Steinkjer
Encyclopedia
is a town and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...

 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
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. It is part of the Innherad
Innherad
Innherred or Innherad is a traditional district in Nord-Trøndelag county in the central part of Norway. It consists of the areas around the inner part of the Trondheimsfjord including the municipalities of Levanger, Frosta, Steinkjer, Verdal, Inderøy, Mosvik, and Verran. Sometimes the...

 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,...

. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Steinkjer, which is also the seat of the county government. The geographical centre of Norway
Centre of Norway
The geographical centre of Norway has been identified as a spot in the Ogndalsfjella in the southeastern part of the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, located at . A monument marking the significance of the spot was unveiled in a ceremony on 3 September 2006. It is hoped that...

 has been calculated to be in Steinkjer municipality.

Other populated areas in Steinkjer include the villages of Bartnes
Bartnes, Nord-Trøndelag
Bartnes is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located in the western part of Steinkjer in the Beitstad area. It lies along the shore of the innermost part of the Trondheimsfjord, across from the large village of Malm...

, Beitstad
Beitstad
Beitstad is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Beitstad is located at the end of the Beitstadfjorden at the inner end of the Trondheimsfjord, about southwest of Vellamelen. It is a typical farming village that stretches from the bay and into the...

, Binde, Byafossen
Byafossen
Byafossen is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the river Byaelva, about northeast of the town of Steinkjer and about southwest of the village of Sunnan. The Nordlandsbanen railway line passes through the village, but there is not a...

, Følling
Følling
Følling is a village area in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at the southwestern end of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway. To the south is Vassaunet and Steinkjer , to the west is Vellamelen and Beitstad, to the northeast is...

, Kvam
Kvam, Nord-Trøndelag
Kvam is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village is located along the northern shore of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of Følling. ...

, Lerkehaug
Lerkehaug
Lerkehaug is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located about south of the center of the town of Steinkjer. Since 2002, it has been considered a part of the Steinkjer urban area....

, Mære
Mære
Mære is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the European route E6 highway and the Nordlandsbanen railway line, about south of the town of Steinkjer. The village of Sparbu lies about south of Mære. Mære Church is located in this...

, Sparbu
Sparbu
Sparbu is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village has a population of 584. The population density of Sparbu is ....

, Sunnan
Sunnan
Sunnan or Sundan is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the area between the lakes Snåsavatnet and Fossemvatnet about northeast of the town of Steinkjer...

, Vassaunet
Vassaunet
Vassaunet is a small rural village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway, about north of the town of Steinkjer and about the same distance from the village of Følling . The village lies just to the west of the European route E6 highway. Approximately 15 people live...

, Vekre
Vekre
Vekre or Henning is a village area in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village lies about southeast of the municipal center of Steinkjer, about south of Ogndal, and about north of the lake Leksdalsvatnet. The main church for the area is Henning Church,...

, and Vellamelen.

General information

The village of Steinkjer in the municipality of Stod
Stod, Norway
Stod is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality originally encompassed the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, stretching from the town of Steinkjer along the lake Snåsavatnet to the municipal border with Snåsa. The old municipality...

 was declared a town in 1857, and then on 23 January 1858 it was separated from Stod to form a municipality of its own. The initial population of Steinkjer was 1,150.

Over time as the town grew, land was annexed from the neighboring municipalities. It started on 1 January 1902 when an unpopulated area from Ogndal
Ogndal
Ogndal is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the central and western part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. Starting in 1917, the administrative center of Ogndal was actually located in the town of Steinkjer...

 was taken for future growth of Steinkjer. Then in 1941, an area (population: 57) was taken from Ogndal to add to Steinkjer. Again in 1948, an area (population: 78) was transferred from Ogndal and another area (population: 70) was transferred from Egge
Egge
Egge is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality is part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, including the areas north of the town of Steinkjer, south of the lake Snåsavatnet, west of the lake Fossemvatnet, and east of Beitstad...

