Molde
Molde Municipality
Molde kommune | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
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| Country | Norway |
| County | Møre og Romsdal |
| District | Romsdal |
| Administrative centre | Molde |
| Government | |
| • Governor (2005) | Jan Petter Hammerø (H) |
| Area | |
• Total | 363 km2 (140 sq mi) |
| • Land | 355 km2 (137 sq mi) |
| • Rank | #254 in Norway |
| Population (2004) | |
• Total | 24,421 |
| • Rank | #35 in Norway |
| • Density | 68/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| • Change (10 years) |  +6% |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-1502[2] |
| Website | Official website |
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Molde is a city and municipality, and the administrative center in the county of Møre og Romsdal, Norway. Neighboring municipalities are Aukra, Fræna, Gjemnes, Nesset, Rauma, Vestnes, and Midsund.
Located on the north shore of the Romsdalsfjord, Molde, also known as the Town of Roses, is famous for its spectacular panoramic view to the snow-clad peaks on the southern side of the fjord. It is regional capital of Møre og Romsdal and hosts the bishop of Møre. The name is probably derived from Old Norse moldar, plural form of mold meaning rich or fertile soil.
The city is easily accessible by car and major roads from Oslo, 7 hrs via Åndalsnes and the magnificent Trollveggen; from Trondheim, 4 hrs via Oppdal and Sunndalsøra, or 3.5 hrs via Vinjeøra and Krifast, and Ålesund, 1.5 hrs via Vestnes. Hurtigruta, the fabled coastal route, visits Molde every day, on its journey between Bergen and Kirkenes; and by train via Åndalsnes.
The city has an airport at Årø, with regular flights to Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim. From 2004, there are also regular flights to Spain.
Molde University College, Høgskolen i Molde[1], offers a wide range of academical opportunities, from Nursing and Health related studies, to Economics and administrative courses, specializing in information technology, transport economics and logistics, with degrees up to and including PhD.
The city's coat-of-arms shows a whale chasing herring into a barrel, symbolizing the founding industries of the city - the export of fish and timber. Molde was never a whaling port; the whale is merely an echo of the ancient belief that whales were a good omen, chasing (and not following) the schools of fish into the fjords at certain times of the year.
The local newspaper is Romsdals Budstikke[2].
The consulate general for the Republic of Macedonia in Norway is situated in Molde.
Two current notabilities from Molde are politician and former prime minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and businessman Kjell Inge Røkke.
Topography
Molde proper consists of a 10 km long and 1-2 km wide strip of urban land running east-west along the north shore of Moldefjorden, the arm of Romsdalsfjorden between the city and the parallel running chain of low-laying islands and islets screening the city from the south, and the woodclad hills to the north.
The city center is located just west of the river Moldeelva, which runs into the town through Moldedalen (valley), from Moldevatnet (lake) to the north of the city, and finally pours into Moldefjorden (fjord).
Although the river is minor and seasonal, there were several sawmills along it in the 16 and 1700s. This gave rise to the city itself through a combination of a good harbour, proximity to the sea routes, vast timber resources, and a river capable of supporting mills.
In 1909 the river also housed the first hydro electric power plant capable of providing sufficient electricity to the city.
Climate
Molde has a maritime, temperate climate, with cool-to-warm summers, and relatively mild winters. The annual persipitation is moderate/high, with an average of 1640 mm per year. The warmest and driest season is late summer/fall, where Molde also holds the national high for the month of October, with 25.6 °C (on October 11, 2005).
A natural phenomenon occuring in Molde, and the adjacent district, are frequent winter days with temperatures above 15 °C. This is due to föhn wind from south and south-east. Combined with a steady influx of warm, moist south-westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf stream, it gives Molde a climate much warmer than average for its latitude.
The sheltered location of the city, facing south with hills to the north, mountains to the east and mountainous islands to the west, contributes to Molde's unusually rich plantlife, especially among species naturally growing on far lower latitudes, like maple, chesnut, oak, lime/linden, beech, yew, and others.
