Levanger

Levanger is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherred region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Levanger. Other villages in the municipality include Alstadhaug, Ekne, Hokstad, Markabygd, Momarka, Mule, Nesset, Okkenhaug, Ronglan, Skogn, and Åsen.

The town of Levanger lies at the mouth of the Levangerelva river along the Trondheimsfjord. One of the main roads through the town is Kirkegata. The 5.74-square-kilometre (2.22 sq mi) town has a population (2009) of 8,924. The population density is 1,555 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,030/sq mi). The town has held "town status" since 1997.

Levanger is a member of the Italian initiative, Cittaslow, for slow towns that don't adopt a "fast-lane" approach that is so common in most modern towns.

General information

The town of Levanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). In 1856, the rural areas around the town of Levanger were separated from the town to form the rural municipality of Levanger landsogn (the name was later changed to Frol). This left 1,017 residents in the town. On 13 November 1951, a small area of Frol (population: 51) was transferred to the town of Levanger.

Levanger (town)

Levanger is a town and the municipal center of Levanger municipality, Norway. Prior to 1962, the town and its immediate vicinity was its own municipality. The 4.93-square-kilometre (1,220-acre) town has a population (2013) of 9,256, giving the town a population density of 1,877 inhabitants per square kilometre (4,860/sq mi).

History

The town of Levanger was founded by Carl III, king of Sweden on 18 May 1836, on the site where the village of Levanger already existed. The village had expanded from the traditional winter fair, known as the marsimartnan (lit. the St. Marcus Market of Levanger), dating back to the 13th century. In October 1836, as the town's borders set, Commissioner Mons Lie proposed that "the town shall bear the name of Carlslevanger, so the name of this ancient soil can be united with that of the new town's glorious founder". Despite the suggestion getting refused, the town protocols spoke of Carlslevanger Stad instead of Kjøpstaden Levanger until 1838. In 1838, the formannskapsdistrikt law classified this town as a ladestad or port town.