.

On 1 January 1964, a major municipal merger took place: the municipalities of Beitstad
Beitstad
Beitstad is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Beitstad is located at the end of the Beitstadfjorden at the inner end of the Trondheimsfjord, about southwest of Vellamelen. It is a typical farming village that stretches from the bay and into the...

, Egge
Egge
Egge is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality is part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, including the areas north of the town of Steinkjer, south of the lake Snåsavatnet, west of the lake Fossemvatnet, and east of Beitstad...

, Kvam
Kvam, Nord-Trøndelag
Kvam is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village is located along the northern shore of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of Følling. ...

, Ogndal
Ogndal
Ogndal is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the central and western part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. Starting in 1917, the administrative center of Ogndal was actually located in the town of Steinkjer...

, Sparbu
Sparbu
Sparbu is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village has a population of 584. The population density of Sparbu is ....

, and Stod
Stod, Norway
Stod is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality originally encompassed the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, stretching from the town of Steinkjer along the lake Snåsavatnet to the municipal border with Snåsa. The old municipality...

 were all merged together with the town of Steinkjer (population: 4,325) to form a new, larger municipality of Steinkjer.

Toponymy

The town is named after the old Steinkjer farm (Old Norse
Old 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....

: Steinker), since it is built on its ground. The first element is steinn (m
Grammatical gender
Grammatical gender is defined linguistically as a system of classes of nouns which trigger specific types of inflections in associated words, such as adjectives, verbs and others. For a system of noun classes to be a gender system, every noun must belong to one of the classes and there should be...

) which means "stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...

" or "rock". The last element is ker (n
Grammatical gender
Grammatical gender is defined linguistically as a system of classes of nouns which trigger specific types of inflections in associated words, such as adjectives, verbs and others. For a system of noun classes to be a gender system, every noun must belong to one of the classes and there should be...

) which means a "barrier made for catching fish".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms
Coat 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...

 is from modern times; they were granted on 8 March 1957. The arms show a silver star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...

 with six points on a blue background. The original meaning of the star was that six main roads crossed in Steinkjer. After the municipal reorganization, the arms were re-granted, but the meaning has slightly changed. Steinkjer now formed the centre of the municipality and the points are directed to the six other districts in the municipality: Beitstad
Beitstad
Beitstad is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Beitstad is located at the end of the Beitstadfjorden at the inner end of the Trondheimsfjord, about southwest of Vellamelen. It is a typical farming village that stretches from the bay and into the...

, Egge
Egge
Egge is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality is part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, including the areas north of the town of Steinkjer, south of the lake Snåsavatnet, west of the lake Fossemvatnet, and east of Beitstad...

, Kvam
Kvam, Nord-Trøndelag
Kvam is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village is located along the northern shore of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of Følling. ...

, Ogndal
Ogndal
Ogndal is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the central and western part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. Starting in 1917, the administrative center of Ogndal was actually located in the town of Steinkjer...

, Sparbu
Sparbu
Sparbu is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trondelag county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village has a population of 584. The population density of Sparbu is ....

, and Stod
Stod, Norway
Stod is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality originally encompassed the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, stretching from the town of Steinkjer along the lake Snåsavatnet to the municipal border with Snåsa. The old municipality...

.

Churches

The Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...

 has nine parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Steinkjer. It is part of the Nord-Innherad deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...

 and the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...

.

style="font-size:medium"|Churches in Steinkjer
Parish
(Sokn)
Church NameLocation
of the Church
Year Built
Beitstad Beitstad Church
Beitstad Church
Beitstad Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Beitstad. The church is part of the Beitstad parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros. The church was originally called Solberg Church. The...

Beitstad
Beitstad
Beitstad is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Beitstad is located at the end of the Beitstadfjorden at the inner end of the Trondheimsfjord, about southwest of Vellamelen. It is a typical farming village that stretches from the bay and into the...

