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63-559: Narvik is located on the shores of the Ofotfjorden . The municipality is part of the traditional district of Ofoten of Northern Norway , inside the Arctic Circle . Narvik Municipality borders Hamarøy Municipality to the southwest; Evenes Municipality to the northwest; Bardu Municipality , Gratangen Municipality , Lavangen Municipality , and Tjeldsund Municipality (in Troms county) to

126-939: A base from which to secure the Swedish ore fields and/or to send supplies and reinforcements to Finland , then fighting the Finnish Winter War with the Soviet Union. Plans to lay a minefield around Narvik or to seize the town met with debate within the British government – since both plans would mean a violation of Norway's neutrality and sovereignty. Finally, on 8 April 1940, the British Admiralty launched Operation Wilfred , an attempt to lay anti-shipping minefields around Narvik in Norwegian territorial waters. Coincidentally, Germany launched its invasion of Norway ( Operation Weserübung ) on

189-688: A crew of six to manage. Within the few written Viking records, the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red tell an in-depth story of the Viking journey and discovery of Vinland, nowadays Newfoundland . These adventures were passed down verbally over hundreds of years until they were finally written down by an unnamed author around the 13th century. In 1960, explorer Helge Ingstad and his wife Anne Stine Ingstad , an archaeologist, used an array of tools such as

252-458: A subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc), depending on winter threshold (0 °C (32 °F) as used in the US or −3 °C (27 °F) as in the original classification ). It is close to a humid continental climate due to a mild September. As Narvik is 220 kilometres (140 mi) inside the Arctic Circle , the climate is very mild for the latitude. The mountains surrounding the town give shelter from some of

315-650: Is Norway's 12th longest fjord and it is also the 18th deepest, with a maximum depth of 553 metres (1,814 ft). In the English language and in many historical documents, this fjord is often referred to as the Narvik Fjord because the town of Narvik is located on the inner shores of the fjord, but this is not an official name of the fjord. The fjord is surrounded by mountains, some reaching 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), and even 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) in Skjomen , where

378-588: Is 57 kilometres (35 mi) by road from Narvik and has regular flights to Oslo , Trondheim , Bodø , Tromsø and Andenes . The Narvik War Museum ( Narvik Krigsmuseum ) covers the war years 1940–1945. The museum displays the Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee of the British Royal Navy and a rare German Enigma coding machine . Museum Nord - Narvik tells of

441-496: Is February 1966 with mean −10.7 °C (12.7 °F) and average daily low −13.2 °C (8.2 °F). The average date for the first overnight freeze in autumn when the low goes below −0 °C (32 °F) is October 13 (1981-2010). The light varies considerably in Narvik since the sun is below the horizon from late November until mid-January; when there is only a bluish light for a few hours around noon . The mountains surrounding

504-505: Is at the northern end of the rest of Norway's rail network. However, it is possible to reach Narvik by way of an approximately twenty-hour 1,540-kilometre (960 mi) train journey through the Swedish rail system from Stockholm using the Iron Ore Line . The activity related to the railway and large port facilities are still important in Narvik, and goods to and from North Norway , Sweden, and Finland are often distributed via Narvik. In

567-478: Is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms were designed to look like the local mountain Stetind . The arms were designed by Eirik Djupvik. The coat of arms was granted on 1 June 1951 and they were in use until 1 January 2020 when there was a municipal merger. The official blazon is " Gules , an anchor Or " ( Norwegian : På rød bunn et opprett gull anker ). This means

630-411: Is named after the old Narvik farm ( Old Norse : Knarravík or Njarðarvík ) since the town was built there. The two possible Old Norse roots have differing meanings. If it comes from Knarravík , then the meaning of the first element is the genitive plural form of knǫrr or knarr which means "merchant ship". The other option is that the name is derived from Njarðarvík . In that case,

693-409: Is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services , senior citizen services, welfare and other social services , zoning , economic development , and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality

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756-420: Is situated near the innermost part of the deep Ofotfjorden , but even here the mountains, going almost straight up from the blue fjord , reach as high as 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) in Skjomen , where the glacier Frostisen can be seen. Other fjords in Narvik include Skjomen , Beisfjorden , Herjangsfjorden , Efjorden , Tysfjorden , Vestfjorden , and Rombaken . The island Barøya lies just off shore at

819-456: Is that the oldest form of the fjord name was Úffóti . In this case, the first element would be úfr which means " Eurasian eagle-owl ". The last element of the name is the dative case of fótr which means " foot " or "leg (including the foot)". Thus, the name could be referring to leg/foot of an owl, likely because the three inner branches of the Ofotfjord might have been compared with

882-452: Is the Ofoten Line railway from northern Sweden across the mountains to this port town. Goods like iron ore shipped via this railroad make Narvik an important seaport. The railway has stops at Bjørnfjell Station , Katterat Station , Søsterbekk Station , and Narvik Station . Because of the extreme terrain there, there are no railways northwards from Narvik or south to Bodø , Norway, which

945-402: Is the best known location in northern Norway for alpine skiing. There are lifts, and several of the slopes are floodlit. There is also a cable car to Fagernesfjellet, with a view and the possibility to walk even higher up in the mountains. Narvik Winter Festival ( Norwegian : Vinterfestuka ) takes place in early March. Mountain hiking is very popular in the area, and the mountain area near

1008-541: Is under the jurisdiction of the Midtre Hålogaland District Court and the Hålogaland Court of Appeal . The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Narvik is made up of 31 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party . The mayor ( Norwegian : ordfører ) of Narvik is the political leader of

1071-460: The Frostisen glacier can be seen. The only large lowland area is on parts of the northern shore, around Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes , although there are smaller areas near the fjord and in narrow valleys (for instance, the Narvik peninsula, where the harbour and city centre of Narvik is located). The mountains are covered by forest below elevations of 500 metres (1,600 ft), birch being

1134-655: The Bronze Age . Not very much is known about these people, but the Vikings lived in this area. The town of Narvik was developed as an all-year ice free port for the Swedish iron mines in Kiruna and Gällivare . The history of modern Narvik begins in the 1870s, when the Swedish government began to understand the potential of the iron ore mines in Kiruna , Sweden. Obtaining iron ore from Kiruna had one significant problem in that there

1197-572: The Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland . Narvik is twinned with: Ofotfjorden The Ofotfjord   ( English ) , Ofotfjorden   ( Norwegian ) , or Ufuohttá   ( Northern Sami ) is a fjord in Nordland county, Norway . It is an inlet of the Norwegian Sea , located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of the Arctic Circle . The 78-kilometre (48 mi) long Ofotfjord

1260-757: The European route E6 highway using the Beisfjord Bridge ), Skjomen (the longest of these fjord branches, crossed by the E6 highway using the Skjomen Bridge ) and finally Ballangen . At the mouth of Ofotfjord, on the southern side, is another fjord, the narrow Efjorden , which extends southeast (crossed by the E6 highway using the Efjord Bridges ). The Ofotfjord has a rich marine life , with huge quantities of herring staying in

1323-558: The Iron Ore Line ( Malmbanan ) to Riksgränsen on the Norway–Sweden border. The Norwegian Ofotbanen railway line connects Narvik to the Swedish border. Swedish mining corporation LKAB still ships the majority of its ore from Narvik (a total 25 million tons a year). It is an important employer and landowner in Narvik, although its influence is not as prominent as in the past. The port of Narvik proved to be strategically valuable in

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1386-470: The Ofotfjord cuts into the municipality leaving only a few kilometers of land between the fjord and the national border with Sweden . The one major highway heading north-south at this point runs through Narvik, the European route E6 . The Port of Narvik located in the town of Narvik is also a major transportation and freight hub for the region. A present and historical key to land transportation to Narvik

