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'Gjøvik' is a town and municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway.
Gjøvik was separated from Vardal as a town and municipality of its own in 1861. The rural municipalities of Biri, Snertingdal and Vardal were merged with Gjøvik January 1, 1964.

Contents

The name

Coat-of-arms

Geography

Economy

What to See in Gjøvik

Famous residents

Sister cities of Gjøvik

References

External links

The name

The town is named after the farm Gjøvik (Old Norse ''Djúpvík''), since the town is built on its ground. The first element is ''djúpr'' 'deep', the last element is ''vík'' f 'inlet'.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from 1960. It shows a white swan (Cygnus cygnus). (The boat Skibladner, also called 'the white swan of Mjøsa', regularly visits the town in summertime.) The former coat-of-arms was a tree, with the statement "Vis et voluntas" (Force and will) on the lower part of the shield. The runner up to the somewhat irrational choice of a swan was a socalled "poutpourri" vase, the most significant design of the glassworks that was the funding industry of the town.
(See also the coat-of-arms of Eide and Høylandet.)

Geography

Gjøvik is one of the three towns bordering on Lake Mjøsa, Norway's biggest lake, along with Hamar and Lillehammer. The town administration of Gjøvik also covers the rural districts of Biri, Snertingdal, and Vardal. The municipality population is about 27,000. About 16,000 people live in the urban area proper.
Gjøvik is bordered on the north by Lillehammer municipality, in the south by Østre Toten and Vestre Toten, and in the west by Søndre Land and Nordre Land. Across Lake Mjøsa to the east lies Ringsaker municipality in Hedmark county.
The highest point is Ringsrudåsen with a height of 842 meters.

Economy

Gjøvik owes much of its early growth to a glassworks, which was established there in 1807. In the early 19th century there was considerable immigration there from Valdres and Vestlandet, aiding Gjøvik’s growth. It was granted a town charter in 1864. Later, Mustad became one of the world's largest manufacturers of fishing hooks .
Today, it is the center of regional trade, industry, agriculture, services and education. Gjøvik University College specializes in engineering and medical services.
Gjøvik is the northern terminus for the Gjøvikbanen railway line.
The local paper is the ''Oppland Arbeiderblad''.

What to See in Gjøvik

★ The world’s largest arena excavated in rock can be found in Gjøvik. The Gjøvik Olympic Hall( ''Fjellhallen'' in Norwegian), was the site of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics ice hockey games in 1994.

★ Gjøvik farm

★ Gjøvik glassworks

★ Eiktunet cultural-history museum

★ The world's oldest paddle steamer still on a regular schedule SS/Skibladner

★ For more information see the tourist information internet pages;[1]

Famous residents

★ Paul Olaf Bodding (1865-1938), missionary

★ Kjell Ola Dahl (1958 - ), author

★ Vazelina Bilopphøggers, comedic [rockabilly] band

Sister cities of Gjøvik

Stoughton, Wisconsin, USA
Næstvedt, Denmark
Gävle, Sweden
Inparuddy, Sri Lanka
Rauma, Finland

References

★ ''East Norway and its Frontier'' by Frank Noel Stagg, George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. 1956

External links

★ Touristinformation Gjøvik

★ Gjøvik University College

★ Gstud – The student society in Gjøvik

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★ GSR: Gjøvik StudentRadio – Online radio run on a voluntary basis by students in Gjøvik student society