1869
Bartnes Church
Bartnes Church
Bartnes Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Bartnes. The church is part of the Beitstad parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros. The brick church was constructed in 1960 and seats...

Bartnes
Bartnes, Nord-Trøndelag
Bartnes is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located in the western part of Steinkjer in the Beitstad area. It lies along the shore of the innermost part of the Trondheimsfjord, across from the large village of Malm...

1960
Egge Egge Church
Egge Church
Egge Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Egge, on the northern edge of the town of Steinkjer. The church is part of the Egge parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.The white wooden...

Egge
Egge
Egge is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality is part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, including the areas north of the town of Steinkjer, south of the lake Snåsavatnet, west of the lake Fossemvatnet, and east of Beitstad...

1767
Følling Følling Church
Følling Church
Følling Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Følling. The church is part of the Følling parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros....

Følling
Følling
Følling is a village area in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at the southwestern end of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway. To the south is Vassaunet and Steinkjer , to the west is Vellamelen and Beitstad, to the northeast is...

1726
Henning Henning Church
Henning Church
Henning Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Vekre. The church is part of the Henning parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros....

Vekre
Vekre
Vekre or Henning is a village area in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village lies about southeast of the municipal center of Steinkjer, about south of Ogndal, and about north of the lake Leksdalsvatnet. The main church for the area is Henning Church,...

1872
Kvam Kvam Church
Kvam Church
Kvam Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Kvam, along the lake Snåsavatnet. The church is part of the Kvam parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros....

Kvam
Kvam, Nord-Trøndelag
Kvam is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. The village is located along the northern shore of the lake Snåsavatnet along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of Følling. ...

1878
Mære Mære Church
Mære Church
Mære Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Mære. The church is part of the Mære parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros....

Mære
Mære
Mære is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the European route E6 highway and the Nordlandsbanen railway line, about south of the town of Steinkjer. The village of Sparbu lies about south of Mære. Mære Church is located in this...

c. 1150
Ogndal Skei Church
Skei Church
Skei Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ogndal. The church is part of the Ogndal parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros...

Ogndal
Ogndal
Ogndal is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the central and western part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer. Starting in 1917, the administrative center of Ogndal was actually located in the town of Steinkjer...

1664
Bodom Church
Bodom Church
Bodom Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Bodom in the Upper Ogndal area of Steinkjer, about east of the town of Steinkjer. The church is part of the Ogndal parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the...

Bodom 1905
Steinkjer Steinkjer Church
Steinkjer Church
Steinkjer Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the town of Steinkjer. The church is part of the Steinkjer parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros...

Steinkjer 1965
Stod For Church
For Church
For Church is a parish church in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Stod. The church is part of the Stod parish in the Nord-Innherad deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros....

Stod
Stod, Norway
Stod is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The municipality originally encompassed the northern part of the present-day municipality of Steinkjer, stretching from the town of Steinkjer along the lake Snåsavatnet to the municipal border with Snåsa. The old municipality...

1846

History

The Steinkjer area has been populated since the Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...

, as shown by the Bølareinen rock carving
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...

, which depicts an almost life-sized reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...

 and a bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...

. There are other rock carvings in the area as well, as in Bardal, the oldest up to 6,000 years old.

The Steinkjer area was one of the strongest powerbases in early Viking age
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...

. Mære
Mære
Mære is a village in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the European route E6 highway and the Nordlandsbanen railway line, about south of the town of Steinkjer. The village of Sparbu lies about south of Mære. Mære Church is located in this...

 was one of the best known Norse religious places with sacrifices and seasonal gatherings before Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

 came to Norway.
Steinkjer has survived two major disasters in modern history. The first was a town-wide fire in the year 1900, which burned down much of the southern parts of the town. The second disaster happened on 21 and 22 April 1940, when the town was struck by Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....

bombers during the Norwegian Campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...

. Most of the town was destroyed, but no lives were lost.