1449-632: The British Isles, Continental Europe and possibly the Middle East. The knarr was constructed using the same clinker-built method as longships , karves , and faerings . Oak, which was widely available in southern Scandinavia, was extraordinarily strong and flexible and was most commonly used to construct the knarr. Its oak frame was constructed much deeper which, when paired with a wider body, created an incredibly stable merchant ship. This adaptation allowed it to sail smoothly as well as helped it disband

1512-466: The Ofotfjord. Several smaller fjord branches extend from the main fjord. From north-west, going clockwise, these are: Ramsundet (which is actually a narrow strait connecting with the larger Tjeldsundet ), Bogen (a fairly wide bay), Herjangsfjord (the widest of these branches), Rombaken (which is crossed by the European route E6 highway using the Rombak Bridge ), Beisfjorden (crossed by

1575-563: The Swedish border has several places of accommodation. A signed mountain bike route is also available. Wreck diving attracts divers to Narvik, as there are a lot of wrecks in or near the harbour, and more spread out in the fjord. Fishing in the fjord or in lakes and streams is a popular leisure activity. There are salmon rivers in Skjomen, Beisfjord and Bjerkvik. Narvik municipality is a cross-roads of transportation in Northern Norway since

1638-580: The Viking world. From the Baltic to the North Atlantic, Viking trade routes were intricate and commonly travelled. In the Baltic, trade was possible all year, in the warm months by boat and in the winter by foot or sled. These trade routes allowed the Vikings to trade with an array of merchants from Europe to Asia . Due to the Vikings preferring to trade through rivers and seas, the knarr was a perfect candidate as it

1701-462: The arms have a red field (background) and the charge is an anchor . The anchor has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The anchor symbolises Narvik's status as an important port (the largest harbour in North Norway). The arms were designed by Hallvard Trætteberg . The municipality (originally the town of Narvik )

1764-520: The battleship HMS  Warspite , and during the Battles of Narvik , the British took control of the coast, destroying the German destroyers that had brought the invasion force to Narvik, as well as other German ships in the area. On 12 April 1940, the first convoys of Allied soldiers were sent under Major-General Pierse Joseph Mackesy to Narvik. The Admiralty urged Mackesy to conduct an assault on Narvik from

1827-772: The border with Sweden, is dominated by mountains, including the 1,893.7-metre (6,213 ft) tall Storsteinfjellet which is the highest point in the municipality. The mountain Stetinden is also a notable mountain for the region. There are also valleys such as the Vassdalen and many, many lakes, including the lakes Baugevatnet , Båvrojávrre , Børsvatnet , Gautelisvatnet , Geitvatnet , Hartvikvatnet , Hjertvatnet , Indre Sildvikvatnet , Iptojávri , Kjelvatnet , Langvatnet , Lossivatnet , Melkevatnet , Rødvatnet , Sealggajávri , Siiddašjávri , Søndre Bukkevatnet , Storvatnet , Tjårdavatnet , and Unna Guovdelisjávri . The town itself

1890-543: The development of the ice-free harbour of Narvik and the rapid transformation of the town over the past century. The building that houses Museum Nord - Narvik was erected in 1902 as the head office of the Norwegian state railway company, Norges statsbaner and was designed by architect, Paul Due . The Church of Norway has four parishes ( sokn ) within Narvik Municipality. It is part of the Ofoten prosti ( deanery ) in

1953-730: The early years of World War II and the town became a focal point of the Norwegian Campaign . In 1939, Germany's war industry depended upon iron ore mined in Kiruna and Malmberget in Sweden. During the summer season, this ore could be sent by cargo ship to Germany through the Baltic Sea via the Swedish port of Luleå on the Gulf of Bothnia . However, when the Gulf of Bothnia froze during the winter, more shipments of