Tourism
Molde was a popular tourist destination of international fame already in the late 19th century with Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany as a regular summer visitor. The Kaiser referred to the city as "The Nice of the North", which naturally gave a tremendous boost to the city's desirability as a tourist destination. Drawn by its unique setting where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of the natural splendour of its surroundings, with more than 220 rugged and partly snow-clad mountain peaks visible from all over the city, but preferably from the viewpoint Varden, it became a desired port of call for the yachts and cruise ships of the European gentry up until World War I. At the time, Molde consisted of luxurious hotels surrounding an idyllic township with quaint, wooden houses, lush gardens and parks, esplanades and pavillions, earning it the nickname "the Town of Roses".
This golden era came to a sudden end with the outbreak of World War I, and the devestating fire of 1916.
Although tourism has never reached the magnitude and economical importance it once had, Molde is still a major cruise ship and tourist destination.
Another famous attraction is the Royal Birch at Glomstua, which is where King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav sought to hide during the German World War II bombing of the city in April 1940. A famous photograph taken during this event was widely reprinted, and became a symbol of Norwegian patriotism and resistance againt Nazi-Germany. Close to the Royal Birch is the international Grove of Peace (see Bjørnson Festival).
Attractions
From Molde you can visit some of Norway's best-known tourist attractions.
The breath-taking Atlantic Road, you can drive over bridges, small islands and skerries right out at the ocean's edge. Venture up fjord arms to visit the dramatic scenery of the Eikesdalen valley and Mardalsfossen, the highest waterfall in Northern Europe. At Åndalsnes you can marvel at the Trollveggen, Europe's highest sheer mountain face and the Trollstigen tourist road, which twists and turns its way up the mountainside through 11 hairpin bends to an altitude of 858 m. Out at the coast are the idyllic fishing communities of Ona, Bjørnsund, Bud and Håholmen.
Activities
The contrasts in scenery and landscape make the Molde region perfect for outdoor pursuits. In the numerous hills and mountains within minutes from the city, you can ramble as you wish along marked paths or simply off-track, you can go skiing in tracks, resorts, or on your own in the deep woods; or go hunting for game animals and grouse. Also, with Molde as your base you will find great opportunities for ice climbing, peak climbing, bouldering, and glacier hiking. Also, if you are a skilled mountaineer, then near-by Romsdal is perfect for you.
The rivers of the area, legendary amoung the British gentry already in the mid-1800s, abound in salmon, sea trout and sea char. With free public access to the shoreline, you can catch cod, pollock, saithe, mackerel and other species of saltwater fish from the shore or from boat. For a thrill seeker, Hustadvika is one of Norway's best locations for scuba diving.
In Molde you can take part in popular activities such as horseback riding, go-karting, wind-surfing, parachuting, golf, tennis, squash and bowling, or use indoor gyms and pools.
Culture
Three of "the Great Four" Norwegian authors spent time, stayed or lived in Molde. Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson spent his childhood at Nesset outside Molde and attended school in the city. Henrik Ibsen frequently spent his vacations at the mansion Moldegård,, and Alexander Kielland resided in the city as the governor of Romsdals amt (name of Møre og Romsdal up until 1920). Ibsen's play Rosmersholm is inspired by the life at Moldegård, and The Lady from the Sea is also set in the city of Molde (although there are no direct references in the play, the geographical descriptions matches perfectly). Other authors from, or with strong bonds to Molde, include Edvard Hoem, Jo Nesbø, Knut Ødegård, and Nini Roll Anker, a dear friend of Sigrid Undset. The city of Molde has also been the home of several internationally known rock groups such as Lash Out (1992–98) and Bannlyst (1985–87), and also to singer/songwriter Ane Brun.
Molde International Jazz Festival
Every mid-July, Molde is host to an international key event - the biggest, most important, and oldest jazz festival in Europe, Moldejazz. Artists such as Miles Davis, Lester Bowie, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Karin Krog, Keith Jarrett, Joseph Jarman, John Scofield, Phil Woods, BB King, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Santana, Paul Simon, Joe Cocker, and Lauryn Hill have performed at the Molde Jazz Festival.