This attack destroyed a large part of Steinkjer, and many priceless historical buildings were lost, such as the Steinkjer Cross-church. A large part of Steinkjer's history was ruined by this attack.

The town was however quickly rebuilt after 1945 with much aid from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Much of the architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

 of modern Steinkjer originates from the 1950s and 1960s with functionalism
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...

 architecture inspired style, not as esthetically as the previous Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...

 style found in cities like 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...

 and Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....

. Some historical buildings of Steinkjer survived the bombing, like the train station and town college. These buildings are based upon a neo-classic architectural style, known as Jugendstil. A good example is the railroad station (Jernbanestasjonen) at Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station is a railway station located in the town of Steinkjer in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line, serving both local and express trains northbound through Innherred and on to Nordland, and...

 and the administration building for HiNT, Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College or HiNT is a Norwegian university college located throughout the county of Nord-Trøndelag...

 .

Geography

Steinkjer is the urban centre of the municipality, Steinkjer kommune, and the administrative centre of the county of Nord-Trøndelag. Steinkjer is located at the head of Beitstadfjorden
Beitstadfjorden
Beitstadfjorden is the innermost arm of the Trondheimsfjord in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Steinkjer, Inderøy, Verran, and Mosvik. The fjord has a length of from southwest to northeast, and a width of about ....

, the northern branch of the Trondheimsfjord
Trondheimsfjord
The Trondheimsfjord , an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third longest fjord at long. It is located in the west central part of the country, and it stretches from Ørland in west to Steinkjer in north, passing the city of Trondheim on its way...

 system. To the west, the muncipiality borders the more mountainous Verran
Verran
Verran is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Malm...

 municipality. To the east is Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from Steinkjer. To the north are the Snåsa
Snåsa
Snåsa is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Snåsa. Other villages include Agle and Jørstad....

 and Namdalseid
Namdalseid
Namdalseid is village and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Namdalseid. Other villages and farm areas include Sjøåsen, Statland, Tøttdalen, and Sverkmoen.The village of Namdalseid...

 municipalities, and to the south are the Inderøy
Inderøy
Inderøy is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Straumen. Other villages include Gangstadhaugen, Hylla, Kjerknesvågen, Røra, Sakshaug, Sandvollan, Småland, Utøy, and Vangshylla.The...

 and Verdal
Verdal
Verdal is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Verdalsøra...

 municipalities.
Situated 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) inland from the coast, Steinkjer is actually still connected to the Atlantic ocean through the narrow strait
Strait
A strait or straits is a narrow, typically navigable channel of water that connects two larger, navigable bodies of water. It most commonly refers to a channel of water that lies between two land masses, but it may also refer to a navigable channel through a body of water that is otherwise not...

 of Skarnsundet, some 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south of Steinkjer. The longest cable-stayed bridge
Cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge is a bridge that consists of one or more columns , with cables supporting the bridge deck....

 in Norway, Skarnsund Bridge
Skarnsund Bridge
Skarnsund Bridge is a long concrete cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Skarnsundet sound, in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. When finished in 1991, it replaced the Vangshylla–Kjerringvik Ferry and it gives the communities in Mosvik and Leksvik easier access to the central areas of Innherred...

, crosses the Skarnsund
Skarnsund
Skarnsund or Skarnsundet is a strait in the Trondheimsfjord connecting the inner section, Beitstadfjord, with the outer section. The wide Skarnsund is located between two municipalities: Inderøy to the east and Mosvik to the west. On the Inderøy side of the strait is the village of Vangshylla and...

 (total length of 1010 metres (3,313.6 ft)). Large ships pass through Skarnsundet and this allows tourists to visit this town by ship. Each year ferries from Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...

 make trips to the cruise port of Steinkjer, more than 130 kilometres (80.8 mi) of travel through the fjord system. The landscape is dotted with wavy hills and dense spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...

 forests, as well as agricultural fields in the lowland areas. There are many lakes in this region including: Gilten, Fossemvatnet
Fossemvatnet
Fossemvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake lies just southwest of the large lake Snåsavatnet which flows into Fossemvatnet on its way to the Trondheimsfjord. The village of Sunnan lies on the northern shore of the lake....

