Stavern (Norwegian pronunciation:[²staːvæɳ]; locally[²staːvæɾn]; until 1930 named Fredriksvern) is a town in Larvik Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The town is located at the mouth of the Larviksfjorden along the Skagerrak coast, about 7 kilometres (4.3mi) south of the town of Larvik. Historically, Stavern was a self-governing municipality from 1838 until 1988 when it became part of the large Larvik Municipality. Stavern Church is located in the town.
The 3.74-square-kilometre (920-acre) town has a population (2026) of 6,149 and a population density of 1,747 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,520/sqmi).
Stavern is a small town where tourism is one of the most important sources of income. During summer, the population increases to around 30,000-40,000 people, due to camping sites and cottages around the town centre as well as boats visiting the harbour. Stavern experiences about 200 days of sunshine per year. From the mid-1750s until 1864, Stavern was home to the nation's main naval base located in a shipyard in Fredriksvern. A gunpowder tower and commandant's house remain on Citadel Island, a current refuge for artists. The town is also home of the Hall of Remembrance, a monument dedicated to seamen killed during World War I and World War II.
History
Historic photo of StavernStavern WasilioffMinnehallen in Stavern. National monument commemorating the sailors killed during World War I and World War II
Stavern has probably been a harbour since ancient times. The name is found in written sources from the 11th century and the 12th century where it is referred to as a good fishing harbour. Stavern in the 17th and 18th century was an important port for civil ship traffic from Norway to Denmark and Sweden.[citation needed]
The harbour was a major port and naval base for Staverns Fortress (until 1930 named Fredriksvern). As this was one of Norway's most important naval facilities, it was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). It was one of Norway's smallest municipalities. Even though it was an important port it was not given the status as a town (kjøpstad) until 1 July 1942. The small town and municipality of Stavern was merged with the larger town of Larvik 1 January 1988.
Its former and current name is Stavern, but from 1799 to 1930 the town was named Fredriksværn as its only function was as the site of that naval base, so it shared the same name as the base. In 1930, the municipality was renamed Stavern. From 1942 the town was Norway's smallest until it merged with Larvik Municipality in 1988 and lost its town status. In 1996, the municipality of Larvik voted to restore Stavern to town status.
During the 20th century, Stavern became a popular site for artists and craftsmen. The poet Herman Wildenvey, the writer Jonas Lie as well as the painters Hans Gude and Christian Krohg all lived in Stavern at some point in their lives. Today, the town is well known in southern Norway for its many exhibitions and art galleries. Stavern also is the site of Minnehallen, the national memorial to fallen sailors of World War I and World War II and a statue of the 18th century naval hero Peder Tordenskjold.
Name
The municipality (originally the harbour area) is named after the old Staværn farm (Old Norse: Staferni) since the Fredriksvern naval base and shipyard was built there. The first element is stafr which means "staff" or "stick" (the reason for this is unknown, but see Stavanger#Name). The last element is the suffix-erni which has an unknown meaning, but it is often used in names of islands. In the late-1700s, the prefix Fredriks- was added to the old farm name to create the name Fredriksværn. The prefix was added in honor of the King of Denmark-Norway, Fredrik V. In 1930, the old name Stavern was brought back into use.
On 23 June 1883, an area of Brunlanes Municipality (population: 22) was transferred to Fredriksvern Municipality. In 1930, the municipal name was changed to Stavern. In 1938, another area of Brunlanes Municipality (population: 28) was transferred to Stavern Municipality. In 1943, the government of Norway granted Stavern the status of a kjøpstad (town status). Again, in 1949, an area of Brunlanes Municipality (population: 13) was transferred to Stavern Municipality. On 1 January 1969, another area of Brunlanes Municipality (population: 4) was transferred into Stavern Municipality.
On 1 January 1988, Stavern Municipality was dissolved and the following areas were merged to form an enlarged Larvik Municipality with a population of 37,048 people:
The municipal council(Bystyre) of Stavern Municipality was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.
The mayor (Norwegian: ordfører) of Stavern Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
↑Mæhlum, Lars; Thorsnæs, Geir; Lundbo, Sten, eds. (2 March 2026). "Stavern". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
↑Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
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