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2016-485: The end of July, polar night from 5 December to 6 January (33 days). There is also a transitional period with twilight in the night, so it is not possible to see any stars at night from the last days of April until early August. The town of Narvik is a commercial centre for the whole municipality and some of the neighbouring municipalities. Narvik University College has approximately 1,200 students. There are some high-tech businesses in Narvik (among them Natech ) and

2079-450: The first discovery of a knarr, and earned it the name Skuldelev 1 . Excavation determined these boats were filled with rocks and sunk purposely to block the passageway from intruders, around the 11th century. Some scholars argue that the discovery of Skuldelev 1 does not mean each knarr matched its description. However, many historians agree that all knarrs were likely of similar size. It is estimated to have been about 16 meters long and with

2142-470: The first element comes from the old pagan god name Njǫrðr . Both options share the same last element, vík , which means " inlet ". Historically, the name was spelled Narduigh or Narvigen . The harbour in the town of Narvik was once called Victoriahavn after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, however Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria was also honoured. The Narvik area was settled in

2205-436: The fjord in the winter. These fish attract a lot of whales, most notably orca . Divers have occasionally observed lobsters in the fjord, the northernmost sightings of lobsters in the world. Cod , as well as coalfish , are the most common fish species throughout the year. Mackerel is common from July to mid-September. White-tailed eagles and Eurasian otters have made a strong comeback and are now very common in and around

2268-543: The fjord. Gulls are common all year, and many migratory birds arrive in summer, such as oystercatchers and grey herons . In the Battles of Narvik in World War II , the Ofotfjord was the scene for several naval battles, and many ships are resting at the bottom, especially in the vicinity of Narvik harbour. These are very popular among divers. However, some of these shipwrecks are declared war graves and are thus protected by law . The German destroyer Georg Thiele

2331-426: The harshest of ocean waves. Furthermore, the Vikings riveted overlapping planks to the hull, creating the clinker-hull which better suited it for rough waters. Thus, it was around 16 meters long (53 feet) and could carry up to 30 tons (60,000 lbs) of cargo. The final change was the implementation of the sail into Viking ship making. Due to adding sails to the knarr, it was an incredibly low maintenance ship, only needing

2394-451: The help of the knarr. In Skuldelev, Denmark in 1962, excavation began on ship wreckage that had been sitting in shallow water for centuries. Although it had been discovered years prior, the legend stated that it was the sunken ship of Queen Margaret I of Denmark, dating to the 15th century. However, the excavation proved that there were five Viking ships, none that were Queen Margarets. With a total of five sunken ships, this excavation became

2457-532: The largest research institute in Northern Norway, Norut Narvik . Narvik was one of the first areas in the world to be affected by the financial crisis of 2007–2008 . It lost the equivalent of US$ 36 million in August 2007 after it invested in Citigroup securities. As the Norwegian government refused to bail them out, Narvik was forced to implement severe budget cuts. Narvik has access to numerous outdoor activities. This

2520-409: The merger, the new Narvik Municipality had 19,780 residents. On 1 January 1999, a small area of Narvik Municipality (population: 9) was transferred to the neighboring Evenes Municipality . On 1 January 2020, Narvik Municipality was merged with the neighboring Ballangen Municipality and the eastern half of Tysfjord Municipality to form a new, larger Narvik Municipality. This occurred because in 2017

2583-421: The most common tree, but pine and aspen are also common. The bedrock around the fjord consist of both hard minerals like gneiss and granite as well as softer minerals rich in lime; there is a dolomite quarry in the municipality of Narvik Municipality ( photo ). The surrounding Ofoten district is named after the Ofotfjord ( Old Norse : Ófóti ). The meaning of the first element is unknown. One theory

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2646-491: The mouth of the Ofotfjorden. The Gihtsejiegŋa glacier is also located in Narvik. Forests cover the lower parts of the mountains (below 500 metres), but near the summits, the snow can stay most of the summer. Narvik has well prepared slopes for alpine skiing , some of which end almost in the town centre. Narvik features a boreal climate ( Köppen climate classification : Dfc ) with mild winters for this climate type, or

