Editing Holmestrand

{{short description|Town in Holmestrand, Norway}}
{{about|the town in Vestfold, Norway|the municipality in Vestfold, Norway|Holmestrand Municipality|other uses|Holmestrand (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Holmestrand
|other_name             = 
|native_name            = 
|nickname               = Byen under fjellet ("The town beneath the hills")
|settlement_type        = [[List of towns and cities in Norway|Town/City]]<ref name="town">In the Norwegian language, the word ''by'' can be translated as "town" or "city".</ref>
|image_skyline          = Holmestrand 2018.png
|image_caption          = View of the town harbour
|pushpin_map            = Vestfold#Norway
|pushpin_label_position = top
|pushpin_label          = 
|pushpin_mapsize        = 
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location of the town
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = [[Norway]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[List of regions of Norway|Region]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Eastern Norway]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Counties of Norway|County]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Vestfold]]
|subdivision_type3      = [[Districts of Norway|District]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Jarlsberg]]
|subdivision_type4      = [[List of municipalities of Norway|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name4      = [[Holmestrand Municipality]]
|timezone1              = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset1            = +01:00
|timezone1_DST          = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset1_DST        = +02:00
|established_title      = Established as
|established_date       = &nbsp;
|established_title1     = [[Ladested]]
|established_date1      = 1744
|established_title2     = [[Kjøpstad]]
|established_date2      = 1752
|area_footnotes         = <ref name="ssb" />
|area_total_km2         = 4.52
|population_as_of       = 2024
|population_footnotes   = <ref name="ssb" />
|population_total       = 8258
|population_density_km2 = 1826
|population_demonym     = Holmestranding
|postal_code_type       = Post Code
|postal_code            = 3080 Holmestrand
|coordinates            = {{coord|59.48761|10.31758|region:NO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m            = 3
|elevation_footnotes    = <ref>{{cite web|title=Holmestrand by|url=https://www.yr.no/nb/v%C3%A6rvarsel/daglig-tabell/1-45651/Norway/Vestfold/Holmestrand/Holmestrand |publisher=[[yr.no]]|accessdate=2024-03-24}}</ref>}}

{{Audio|Holmestrand.ogg|'''Holmestrand'''}} is a [[List of towns and cities in Norway|town]]<ref name="town" /> in [[Holmestrand Municipality]] in [[Vestfold]] county, [[Norway]]. The town is the [[administrative centre]] of the municipality. It is located along the shore of the [[Ytre Oslofjord]], about {{convert|13|km}} northwest of the [[Horten (town)|town of Horten]] and about {{convert|12|km}} south of the village of [[Sande i Vestfold]]. The large [[Drammen (town)|town of Drammen]] lies about {{convert|30|km}} to the north.<ref name="snlt">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://snl.no/Holmestrand_-_tettsted|title=Holmestrand (tettsted) |editor-first=Lars|editor-last=Mæhlum|accessdate=2024-03-24|date=2023-12-20|encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]]|publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |language=Norwegian}}</ref>

The {{convert|4.52|km2|acre|adj=on}} town has a population (2024) of 8,258 and a [[population density]] of {{convert|1826|PD/km2}}.<ref name="ssb">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |authorlink=Statistics Norway |date=2023-01-01 |title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/statistikker/beftett/aar}}</ref><ref name="snlt" />

== History ==
[[File:Jarlsberg og Larviks amt nr 50- Kart over Holmestrand, 1903.jpg|thumb|left|Map of the town in 1903]]
Located around the [[Oslofjord]], Holmestrand developed as a timber/[[lumber]] port starting around 1550, when the [[Dutch people|Dutch]] came here for timber. In 1663, the place became a customs office under the nearby city of [[Tønsberg]]. In 1716, the northern part of Holmestrand was reduced to ashes after a large fire spread through the area. In 1744, King [[Christian VI of Denmark|Christian VI]] designated it a [[ladested]]. In 1752, the new King [[Frederick V of Denmark|Frederik V]] granted it [[kjøpstad]] (town) status. In the era of [[sailing ship]]s, the town had a period of prosperity, but when the transition to steamships it was left in a backwater as a shipping town. In the 19th century, the town was known for its medical [[spa]]s. In 1838, the new [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law gave the small town self-governing municipality status. The [[Vestfoldbanen]] Railway, which was opened in 1881, led to a lot of new business. In 1884, the entire southern part of the town burned down after another fire. In 1902, after the opening of the [[Holmestrand–Vittingfoss Line|Holmestrand–Vittingfoss]] railway, Holmestrand became the shipping port for [[wood pulp]] from [[Hvittingfoss]] in what is now [[Kongsberg Municipality]]. The track was closed in 1938.<ref name="snl" />

A factory for [[aluminum processing]] was built just south of the city in 1917. In 1967, the company became part of [[Årdal og Sunndal Verk]] (ÅSV), which was later acquired by [[Norsk Hydro]] in 1986. The factory made aluminum products, including under the well-known ''Høyang'' brand, using [[Aluminium|aluminum]] from [[Høyanger]]. The [[Holmestrand Aluminium Museum]] is now located in the city, celebrating the history of this industry in Holmestrand.

=== Name ===
The municipality (originally the town) is named ''Holmestrand'' ({{langx|non|Holmastrand}}). The first element is the [[genitive case]] of the word {{wikt-lang|non|holmi}} which means "rocky islet". The last element is {{wikt-lang|no|strand}} which means "[[shore]]" or "[[beach]]". This is likely referring to three small islets that were located just offshore where the town is now located. The islets are no longer visible due to infilled [[land reclamation]] efforts.<ref name="snl">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Holmestrand |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/Holmestrand |date=2024-02-21 |editor1-last=Thorsnæs |editor1-first=Geir |editor2-last=Lundbo |editor2-first=Sten |language=no |accessdate=2024-03-24}}</ref>

== Transportation ==
The [[European route E18]] highway is the main north-south road through [[Vestfold]] county. It runs just to the west of the town of Holmestrand and secondary roads connect the city centre to this highway. The [[Vestfold Line|Vestfoldbanen]] [[Rail transport|railway]] line runs through the centre of Holmestrand, and the city is served by the [[Holmestrand Station]].<ref name="snl" />

== Notable people ==
{{See also|Holmestrand Municipality#Notable people}}

== See also ==
*[[List of towns and cities in Norway]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Vestfold}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Holmestrand]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places in Vestfold]]
[[Category:1740s establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1744]]