, Leksdalsvatnet
Leksdalsvatnet
Leksdalvatnet is a lake in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway that lies in the municipalities of Steinkjer and Verdal. It is located south of the town of Steinkjer and northeast of the town of Verdalsøra, about east of the Trondheimsfjord...

, Mokkavatnet
Mokkavatnet
Mokkavatnet is a lake in the Ogndal area of the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake is located about southeast of the municipal center of Steinkjer. The lake is one of the headwaters of the river Ogna....

, Snåsavatnet
Snåsavatnet
Snåsavatnet is Norway's 6th largest lake, with an area of approximately . The surface is only above sea level. Snåsavatnet is located in the municipalities of Steinkjer and Snåsa in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The villages of Følling and Sunnan lie at the southwestern end of the lake and the...

, and the group of lakes called Bangsjøene
Bangsjøene
Bangsjøene is a series of lakes that straddle the borders of the municipalities of Snåsa, Grong, Overhalla, and Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The southwestern lake is called Ytter-Bangsjøen, the middle lake is Midter-Bangsjøen, and the northeastern lake is Øyster-Bangsjøen...

.

Natural resources

Steinkjer is one of Norway’s larger urban municipalities measured by total area. Approximately half the population lives near the town center, while the rest live in rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...

 areas. However, much of the town is today in the process of urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....

, with the building of several apartment blocks in or within the immediate vicinity of the town. Currently, about 500 apartments are being finished.

Steinkjer is one of the northernmost areas with rich agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

, allowing large production of grain. It is obvious from the landscape that Steinkjer is a typical agricultural municipality. In addition, there are large forest resources in the immediate area. The tallest buildings in Steinkjer are two 40 metres (131.2 ft) tall grain silos
Silo
A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials.Silo may also refer to:* Silo , a 3D modeling software* Silo , a defunct chain of retail electronics stores* SILO , used in Linux...

, visible several kilometres south of Steinkjer and today mark the skyline
Skyline
A skyline is the overall or partial view of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many skyscrapers in front of the sky in the background. It can also be described as the artificial horizon that a city's overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as...

, especially when viewed from the south. Kirknesvaag Sag & Høvleri is a large wood mill and industry park producing wood planks and treehouse module components. Almost half of the inner town area consists of the large industrial park for wood products. Most of the ship traffic is related to transportation of the vast forest resources present in Nord-Trøndelag such as 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...

 and cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....

. An important tree species is Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...

.

Climate

Further north from Steinkjer, geographical distances between cities grow. The climate of Steinkjer marks a border with the more harsh conditions typical of inland areas further north. The January average in Steinkjer is -5 C, and the July 24-hr average is 14 °C (57.2 °F). Steinkjer has a sheltered location and is the most northern town with a summer season long enough to allow reliable cultivation of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...

. Steinkjer is therefore recognized as a "border town" between the more densely populated southern parts of Norway and the less populated northern part. Steinkjer has observed temperatures above 32 °C (89.6 °F), but also winter temperatures below -25 C. Temperatures have tended to be warmer in recent years.

Birdlife

Steinkjer, with its varied habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...

s, provides the local birdlife with some of the best localities within the region. One of these is Lake Lømsen with its breeding population of Slavonian Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
The Horned Grebe or Slavonian Grebe, Podiceps auritus, is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The Slavonian Grebe is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater...

. The surrounding woodlands and farmlands hold a host of the commoner Scandinavian species, some, like Fieldfare
Fieldfare
The Fieldfare is a member of the thrush family Turdidae. It breeds in woodland and scrub in northern Europe and Asia. It is strongly migratory, with many northern birds moving south during the winter. It is a very rare breeder in Great Britain and Ireland, but winters in large numbers in these...

 and Redwing
Redwing
The Redwing is a bird in the thrush family Turdidae, native to Europe and Asia, slightly smaller than the related Song Thrush.-Taxonomy:...

