Porsgrunn (town) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Porsgrunn
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View of the town
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 Porsgrunn
Location in Telemark
Porsgrunn
Location in Norway
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| Country | Norway | |
| Region | Eastern Norway | |
| County | Telemark | |
| District | Grenland | |
| Municipality | Porsgrunn Municipality | |
| Established as | ||
| Ladested | 1653 | |
| Kjøpstad | 1807 | |
| Elevation | 44 m (144 ft) | |
| Demonym(s) | Porsgrunnsmann Porsgrunnkvinne Porsgrunnfolk Porsgrunning |
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| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) | |
| Post Code |
3916 Porsgrunn
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Porsgrunn is a town in Telemark county, Norway. It is the main town of Porsgrunn Municipality. The town sits where the Porsgrunn river meets the Frierfjorden.
The town of Skien is just north of Porsgrunn. The town of Brevik is about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south. The European route E18 highway also passes through the southern part of Porsgrunn.
Porsgrunn is part of a larger urban area that includes Skien. In 2022, the part of Porsgrunn within its municipality had about 34,291 people. This area covers 20.99 square kilometers (8.10 square miles).
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A Look at Porsgrunn's Past
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Porsgrunn has been an important harbor town since the late 1500s. In 1653, the Customs House was moved here from Skien. This happened because the Skien river became too shallow for boats further upstream. Sawdust and mud from industries made the river difficult to navigate.
Moving the Customs House helped Porsgrunn's harbor grow. It became a busy trading center. It was given the status of a ladested, which meant it was a port with special trading rights.
Porsgrunn's Cultural Growth
In the 1700s, some of Norway's most important families lived in Porsgrunn. These included the Aalls, Cappelens, and Løvenskiolds. During this time, Porsgrunn was even seen as a cultural hub in Norway.
In 1764, Porsgrunn became its own church parish, separate from nearby rural areas. It got its own minister. Churches like Østre Porsgrunn Church and Vestre Porsgrunn Church are part of this parish.
The town received limited city rights as a kjøpstad in 1807. These rights were fully expanded in 1842, making it a complete city.
Changes to the Municipality
On January 1, 1838, Porsgrunn became its own municipality. This was due to a law called formannskapsdistrikt.
In the 1960s, many municipalities in Norway merged. This was part of a plan by the Schei Committee. On January 1, 1964, Porsgrunn Municipality grew much larger. It merged with:
- The town of Porsgrunn itself (population: 10,863)
- The town of Brevik (population: 2,498)
- All of Eidanger Municipality (population: 13,018)
- Small parts of Hedrum Municipality and Brunlanes Municipality from Vestfold county.
Porsgrunn was once home to Skomvær, which was Norway's largest sailing ship. In 1985, a sculpture called Amphitrite, the wave and the sea birds was put up in Porsgrunn. This sculpture honors Porsgrunn's long history with the sea.
Porsgrunn's Industries
Porsgrunn is a major center for industry in Norway. It has a long history of heavy industry. Many important companies operate here.
Some key industries in Porsgrunn include:
- Norsk Hydro (making magnesium)
- Elkem (producing silicon)
- Yara International (creating nitrogen fertilizers)
- Porsgrund Porcelænsfabrik (known for its porcelain)
- Renewable Energy Corporation (making solar power products)
- Isola (producing building materials and roofing)
- Norcem
- Eramet
