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Lillehammer kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms Oppland within Norway
Lillehammer within Oppland
Coordinates (city): 61°7′48″N 10°25′57″E / 61.13°N 10.4325°E / 61.13; 10.4325Coordinates: 61°7′48″N 10°25′57″E / 61.13°N 10.4325°E / 61.13; 10.4325
Country	Norway
County	Oppland
District	Gudbrandsdal
Municipality ID	NO-0501
Administrative centre	Lillehammer
Government
- Mayor (2005)	Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap)
Area (Nr. 211 in Norway)
- Total	477 km2 (184.2 sq mi)
- Land	450 km2 (173.7 sq mi)
Population (2009)
- Total	26,124
- Density	56/km2 (145/sq mi)
- Change (10 years)	5.0 %
- Rank in Norway	33
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form	Bokmål
Norwegian demonym	Lillehamring[1]
Website	www.lillehammer.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

Lillehammer (help·info) is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer.

The city centre is a late 19th century concentration of wooden houses, which enjoys a picturesque location overlooking the northern part of lake Mjøsa and the river Lågen, surrounded by mountains.

Name

The municipality is named after the old Hamar farm (Old Norse: Hamarr), since the first church was built there. The word hamar means a "steep rock". In order to distinguish it from the nearby town and the bishopric of Hamar, it was often called Lilþlæ Hamar or Litlihamarr meaning "the small Hamar". It is also mentioned in the Old Norse sagas as Litlikaupangr meaning "the small trading place".^[2][3]

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms was granted in 1898. The arms show a birkebeiner, carrying a spear and a shield, who is skiing down a mountainside. It symbolizes the historical importance of when the Birkebeiners carried the to-be-King Haakon from Lillehammer to Rena on skis.^[4]

History

The area has been settled since the Norwegian Iron Age. It is also mentioned as a site for council in 1390. It had a lively market by the 1800s, and obtained rights as a merchant city on 7 August 1827, at which point there were 50 registered residents within its boundaries.

The town of Lillehammer was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipality of Fåberg was merged into the municipality of Lillehammer on 1 January 1964.

Olympic ski jump

Lillehammer was the site of the Lillehammer affair in 1973 where operatives of the Israeli Mossad shot and killed a Moroccan waiter they mistakenly thought was involved in the Munich Massacre.

Lillehammer was host city of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. It is known for being a typical venue for winter sporting events. It bid for the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics, but was passed over.

In 2005, the popular British automotive show Top Gear aired its "Winter Olympics" special, an episode of various Olympic event-themed challenges involving cars, set in the surrounding area of Lillehammer.

Education

A number of schools are located in Lillehammer including the Hammartun Lower Secondary School Lillehammer High School, Mesna High School, Vargstad High School are the three high schools in Lillehammer.

Geography

Vista of Lillehammer from the west

Lillehammer is located to the south of the municipality of Øyer, to the southeast of Gausdal, northeast of Nordre Land, and to the north of Gjøvik, all in Oppland county. To the southeast, it is bordered by Ringsaker municipality in Hedmark county. Lillehammer has a relatively dry inland climate. To the northwest is the mountain Spåtind.

Climate

Economy

The basis for the city's commerce is its position as the northernmost point of the lake Mjøsa and as the gateway for the Gudbrandsdal region, through which the historical highway to Trondheim passes. The Mesna river has provided the basis for several small industries through the years, but Lillehammer is now all but industry-less.

Transport

One of the major Norwegian rail lines, the Dovrebanen, runs from Hamar to the north through Lillehammer on its way up the Gudbrandsdal, to terminate in Trondheim.

European route E6 passes through Lillehammer.

Attractions

Lillehammer Church

In addition to the Olympic site, Lillehammer offers a number of other tourist attractions:

• Maihaugen, centrally located in Lillehammer, is the largest open air museum in Norway, with 185 buildings, mostly from Lillehammer town and the valley of Gudbrandsdalen.

• Garmo stave church (built around 1150)

• The art museum, "Flygelet".

• The PS Skibladner is the world's oldest paddle steamer in scheduled service, launched in 1856. Summer sailings around lake Mjøsa: Lillehammer, Moelv, Gjøvik, Hamar, and Eidsvoll.

• The ski jump at Lysgårdsbakkene.

• Sjusjøen is a skiing destination with forest and mountain terrain only 20 km away (east) from the centre of Lillehammer in the municipality of Ringsaker.

• The Sambandets Utdanning og Kompetansesenter is an army unit located in the camp Jørstadmoen 3–4 km northwest of Lillehammer.

• The rock carvings at Drotten, Fåberg, west of Lågen about 1.5 km above Brunlaug bridge.

• Nansen Academy - the Norwegian Humanistic Academy - The Nansen Academy is an educational institution for adult students with different political, religious and cultural backgrounds. The Academy is founded on the inheritance of humanism and aims at strengthening the knowledge about this inheritance.

