is a
municipality in the
county of
Akershus,
Norway.
Bærum was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt).
Bærum is located on the coast, west of
Oslo.
Sandvika is the administrative centre of Bærum.
History
The area known today as Bærum was a fertile agricultural area as far back as the
Bronze Age, and several archeological finds stem from the
Iron Age. The first mention of the name is from the
saga of
Sverre of Norway, from about
1200. There are ruins of stone churches from the
1100s at
Haslum and
Tanum.
View of most of Bærum from Holmenkollen in Oslo
The pilgrim road to
Trondheim that was established after
1030 went through Bærum, and there is evidence that
lime kilns were in use in the area in
850. There were shipping ports for the
quicklime at
Slependen and
Sandvika. The lime kiln is the main motif for the municipality's coat of arms.
In the
1600s, iron ore was discovered in Bærum and the iron works at
Bærums Verk were founded. Industries such as
paper mills,
nail factories,
sawmills,
glassworks, and
brick works were established along the rivers
Lysakerelven and
Sandvikselven in the following centuries. There were orchards and other agricultural concerns throughout the area, remnants of which still exist today.
A number of artists established themselves in Bærum, particularly around the art school run by
Johan Fredrik Eckersberg. Among the artists who did much of their work in Bærum are
Fritz Thaulow,
Christian Skredsvig,
Harriet Backer,
Kitty Kielland,
Otto Sinding,
Eilif Pettersen,
Gerhardt Munthe, and
Erik Werenskiold.
Starting in the mid-20th century, Bærum's agricultural base gradually gave way to residential construction. Still, only a third of the area (64 km²) is built up for residential use; over half is productive forestry, and nearly 17 km² is still agricultural.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1976). It shows an old
lime kiln. (The export of lime used to be important for the economy of the municipality.)
The name
The name (
Norse ''Bergheimr'') is composed of ''berg'' n "mountain" and ''heimr'' m "homestead, farm". It has probably originally belonged to a farm lying beneath the prominent mountain
Kolsås. In Norse times the municipality was often called ''Bergheimsherað'' 'the ''herað'' ("parish, district") of ''Bergheimr''.'
Geography
The physical geography of Bærum is dominated by a craggy coastline along the
Oslofjord and inland, hilly areas rising to the north and east, where there are large forested areas. The mountain of
Kolsås forms a natural center, but the municipality also includes the secluded valley of
Lommedalen. Four major rivers flow through the municipality: Lysakerelven, Sandvikselven,
Lomma (River), and Øverlandselven, and there are numerous lakes, both in residential and forested areas.
The
geology of Bærum also offers some of the best examples of the distinct diversity of the Oslo region's rocks, formations, and fossil finds.
Bærum's forested surroundings offer great opportunities for outdoor activities, such as skiing, hiking and fishing. "Bæringer" are generally eager to use "
Marka" - a popular name for the forest belt which starts at Vestmarka, continues through Kroksskogen, Bærumsmarka, Nordmarka and Lillomarka and ends up at Østmarka. Lillomarka, Østmarka and parts of Nordmarka belongs to
Oslo but are included in what most people recognize as Marka. Marka is an area where cars and motorized vehicles are not allowed. The gravel roads through Marka is closed with gates, but there are large car parking areas outside the gates. These car parks are often very full during the weekends.
Politically, Bærum is divided into 22 sections. The population in each section per January 1, 2005:
Economy
Bærum's industrial base has in the last 50 years given way to service industries, including retailing, engineering, public services, etc. It derives much of its tax base by being a
bedroom community to Oslo. It is one of the most affluent areas in Norway.
Two of Norway's busiest highways (
E18 and
E16) and one railroad traverse the municipality. There has been considerable development of office parks along E18, especially around Lysaker in the last 20-30 years, reducing some of the pressure on downtown areas of Oslo.
Bærum is also known for being a rather
posh area.
Demographics
Bærum is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Norway. Along the
E18 highway, the residential area is
continuous with Oslo and continues with some interruption through to the neighboring municipality of
Asker.
Bærum is also the most affluent of Norwegian municipalities, with average per capita income (2002 figures) of NOK 370,800, compared to the national average of NOK 262,800, and also with the highest level of education nation-wide. Residents - so-called "bæringer" - are often stereotyped as snobs, though the population is actually quite diverse.
Famous residents
★
Eilif Peterssen (
1852-
1928), painter
★
Herman Bang (
1857-
1912), Danish writer
★
Claude Monet (
1840-
1926), painter, stayed in Sandvika for two months in the winter of
1895. His most famous painting from his stay is probably one of Sandvika featuring the Løkke bridge, with Kolsås in the background.
★
Finn Alnæs (1932–1991), writer
★
Harriet Backer, painter
★
Jo Benkow (1924), politician
★
Gro Harlem Brundtland (1939), politician and former prime minister
★
Hans Petter Buraas (1975), Alpine skier
★
Jan Tore Sanner (1965), politician
★
Ivo Caprino (1920–2001), filmmaker
★
Harald Eia (1966), comedian
★
Kjell Hallbing (1934–2004), writer
★
Arnold Haukeland, sculptor
★
Kitty Kielland (1845-1932), painter
★
Vebjørn Sand (1966), artist
★
Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930), zoologist, polar explorer, humanist
★
Anita Skorgan (1958), singer
★
Magnus Carlsen (1990), chess player
★
Bjørn Einar Romøren (1981), ski jumper
★
Steinar M. Johnsen (1951), footballer and basketball player. Famous for introducing the hook shot in basketball to Norway
External links
★
Municipality of Bærum official web site
★
Weather forecast and map for Bærum
★
Budstikka (local newspaper for Asker and Bærum)
★
Page featuring Monet's paintings from Norway
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