Porsgrunn () is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Porsgrunn. Some other notable settlements in Porsgrunn include the town of Brevik and the villages of Langangen and Heistad.
The municipality is the 316th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Porsgrunn Municipality is the 29th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of . The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 4.1% over the previous 10-year period. The conurbation of the cities of Porsgrunn and Skien is called Porsgrunn/Skien by Statistics Norway and it is considered to be the seventh-largest urban area in Norway.
General information
Administrative history The formannskapsdistrikt law of 1837 created a system of local government in Norway by establishing each town (ladested or kjøpstad) and each Church of Norway prestegjeld as a civil municipality. On 1 January 1838, the kjøpstad of Porsgrund was established as Porsgrund Municipality (later spelled Porsgrunn).
The small urban Porsgrunn Municipality grew over time and needed more land. On 1 July 1920, the growing municipality annexed the following rural areas surrounding it:
a small area from Gjerpen Municipality (population: 437) a small area from Eidanger Municipality (population: 550) a small area from Solum Municipality (population: )
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the following areas were merged to form an enlarged Porsgrunn Municipality:
all of Porsgrunn Municipality (population: ) all of Brevik Municipality (population: ) all of Eidanger Municipality (population: ) the Bakke area of Hedrum Municipality in Vestfold county (population: ) the Enigheten, Høyberg, and Skavåsen areas of Brunlanes Municipality in Vestfold county (population: )
On 1 January 1968, an area of Skien Municipality (population: ) was transferred to the neighboring Porsgrunn Municipality (these areas had originally been part of Solum Municipality and Gjerpen Municipality).
In 2020, there were many municipal and county mergers across Norway due to the work of the Solberg cabinet. Historically, this municipality was part of Telemark county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Vestfold og Telemark county (after Telemark and Vestfold counties were merged). The merger was shortlived, and on 1 January 2024, the merger was undone and this municipality became part of Telemark county once again.
Name The place is first mentioned in existing historical records in 1576 ("Porsgrund") by the writer Peder Claussøn Friis in his work Concerning the Kingdom of Norway (see the article: Norwegian literature). He writes: "Two and a half miles from the sea, the Skien River flows into the fjord, and that place is called Porsgrund." The name was probably given during medieval times to the then swampy area by the nuns of Gimsøy Abbey, who went here to collect the shrub pors ("Bog Myrtle"). The last element of the name which means "ground".
The name was historically spelled Porsgrund. On 1 January 1930, the spelling of the name of the municipality was changed to Porsgrunn, giving it a more "Norwegianized" spelling.
Coat of arms The coat of arms was originally granted on 16 January 1905 for the town of Porsgrunn. The arms were originally devised in 1905 when the city needed a new city hall. After the municipal merger on 1 January 1964, the old arms were re-adopted by the new, larger Porsgrunn Municipality. The blazon is "Gules and azure, a bend between a bog myrtle branch and an anchor argent" (). This means the arms have a red (above) and blue (below) field (background) and the charge is a diagonal bend (stripe) with an anchor below it and the branch of a bog myrtle plant above it. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The silver bend (stripe) symbolizes the small river running through the city. The bog myrtle plant is a canting symbol since the name Porsgrunn comes from the Norwegian word for the plant. The anchor on a blue background symbolizes the importance of the local harbor and sea. The arms were designed by Wilhelm Rudolph.
Churches
The Church of Norway has two parishes () within Porsgrunn Municipality. It is part of the Skien prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.
Churches in Porsgrunn MunicipalityParish ()Church nameLocation of the churchYear builtEidangerBrevik ChurchBrevik1963Eidanger ChurchEidangerHerøya ChurchPorsgrunn1957Langangen ChurchLangangen1891Stridsklev ChurchPorsgrunn2000PorsgrunnVestre Porsgrunn ChurchPorsgrunn1758Østre Porsgrunn ChurchPorsgrunn2019
History
Porsgrunn has been an important harbor town in the Grenland area since the late 16th century. In 1653, the Customs House was moved further down the Skien river from Skien to Porsgrunn mainly because industrial waste such as sawdust and mud made the river too shallow to allow boats to go any further up the river. Moving the Custom House to Porsgrunn added to the flourishing harbor activity and Porsgrunn became a thriving market town with a ladested status.
In the 18th century, Porsgrunn was the home of some of Norway's most influential families at the time, such as the Aalls, Cappelens, Løvenskiolds, and Deichmans. Also in this period, Porsgrunn was considered the cultural centre of Norway. The city was granted limited city status as a kjøpstad in 1807. The town was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838, and it was expanded to full city status in 1842.
Porsgrunn was once home to Skomvær, the country's largest sailing ship. In 1985, the sculpture Amphitrite, the wave and the sea birds was unveiled in Porsgrunn. The sculpture, which is one of Jørleif Uthaug's best known works, has a nautical theme in honor of Porsgrunn's maritime history.
Geography
The highest point in the municipality is the tall mountain Fjerdingen. The Frierfjorden, Gunnekleivfjorden, and the mouth of the river Telemarksvassdraget or Porsgrunn River (Porsgrunnselva) are located in the western part of the municipality. The peninsula of Herøya, southeast of the main city centre, was originally an industrial park and has grown into a suburb of Porsgrunn. The Eidangerfjorden runs through the central part of the municipality.
Skien Municipality is located to the northwest, Siljan Municipality is located to the northeast, Larvik Municipality (in Vestfold county) is located to the east, the Skagerrak is located to the south, and Bamble Municipality is located to the west. It is part of a cluster of municipalities in southern Telemark county that constitute the Grenland area.
