Hammerfest

Located at Template:Coor d, it claims to be the northernmost town in the world, although the title is disputed by Honningsvåg, Norway, Barrow, Alaska and Longyearbyen. The validity of the claim depends upon one's definition of a town; Hammerfest is the northernmost settlement of more than 5,000 inhabitants in the world. It is also the oldest town in northern Norway. In spite of the extreme northern location, there are no permafrost, as the mean annual temperature is approximately 2°C [1], about the same as Anchorage which is located at a latitude of 61° North.

Hammerfest is situated on Kvaløya (island), with road connection to the mainland using the Kvalsund Bridge. Image:Hammerfest Juni 2005.jpg

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Economy and Tourism

The construction of the large LNG site on Melkøya (island) just off Hammerfest, which will process natural gas from Snøhvit, is the most costly construction project ever in Northern Norway. This project has resulted in an economic boom and new optimism in Hammerfest in recent years, a stark contrast to the economic downhill most other municipalities in Finnmark are experiencing (Alta is another exception).

Hammerfest offers sport and commercial fishing, both sea and freshwater, as well as scuba diving. The northernmost glacier on the Norwegian mainland is a popular hiking destination. The town is a popular starting point for northern tours. There is a daily boat to the spectacular North Cape (Nordkapp), northernmost point on the continent of Europe.

Hammerfest is also a center of Sami culture.

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History

Image:Korovin hammerfest.JPG Many gravesites dating back to the Stone Age can be found here. This location was an important fishing and Arctic hunting settlement for a long time before it was recognized as a town in 1789.

During the Napoleonic Wars Denmark-Norway was attacked by the UK and forced into the conflict on the side of Napoleon and France. As one of the main centers of commerce and communications in western Finnmark Hammerfest became a natural target of the Royal Navy's blockading warships. Thus, the town received four six-pound cannon from the central armoury in Trondheim and a 50-men strong coastal defence militia was formed to defend Hammerfest.

On 22 July 1809 the expected British attack came when the brigs Snake and Fancy approached the town. The following battle between Hammerfest's two two-cannon batteries and the British warships with a total of 32 cannon was surprisingly intense and did not end before the Norwegian cannons had run out of gun powder after about 90 minutes of combat. Both attacking warships had suffered a number of cannonball hits and had at least one fatal casualty, a sailor who was buried at the local cemetery. During the battle the local populace had been able to make good their escape with most of the town's goods, but the raiding warships still stayed in the good port of Hammerfest for eight days. During their stay the Royal Navy sailors looted all they could get their hands on, including the church donation box and some of the church's silver.

After the raid Hammerfest became a garrison town with some regular troops and much improved and expanded fortifications. A small flotilla of cannon-armed rowing boats also operated out of Hammerfest for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars.

It was struck by a fire in 1890 which started in the bakery and wiped out almost half the town's houses. After the fire Hammerfest received donations and humanitarian assistance from across the world; the biggest single donor being Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The Kaiser had personally visited the town several times on his yacht and had great affection for the small northern settlement.

In 1891 Hammerfest was the first town in Europe to get electrical street lights.

Hammerfest was forcibly evacuated by occupying German troops in World War II and then burned to the ground by them when they retreated. The Museum of Reconstruction in Hammerfest tells the story of these events and the recovery of the town. Hammerfest is also home to the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society (Isbjørnklubben), and a museum displaying the history of Arctic hunting.

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External links

Municipalities of Finnmark	Image:Finnmark vapen.png
Alta \| Berlevåg \| Båtsfjord \| Gamvik \| Hammerfest \| Hasvik \| Karasjok \| Kautokeino \| Kvalsund \| Lebesby \| Loppa \| Måsøy \| Nesseby \| Nordkapp \| Porsanger \| Sør-Varanger \| Tana \| Vadsø \| Vardø