2709-489: The municipal government agreed to merge after the Parliament of Norway required Tysfjord Municipality to be split up. The coat of arms was adopted on 20 June 2019 for use starting on 1 January 2020 after a municipal merger. The blazon is " Azure , a mountain peak argent " . This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a mountain peak. The mountain peak has a tincture of argent which means it

2772-603: The municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position: Narvik Municipality is the 10th largest municipality in Norway and it covers large areas of rural land outside the town itself. Some of the other settlements in the municipality are Bjerkvik (located at the head of the Herjangsfjord ), Håkvik , Beisfjord (along the Beisfjorden ) and Skjomen . The eastern part, towards

2835-399: The next day. During this invasion, ten German destroyers , each carrying 200 mountain infantry soldiers, were sent to Narvik. The outdated Norwegian coastal defence ships HNoMS  Eidsvold and HNoMS  Norge attempted to resist the invasion, but both Norwegian warships were sunk after a short and uneven battle. The Royal Navy quickly dispatched several ships to Narvik, including

2898-492: The north; and Norrbotten County ( Lapland ) in Sweden to the south and east. The 3,432-square-kilometre (1,325 sq mi) municipality is the 10th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Narvik is the 61st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 21,580. The municipality's population density is 6.3 inhabitants per square kilometre (16/sq mi) and its population has increased by 15.4% over

2961-431: The ore needed to be transported through Narvik and, from there, down the west coast of Norway to Germany. The town of Narvik is linked by rail to Sweden, but not to any other towns in Norway. As a result, Narvik serves as a gateway to the ore fields of Sweden that cannot be easily reached from southern Norway via land. Winston Churchill realized that the control of Narvik meant stopping most German imports of iron ore during

3024-428: The previous 10-year period. The municipality of Narvik was established on 1 January 1902 when the village of Narvik received status as a proper town ( kjøpstad ) and was separated from the large Ankenes Municipality . Initially, the town-municipality of Narvik had 3,705 residents. On 1 January 1974, Ankenes Municipality was merged with the town-municipality of Narvik, forming a new, larger Narvik Municipality. After

3087-473: The proposed project called the " Northern East West Freight Corridor " portion of the Eurasian Land Bridge , there are plans for using Narvik as a port for goods from East Asia bound for eastern North America . The reason is that the railway and ocean distances using this route are shorter than through central Europe to Western European ports. Narvik is served by Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes which

3150-493: The sagas and maps to discover a Viking settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. This revolutionary discovery solidified that the Vikings had made it to North America, proving the sagas held a degree of truth. Today, this area is still being investigated and there have been even more great discoveries with the use of new fieldwork technology. The knarr played a vital role during the Viking settlement at Vinland because it

3213-412: The sea as soon as possible. However, Mackesy believed that the German harbour defences were too strong for such an invasion to take place. The Admiralty argued that a naval bombardment of Norway would enable the troops to land safely, but General Mackesy refused to subject Norwegian citizens to such a bombardment, and instead he chose to land his troops near Narvik and wait until the snow melted to take over

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3276-408: The strong winds typical for coastal areas, but the easterlies can be strong with especially strong wind gusts. The all-time high 32.5 °C (90.5 °F) was set 9 July 2014. July 2014 is warmest month on record with mean 18.7 °C (65.7 °F) and average daily high 24.7 °C (76.5 °F). The all-time low −22.3 °C (−8.1 °F) was recorded on 1 February 1980. Coldest month on record

3339-484: The three claws of an owl. The Ofotfjord is the longest fjord in Nordland county and the fourth longest in Northern Norway . Tjeldsund Municipality and Evenes Municipality are located on the northern shore and the large Narvik Municipality is located on the eastern and southern shores of the fjord. Lødingen Municipality (and beyond that all of Lofoten ) and the large Vestfjord are located west-south-west of

