canting element. This remained so until the early half of the 20th century.
In the 1980s, the city officially adopted the current arms, which are identical to the oldest seal. The colours are the colours that have been used since the 19th century. The differences between the seal and the present arms are that in the arms the cross is placed on top of the skis and the star is changed from a four-pointed star to a six-pointed star, and that the cross is made of ski-poles.
(See also Alvdal
Alvdal
Alvdal is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Alvdal....
and Trysil
Trysil
Trysil is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Innbygda...
)
History
Until 1979, it was believed that Skien was founded in the 14th century. However, the archaeological find of a carving of the Skien animalSkien animal
The Skien animal was found during an excavation in Skien, Norway, in 1979. It is carved into a plank, and is dated to the 9th century. This, and other findings, shows that Skien was a trading centre from before year 1000, and Skien was therefore celebrating it’s 1000 year jubilee in the year...
has established its founding to before 1000 A.D. The city was then a meeting place for inland farmers and sailing traders, and also as a shipping harbour for whetstones
Sharpening stone
Sharpening stones, water stones or whetstones are used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements. Examples of items that may be sharpened with a sharpening stone include scissors, scythes, knives, razors and tools such as chisels, hand scrapers and plane blades...
from Eidsborg (inland Telemark). The settlement can be traced back to the 11th century, and Gimsøy Abbey
Gimsøy Abbey
Gimsøy Abbey was a Benedictine nunnery located on the island of Gimsøy in Skien, Telemark, Norway.It was founded by Dag Eilivsson, probably in the second quarter of the 12th century, and his daughter Baugeid was the first abbess...
was founded in the 12th century. Skien was given formal commercial town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
rights by the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
crown in 1358. Timber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
has historically been the most dominant export product from Skien, and the city was the Kingdom's leading port town for shipping timber from the 16th century onwards. The oldest remaining building is Gjerpen church (built in approximately 1150).
From the 16th century, the city came to be dominated by a group of families known as patricians. In an 1882 letter to Rasmus B. Anderson
Rasmus B. Anderson
Rasmus Bjørn Anderson was an American author, professor, and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the idea that Viking explorers discovered the New World and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day.-Biography:...
, Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
mentions the families Paus
Paus
Paus is a Norwegian and Swedish family of clergymen, civil servants, merchants, industrialists and land-owners, among others, traceable back to the late 15th century and a man named Oluf...
, Plesner, von der Lippe
Von der Lippe (Norwegian family)
von der Lippe is the surname of a prominent Norwegian family.In Norway, the surname is most frequently associated with the descendants Jacob von der Lippe , who immigrated from Bremen, Germany and became a citizen of Bergen, Norway in 1655. In Bergen, family members were merchants and business...
, Cappelen
Cappelen (family)
Cappelen is the surname of a prominent Norwegian family of merchants, land owners, civil servants and politicians. In the 18th and 19th century, it was one of the so-called patrician families in Norway, i.e...
and Blom as the most prominent patrician families when he grew up there.
The current town layout was fixed after the last town fire in 1886. In 1964, the rural municipalities Solum and Gjerpen were merged together with Skien town, forming the Skien municipality.
Roads
The main road into Skien is from the E18 road and through Porsgrunn, on either road 36 or 354 that runs up along Skienselva on each side. Another common route used by most buses coming from Oslo is road 32, that goes through Siljan, Steinsholt, Lågendalen, Hvittingfoss and Hof. Road 32 enters the E18 in Hof.Water
Skien is the main terminus for the Telemark CanalTelemark canal
The Telemark Canal connects Skien to Dalen in southern Norway by linking up several long lakes using a series of 18 locks. It originally consisted of two canals: The Norsjø-Skien Canal, with locks in Skien and Løveid was built in the period 1854–1861, and is the oldest of the two canals.The...
, which consists of two canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s. In Europe, canals were commonly built in the pre-railroad period to transport goods, timber, and passengers.
- The "Norsjø-Skienskanalen", with one terminus at Skien and the other at Løveid, was built in 1854–1861, and is the oldest of the two canals.
- The "Bandak-Nordsjøkanalene" continued the canal beyond Løveid. It was opened in 1892.
Skien harbour is located at Vold havneterminal.
Railroads
Skien was connected to the Norwegian railway networkRail transport in Norway
The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges....
(Vestfoldbanen) in 1882. In 1919, Bratsbergbanen opened between Skien and Notodden
Notodden
is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Notodden....
. Norges Statsbaner still operates regular train services on both railways.
Air
The local airport is called Skien Airport, GeiteryggenSkien Airport, Geiteryggen
Skien Airport, Geiteryggen is an airport located 2.5 km southwest of the city centre of Skien, Norway. Skien Lufthavn AS operates the airport and this company is owned by the local municipality of Skien in the Grenland region. Services are provided by Danish Air Transport to Bergen and Stavanger...
and serves domestic flights to Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
as well as flights to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
by the airline Vildanden
Vildanden (airline)
Vildanden AS was a virtual, regional airline based at Skien Airport, Geiteryggen in Norway, where it was the only airline. With operations starting in 2005, it flew to Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger using a Jetstream 32 and a ATR 42, which is wet leased from Danish Air Transport and Helitrans...