Government Porsgrunn Municipality 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 is under the jurisdiction of the Nedre Telemark District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.
Municipal council The municipal council of Porsgrunn Municipality is made up of 49 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
Mayors The mayor () of Porsgrunn Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:
1838–1838: Jørgen Flood 1839–1840: Jens Gasmann 1841–1841: Jørgen Flood 1842–1842: Ole Hersted Schjøtt 1843–1844: Peter Bøyesen 1845–1845: Paulus Flood 1846–1846: Peter Bøyesen 1847–1849: E.R. Pedersen 1850–1853: Thorvald Olsen 1854–1854: Thobias Petter Wiibe 1855–1855: Simon Karenius Høegh 1856–1856: Thobias Petter Wiibe 1857–1857: Jørgen Aall Flood 1858–1859: Thobias Petter Wiibe 1860–1860: Jørgen Aall Flood 1861–1862: Niels Mathiesen 1863–1864: Hans Møller 1865–1865: Niels Mathiesen 1866–1866: Hans Møller 1867–1867: Niels Mathiesen 1868–1869: Hans Møller 1870–1870: Niels Mathiesen 1871–1871: Hans Møller 1872–1872: Niels Mathiesen 1873–1873: Hans Møller 1874–1874: Niels Mathiesen 1875–1875: Hans Møller 1876–1876: Niels Mathiesen 1877–1877: Hans Møller 1878–1878: Niels Mathiesen 1879–1879: Hans Møller 1880–1880: Niels Mathiesen 1881–1883: Hans Møller 1884–1884: Niels Mathiesen 1885–1890: Hans Møller 1891–1892: Alfred P. Wright 1893–1893: Jørgen C. Knudsen 1894–1899: Alfred P. Wright 1900–1907: Herman Jeremiassen 1908–1910: Alfred P. Wright 1910–1919: Kristian H. Dyring 1920–1922: Dr. Anders Nielsen 1923–1925: Kristian H. Dyring 1926–1930: Lars Andersen (Ap) 1931–1931: Arvid Frisak (Ap) 1931–1936: Carl P. Wright (H) 1937–1940: J.P. Johansen (Ap) 1941–1943: Nils Halvorsen (NS) 1943–1944: R.O. Helgesen (NS) 1944–1945: Josef Bystrøm (NS) 1945–1945: Jonas Bjaaland (Ap) 1945–1947: J.P. Johansen (Ap) 1947–1951: Bjørn Jensen (KrF) 1951–1955: Anders Haug (Ap) 1955–1959: Emil Bolstad (Ap) 1959–1962: Sverre Knutsen (KrF) 1962–1964: Anders Haug (Ap) 1964–1984: Harald Moen (Ap) 1984–1988: Kristen Waaland (Ap) 1988–1991: Ivar Moen (Ap) 1991–2003: Elisabeth A. Nilsen (Ap) 2003–2015: Øystein Kåre Beyer (Ap) 2015–2023: Robin Martin Kåss (Ap) 2023–present: Janicke Andreassen (Ap)
Industry Porsgrunn Municipality is an important center of industry and has a long history of heavy industry. Important industries in the municipality include:
Norsk Hydro (magnesium) Elkem (silicon) Yara International (nitrogen fertilizers) Porsgrund Porcelænsfabrik (porcelain) Renewable Energy Corporation (solar power products) Isola (building materials, roofing) Norcem Eramet
Transportation Transportation links from Porsgrunn: Bus (Oslo, Kristiansand, Notodden) Train (stops at Porsgrunn Station) The Vestfold Line to Drammen Station and onwards to Oslo Central Station The Bratsberg Line to Skien Station and Notodden Station Ferry (Fjordbåtene i Brevik)
Notable people
Public service and public thinking Cort Adeler (1622–1675), a Norwegian/Danish admiral Niels Aall (1769–1854), an estate owner, businessman and politician who built Ulefos Manor Severin Løvenskiold (1777–1856), a nobleman, politician, and Prime Minister of Norway 1828/1841 Thobias Petter Wiibe (1815–1891), a politician and Mayor of Porsgrund in the 1850s Niels Mathiesen (1829–1900), a politician, merchant, and Mayor of Porsgrund during the 1860s to 1880s Jørgen Christian Knudsen (1843–1922), a ship-owner and politician Johan Castberg (1862–1926), a politician and government minister during the 1900s & 1910s Carl P. Wright (1893–1961), a politician who was Mayor of Porsgrunn during the 1930s Erik Hesselberg (1914–1972), a sailor, author, painter, sculptor, and Kon-Tiki crewmember Einar Tufte-Johnsen (1915–1985), an aviation officer and head of NATO Defense College Finn Kristensen (born 1936), an electrician, trade unionist, and government minister during the 1980s & 1990s Ann-Marit Sæbønes (born 1945), a physiotherapist and first female Mayor of Oslo during 1992-1995 Mads Gilbert (born 1947), a physician, humanitarian, activist, and politician Kristin Halvorsen (born 1960), the former leader of Socialist Left Party and a government minister Vibeke Hein Bæra (born 1964), a lawyer, defended Anders Behring Breivik at his trial Robin Kåss (born 1977), a politician who was elected Mayor of Porsgrunn in 2015 & 2019 Torbjørn Røe Isaksen (born 1978), the former leader of Norwegian Young Conservatives and the Minister of Education and Research brothers Kjetil Aleksander Lie (born 1980) & Espen Lie (born 1984), chess players