An estimated 40,000 tickets are sold for the 100+ events during the festival. Between 80,000 and 100,000 visitors visit the city during the one-week long musical adventure
Norwegian Festival of International Literature
Every August, Molde and Nesset host an international literature festival, known as the Bjørnson Festival. Established in connection to Molde's 250-year anniversary The Bjørnson Festival is the oldest and more internationally acclaimed festival of literature in Norway.
The festival is named in honour of the Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910), who grew up and attended school in and around Molde. Bjørnson created the modern, Nordic historical drama and also wrote the lyrics for the Norwegian national anthem.
Visiting authors (and tree-planters at The Peace Grove) include Wole Soyinka, Yasar Kemal, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Seamus Heaney, Amos Oz, Izzat al-Ghazzawi, Bei Dao, Hans Blix and Thor Heyerdahl.
Additionally a number of smaller and shorter festivals are held annually, such as blues and roots festivals, and a watersports festival.
History
The Medieval township on the island of Veøy – the holy island – situated at the nearby junction where three smaller fjords meet the main fjord leading westwards out to the Romsdal coast and the shipping routes, had lost its importance at the eve of the 15th Century. However, commercial life in the region was not dead, and originating from the two settlements at Reknes and Molde (later Moldegård), a minor port called Molde Fjære (Molde Landing) emerged, based on trade with timber and herring to mainly Dutch and British merchants. In 1614 the town gained formal trading rights, and in 1742 it was finally incorporated through a royal charter.
After the decline of the nearby competing township of Bud, Molde continued to grow throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, and became a center for Norwegian textile and garment industry, as well as an administrative center for the region. At this point, tourism had also become a major industry. This rapid development was interrupted when one third of the city, mostly its famous wooden buildings and rose gardens, were destroyed in a fire on 21 and January 22, 1916.
However, Molde recovered quickly, and continued to grow in the economically difficult interbellum period.
A second fire, or series of fire, struck from the German air-raids in April 1940, destroying about two thirds of the city. German vanguards were trying to cut off and capture the king, cabinet, parliament and national gold reserves, evacuated from Oslo following the attack on Norway on April 9 1940. Arriving safely in Molde, the city was de facto capital of Norway from 22 to April 29, when the advancing German forces, combined with a failed British counter-attack, forced the Norwegian commander-in-chief, General Otto Ruge, to abandon Southern Norway and continue the fight from Tromsø.
Since World War II, Molde has experienced a tremendous growth. As the modernization of the Norwegian society accelerated in the post-reconstrucion years, Molde became a center for not only administrative and public services, but also academical resources and industrial output. After the consolidation of the city itself and its adjacent communities in 1964, Molde became a modern city, encompassing most branches of employment, from farming and fisheries, through industrial production, to banking, tourism, commerce, health care and civil administration.
Sports
Molde hosts a variety of sports teams. Most notably the football team, Molde F.K.[3], playing in the Norwegian Premier League. Home matches are played at Molde stadium, an architectural feat inaugurated in 1998, which holds a record attendance of 13,308 The team is holder of two national championships (1994 and 2005), and numerous appearances in European tournaments, including the UEFA Champions League. The club was founded in 1911, during Molde's period of great British and Continental influx, and was first named "International", since it predominantly played teams made up from crews of foreign vessels visiting the city.
In addition to a number of international players, the city has also produced several skijumpers, cross-country and alpine skiers of international merit.
Other sports include the local underwater rugby team, Molde S.L.K, one of the best in Europe, as well as S.K. Træff, with a team in the Norwegian first divisjon of women's handball, and S.K. Rival, the mother club of olympic alpine skier Andrine Flemmen.
Friendship towns
Molde has several friendship towns:
External links
- Tourist information
- Molde University college
- Molde International Jazz Festival
- Romsdals Budstikke
- Molde F.K.
- VS Molde Futsal
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- ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
- ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (2023-01-26). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.