, can be found in good numbers.

Forests and other habitats

The municipality of Steinkjer includes lowland forests, alpine forests, as well as areas above the treeline. A part of Blåfjella-Skjækerfjella National Park is located in the municipality. Byahalla, the most northerly deciduous temperate forest (hemiboreal
Hemiboreal
Hemiboreal means halfway between the temperate and subarctic zones. The term is most frequently used in the context of ecosystems.-Botany:...

) location in the world, with species such as Wych Elm
Wych Elm
Ulmus glabra, the Wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese in Greece; it is also found in Iran...

, Hazel
Common Hazel
Corylus avellana, the Common Hazel, is a species of hazel native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles south to Iberia, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, north to central Scandinavia, and east to the central Ural Mountains, the Caucasus, and northwestern Iran. It is an important component of...

, Hepatica
Hepatica
Hepatica is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, native to central and northern Europe, Asia and eastern North America...

, Hedge Woundwort
Stachys
Stachys is one of the largest genera in the flowering plant family Lamiaceae. Estimates of the number of species in the genus vary from about 300, to about 450. The type species for the genus is Stachys sylvatica. Stachys is in the subfamily Lamioideae...

, and Garlic Mustard
Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant in the Mustard family, Brassicaceae. It is native to Europe, western and central Asia, and northwestern Africa, from Morocco, Iberia and the British Isles, north to northern Scandinavia, and east to northern India and western China...

, is located in Steinkjer, probably due to the sheltered south facing location and the good soil resulting from marine deposits. Some moist locations with spruce forests are classified as boreal rainforests and are part of the Scandinavian coastal conifer forests
Scandinavian coastal conifer forests
The Scandinavian coastal conifer forest ecoregion, a Palearctic ecoregion in the Temperate coniferous forests Biome, is located in along the coast of Norway...

. The shallow river estuaries in the inner part of the Trondheimsfjord
Trondheimsfjord
The Trondheimsfjord , an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third longest fjord at long. It is located in the west central part of the country, and it stretches from Ørland in west to Steinkjer in north, passing the city of Trondheim on its way...

 have some of the richest bird life in Norway; thousands of migratory birds feed here. Part of Snåsavatnet
Snåsavatnet
Snåsavatnet is Norway's 6th largest lake, with an area of approximately . The surface is only above sea level. Snåsavatnet is located in the municipalities of Steinkjer and Snåsa in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The villages of Følling and Sunnan lie at the southwestern end of the lake and the...

, the 6th largest lake in Norway, is located in the municipality, and the river from the lake meets the fjord in the town of Steinkjer.

Transportation

Steinkjer lies about 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) by road north of the city of 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...

 along the European route E6
European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...

 highway. The Sneppen Bridge
Sneppen Bridge
Sneppen Bridge is a bridge that crosses the river Steinkjerelva in the town of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The long concrete bridge was completed in 1987 and carries the European route E6 highway...

 is part of the E6 in the town of Steinkjer, crossing the river Byaelva. Norwegian County Road 17 begins in Steinkjer and heads north. This highway is often referred to as the Coastal highway, whereas the E6 runs to the north, but further inland.

The municipality is situated along the Nordlandsbanen
Nordlandsbanen
The Nordland Line is a railway line between Trondheim and Bodø in Norway. Running for approximately 729 km, it is the Norwegian railway system's longest line, and the only one in Norway to cross the Arctic Circle. It is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration...

 railway line from Trondheim, and is served by Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station
Steinkjer Station is a railway station located in the town of Steinkjer in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station is located on the Nordlandsbanen railway line, serving both local and express trains northbound through Innherred and on to Nordland, and...

 and Sparbu Station
Sparbu Station
Sparbu Station is a railway station located in the village of Sparbu in the municipality of Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the Nordlandsbanen railway line and the station serves the Sparbu and Mære areas of Steinkjer...