.
Culture and recreation
Ibsen and Telemark Museums
Skien was the birthplace of the author and playwright Henrik IbsenHenrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
, probably the most important writer to emerge from Norway. Many of Ibsen's plays are set in an unnamed provincial town that suggests Skien. The former Ibsen family homestead at Venstøp outside Skien was established as the Ibsen Museum in 1958. The Ibsen Museum has now been incorporated into the multi-site Telemark Museum
Telemark Museum
The Telemark Museum is located in Kleiva in the older part of Skien, Norway.-Telemark Museum:Telemark Museum is a consolidated museum which included a number of museums in within the Telemark area. It was founded in 1909 from a base at the Søndre Brekke farm. Telemark Museum is located within...
, which includes several other historical sites.
Music and entertainment
Ibsenhuset is the local culture and conference center in Skien, It also houses concerts from international and national artists, opera, theatre and other cultural events. Skien kunstforening has a department in Ibsenhuset, and the local culture school and library are also located in the building.Teater Ibsen is the city theatre, and is still used for small productions.
In the summer of 2009 Elton John held a concert at the new Skagerak Arena, the soccer pitch for the local soccer team Odd Grenland. Next to Skagerak Arena is Stevneplassen, where car shows, concerts, flea markets and the annual "Handelstevnet" – a trade fair with entertainment and a small amusement park – are held.
In Skotfoss, a small suburb of Skien further up the Telemarks Canal, concerts are held at Løveid Sluser.
There are plans to hold cultural events and concerts at Klosterøya.
Amusement parks
There are no local amusement parks in Skien. Lekeland was a small amusement park for children just outside the town, but it closed in 2008. Every year there is a travelling carnivalCarnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
with rides and merry-go-arounds for a week, in "Stevneplassen".
Norway's biggest outside climbing park, Himalaya Park, is located in Skien.
There's an indoor waterpark in Skien Fritidspark.
Media
The daily newspapers VardenVarden
Varden is a local newspaper published in Skien, Norway. It was first established with a test issue on 17 December 1874, with Johan Christian Tandberg Castberg as its first editor-in-chief. It has a circulation of 27,341, of whom 25,859 are subscribers...
and Telemarksavisa
Telemarksavisa
Telemarksavisa is a Norwegian newspaper, published in Skien in Telemark county.Telemark Arbeiderblad was started on 1 October 1921 as a reaction to the perceived moderate stance of Skien's labour newspaper Bratsberg Demokraten. However, Telemark Arbeiderblad was not published out of Telemark, but...
are published in Skien. The local television for Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
, TVTelemark, is located in Skien.
Arenas
- Gjerpenhallen
- Mælahallen
- Skagerak ArenaSkagerak ArenaSkagerak Arena is a football stadium located in Skien, Norway. It was formerly called Odd Stadion, and was built in 1923 as the home ground of Odd Grenland Ballklubb...
- Skienshallen
- Skien Ishall
- Skien IsstadionSkien IsstadionSkien Isstadion is an outdoors ice skating rink with artificial ice in Skien, Norway. The ice rink is used mostly by schools and families with small children. It is also used for speed skating practice...
Teams
- Gjerpen I.F. (handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
) - Odd Grenland (football)
- Sceen Curling Klubb (curlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
) - Skien Ishockeyklubb (ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
) - Tollnes Ballklubb (football)
- Moflata table tennis (Table tennis)
Commerce and industry
The largest industries are ABB Asea Brown Boveri (engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
firm), Norske Skog Union
Norske Skog Union
Norske Skog Union was a paper mill located in Skien in Norway. The mill was part of the Norske Skog Corporation and opened in 1873 with the name Union Co. The mill had two paper machines that produced 240,000 tonnes of newsprint and book paper. It was closed down in 2006.-History:In 1872 Ulrik...
(a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
which was closed down in the spring of 2006), and EFD Induction (induction heating
Induction heating
Induction heating is the process of heating an electrically conducting object by electromagnetic induction, where eddy currents are generated within the metal and resistance leads to Joule heating of the metal...
and induction welding
Induction welding
Induction welding is a form of welding that uses electromagnetic induction to heat the workpiece. The welding apparatus contains an induction coil that is energised with a radio-frequency electric current. This generates a high-frequency electromagnetic field that acts on either an electrically...
).
Other important places of work are the Telemark Hospital
Telemark Hospital
Telemark Hospital is a health trust with its headquarters based in Skien. There are also sections in Porsgrunn and Kragerø. The total employees in 2003 were 2750, of which 215 were doctors.- External links :*...
and the County Governor of Telemark.
Shopping
Skien has three shopping mallShopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s:
- Handelsbyen Herkules (110 stores and services)
- Arkaden Skien Storsenter (47 stores and services)
- Lietorvet Senter (28 stores and services)
Notable residents
Twin towns and sister cities
The following cities are twinned with Skien:External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway 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 year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Municipal website
- Municipal website