Hirtshals

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Image:Lighthouse, Hirtshals, Denmark.jpeg Image:H1 ubt.jpeg

Hirtshals is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in North Jutland County on the north coast of the island of Vendsyssel-Thy at the top of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 196 km², and has a total population of 14,088 (2005). Its mayor is Knud Størup.

The main town and the site of its municipal council is the town of Hirtshals.

Neighboring municipalities are Skagen to the east and northeast, and Hjørring and Sindal to the south. To the west is Jammer Bay (Jammerbugten), and to the north is Tannis Bay (Tannis Bugt). Beyond these waters is the Skagerrak.

By January 1, 2007 Hirtshals municipality will cease to exist due to Kommunalreformen ("The Municipality Reform" of 2007). It will be merged with existing Hjørring, Løkken-Vrå , and Sindal municipalities to form an enlarged Hjørring municipality. This will create a municipality with an area of 92 km² and a total population of ca. 67,816. The new municipality will belong to the new Region Nordjylland ("North Jutland Region"). After the reform Hjørring will be the largest municipality on Vendsyssel.

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The town of Hirtshals

The town of Hirtshals has a population of 6.665 (2004). Located on the North Sea, it is especially known for its fishing and ferry harbours.

It is the home of the North Sea Museum, one of Denmark's largest tourist attractions. The museum has one of the largest aquariums in Europe. It was built in 1984 and was expanded in 1998 with an oceanarium, an aquarium with 4,5 million liter water. The museum has in its collection 70 different species. A fire in December 2003 destroyed the new expansion. The Oceanarium was reopened in July 22, 2005.

The town's 35 meter high lighthouse, Hirtshals fyr is a local landmark. Building was begun June 28, 1860, and it was first lit on January 1, 1863. It is constructed of red brick, and covered with Dutch tile.

Fishing plays a big role for the town, as does tourism and the renting of summer homes.

Hirtshals is Danish hometown for the Norwegian ferry company, Color Line. Each year thousands of Norwegian and German tourists travel back and forth from Hirtshals to Norwegian cities Oslo, Kristiansand and Larvik. The shops in Hirtshals thrive on the excessive number of Norwegian visitors, who shop regularly in the small town all year long.

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