.

Culture

Steinkjer also has a rich culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...

 and hosts one of the most prominent music cultures in central Norway. Steinkjer is also labeled "Steinkjer Punkrock town" by some of its citizens. The music festival Steinkjerfestivalen was established in 2006. Steinkjermartnan, held each year in August, is a happening where trading booths are staged in the town centre's streets and a traditional trade festival with concerts are held.

Steinkjer has the standard cultural facilities like a cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....

, town library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...

, culture house (in which many cultural events and concerts are held), and a modern swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...

 called Dampsaga Bad. The swimming pool has a 25 metres (82 ft) long training pool plus heating pools, sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....

, two learning pools for kids, and a large swim tube.

Education

Steinkjer houses the administration and Faculty of Society, Commerce, and Nature of Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College
Nord-Trøndelag University College or HiNT is a Norwegian university college located throughout the county of Nord-Trøndelag...

. Important studies include the School of Forestry . Historically, Steinkjer has produced a higher than average amount of university students. Only 25% of the students return to Steinkjer. Steinkjer is therefore a muncipiality that produces many people with higher education students. In Norwegian, municipalities such as Steinkjer that produce many people with higher education who leave the municipality are known as oppvekstkommuner (lit. upbringing municipalities).

Notable residents

  • Anders Bardal
    Anders Bardal
    Anders Bardal is a Norwegian ski jumper who has competed since 2001. He won two silver medals in the team large hill event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships...

     (born 1982), ski jumper
  • Andreas Engberg, poet
  • Ivar Asbjørn Følling
    Ivar Asbjørn Følling
    Ivar Asbjørn Følling was a Norwegian physician and biochemist who first described the disease named after him -- Følling's disease -- which is better known outside of Norway as phenylketonuria or, for short, PKU. He was born in Kvam, Steinkjer....

     (1888–1973), first scientific description of Phenylketonuria
    Phenylketonuria
    Phenylketonuria is an autosomal recessive metabolic genetic disorder characterized by a mutation in the gene for the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase , rendering it nonfunctional. This enzyme is necessary to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine to the amino acid tyrosine...

     (Følling's disease)
  • Ida Jenshus
    Ida Jenshus
    Ida Gjølga Jenshus is a country artist from Steinkjer in Norway .After winning a talent competition in 2007, she recorded her first studioalbum in spring 2008 at the studio of recordproducers Lars Lien and Håkon Gebhardt...

     (born 1987), musician
  • Laffen, Norways oldest true punkrocker
  • Silje Nergaard
    Silje Nergaard
    Silje Nergaard is a Norwegian pop and jazz musician.While some of her old titles have a distinct pop feel, she has now almost completely given up making pop music, and virtually the entirety of her later releases consists of jazz...

     (born 1966), musician
  • Anders Sletvold Moe, artist
  • Otto Sverdrup
    Otto Sverdrup
    Otto Neumann Knoph Sverdrup was a Norwegian sailor and Arctic explorer.-Early and personal life:...

     (1854–1930), Arctic explorer
  • Arthur Tessem, artist
  • Kristofer Uppdal
    Kristofer Uppdal
    Kristofer Oliver Uppdal , born Opdal, was a Norwegian poet and author, born in Beitstad, Nord-Trøndelag.As a boy, Uppdal worked as a shepherd, and later as a miner and construction worker. In 1907 he started working for Norsk Hydro, and came to their factory in Rjukan in 1910-1911...

     (1878–1961), poet, writer
  • Jakob Weidemann
    Jakob Weidemann
    Jakob Weidemann was a Norwegian artist. Jakob Weidemann is regarded as one of Norway’s more important artists of post-war Modernism.-Biography:...

     (1923–2001), artist

External links

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