3402-527: The town in reality extend this period from early November until the end of January. The light is often intense in March and April, with long daylight hours and snow cover since the snow melts in lowland areas in April, but stays in the mountains for several months. The " midnight sun " is above the horizon from 25 May to 20 July (57 days), and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer, from approximately 10 May to

3465-728: The town. Coordinated by the Norwegian General Carl Gustav Fleischer , Norwegian, French, Polish, and British forces recaptured Narvik on 28 May 1940. This is also considered the first Allied infantry victory in World War II. However, by that time, the Allies were losing the Battle of France and the evacuation from Dunkirk was underway. Since the Nazi German invasion of France had made Scandinavia largely irrelevant, and since

3528-657: The valuable troops assigned to Narvik were badly needed elsewhere, the Allies withdrew from Narvik on 8 June 1940 in Operation Alphabet . The same day, while operating in the Narvik area , the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau sank the British aircraft carrier HMS  Glorious during the withdrawal from this battle. Without support from the Allied naval task force, the Norwegians were outnumbered, and they had to lay down their arms in Norway on 10 June 1940. This

3591-579: The winter of 1940. This would be advantageous to the Allies, and it might help shorten the war. Equally as important, later in the war, German submarines and warships based there threatened the allied supply line to the Soviet Union . Churchill proposed laying a naval minefield in Norwegian territorial waters around Narvik (referred to as "the Leads"), or else occupying the town with Allied troops. The Allies hoped that they might be able to use an occupied Narvik as

3654-461: Was no suitable Swedish port. The nearest Swedish port, Luleå , had limitations. It was covered with ice all winter, it is far from Kiruna, and it allows only medium-sized bulk freight vessels. Narvik offered a port which is ice-free thanks to the warm Gulf Stream , and is naturally large, allowing boats of virtually any size to anchor, up to 208 metres (682 ft) long and 27 metres (89 ft) deep. The Swedish company (Gällivarre Aktiebolag) built

3717-498: Was not a complete capitulation, since the Norwegians kept on fighting guerrilla operations inland. Possession of the Ofotfjord was also important to the German Kriegsmarine (navy) since it provided a refuge for warships like the "pocket battleship" Lützow and the battleship Tirpitz outside the range (at the time) of air attacks from Scotland . Also, possibly U-boats could be based at Narvik. Narvik Municipality

3780-462: Was one of the only ships that was able to transfer the cargo necessary to start a settlement. Thus, the knarr would have carried food, tools, livestock, and much more to this new world. Not only did it aid the settlements at Vinland but the knarr would also have carried cargo to other Norse settlements such as those at Greenland and Iceland. Outside of the realm of discovery and settlement, the knarr ships also would have taken part in trade routes across

3843-607: Was primarily used to transport trading goods like walrus ivory , wool, timber, wheat, furs and pelts, armour, slaves, honey, and weapons. It was also used to supply food, drink, weapons and armour to warriors and traders along their journeys across the Baltic, the Mediterranean and other seas. Knarrs routinely crossed the North Atlantic carrying livestock such as sheep and horses, and stores to Norse settlements in Iceland , Greenland and Vinland as well as trading goods to trading posts in

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3906-470: Was scuttled and is still visible from around the railway between Straumsnes and Rombak railway station. Knarr A knarr ( / n ɔː r / ) is a type of Norse merchant ship used by the Vikings for long sea voyages and during the Viking expansion . The knarr was a cargo ship; the hull was wider, deeper and shorter than a longship , and could take more cargo and be operated by smaller crews. It

3969-442: Was small enough to fit most rivers most waterways. The sagas tell much of Viking travel and trade throughout the North Atlantic which furthers the idea that the knarr was an essential part of Viking culture. Trade not only connected the Vikings to the world around them but also helped their interconnectedness as a culture. Among fur, food, weapons, and more, fish trade was essential in the development of North Atlantic trade routes, with

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