Sport

Sportclubs in Lillehammer

• Lillehammer Icehockey Club (The team competes in Norway's major hockey league, the GET-League.)
• Lillehammer Orienteeringclub
• Lillehammer Skiclub
• Lillehammer Speedskating club

Notable residents

• Sigrid Undset lived in Lillehammer at her home "Bjerkebæk" from 1919 through 1940. She brought her children with her for a short rest, planning on returning to Oslo. However, she chose to remain in Lillehammer. She wrote her most famous works there: the three-volume "Kristin Lavransdatter", the six-volume "Sverkholt tales", and the four-volume "Olav Audunssønn". In 1940, because she had expressed strong anti-Nazi sentiments since the early 1930s, she fled Lillehammer before the invading German army reached the town. She returned to Lillehammer after the war and died there in 1949. She is buried at the cemetery in Mesnali a nearby village.
• Cesar Baena , the Venezuelan cross country skier.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Lillehammer:^[6]

See also

Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2004

References

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway
• Lillehammer travel guide from Wikitravel
• Oppland travel guide from Wikitravel
• Lillehammer Tourist Office
• Gudbrandsdalen Region
• Lillehammer University College
• Lillehammer Icehockey Club (Norwegian)
• Olympic Park in Lillehammer
• Pictures from the Olympic games in 1994

From Wikitravel

Lillehammer [1] is a small town in the county of Oppland in south-central Norway.

Shops on Storgata

Understand

Lillehammer is best remembered as the site of the 1994 Winter Olympics, but it's also worth a visit in the summer for its beautifully preserved late 19th-century wooden houses.

Orientation

Lillehammer is on the shores of Lake Mjøsa, with the bulk of town on the east bank. From the train station it's just two blocks to Storgata, the main pedestrian shopping street in the heart of the old city center.

Lillehammer (25.000 inhabitants), considered Norway's oldest winter sports resort and host of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Lillehammer region provides you with a combination of long-standing tradition and modern activities and services. You will find excellent museums and galleries, Olympic venues, a large number of restaurants and wide selection of shops and accommodation. The Lillehammer region is also famous for its ski terrain and excellent winter sport facilities. Nearby at Nordseter and Sjusjøen, you will find the best network of cross-country ski trails in Northern Europe, comprising 350 km. The excellent ski centre is located at Hafjell, 15 minutes away by ski bus, and offers a mountain village feel with full amenities and ski in/out accommodation.

Get in

By plane

Lillehammer does not have its own airport, but Oslo's Gardermoen is well connected by train with departures once hourly (1:40, 227 Kr each way).

By train

Lillehammer is along the main train line from Skien and Oslo towards Trondheim. The trip to Oslo takes about two hours and there are departures hourly.

By car

Another option is to arrive Oslo by plain and pick a rental car from the multiple options provided at the airport rental desks. However, one must plan for a relatively long drive (2-3 hours) because of the potential road construction delays and strictly enforced speed limits (varying from 50 km/hr to 80 km/hr).

Get around

Central Lillehammer is best covered on foot. Buses to various regional destinations depart from outside the train station.

120 meters to jump, Lysgårdsbakkene

Many of Lillehammer's newer sights are related to the 1994 Olympics and are located in the commemorative Olympic Park (Olympiaparken).

• Lysgårdsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena, Olympiaparken, [2]. The ski jumping site for the Olympics, now a year-round attraction with a chairlift to the top (or, if you're feeling frisky, a hike up 954 steps). Visit the ski jump tower to gaze down at the K120 jumping hill and an excellent view of Lillehammer and Lake Mjøsa. Chairlift 40 kr return incl. ski jump tower admission, plus an optional 25 kr for the bobsled simulator. The site is a solid 20-30 min uphill hike from central Lillehammer, walk up Fossgatan and follow the signs for Olympiaparken/Chairlifts. Open 9 AM to 8 PM summer, 9 AM to 5 PM spring/fall, 11 AM to 4 PM winter.

• Norwegian Olympic Museum, Håkon Hall, Olympiaparken.

• Maihaugen, [3]. Northern Europe's largest open-air museum with 185 traditional Norwegian buildings. Open daily in summer 10 AM to 5 PM, daily 11 AM to 4 PM except Monday in winter. Admission 90/75 kr peak/off-peak.

• Lillehammer Art Museum, [4]. Modern Norwegian art.

Do

There are excellent skiing and other winter sports opportunities in winter, as well as some decent hiking in summer.

Buy

Lillehammer's main shopping street is the rather inaptly named Storgata ("Big Street"), a pedestrian street lined with wooden houses, boutiques and restaurants.

• Oylsund Kafe , Storgata 52. Kebabs, fish products and similar fare from 50 kr. Open daily.

• Kanten Kro, Lysgårdsbakkene (top of ski jump chairlift). Rustic turf-roofed Norwegian house serving up daily specials from 100 kr and beautiful views over Lillehammer.

• Egon Restaurant, at centrum, offers a selection of pizzas and other dishes around 50-250 kr and a selection of drinks.

• Paa bordet, Bryggerig. 70. Gourmet-restaurant with an excellent wine cellar. Menu ca. 300-400 Nkr.

• Lillehammer Youth Hostel, (by the railway station in Lillehammer), ☎ +47 61260024, [5].  edit
• Nordseter Hyttegrend, Nordseterveien 1351, 2618 Lillehammer, ☎ +47 61 26 40 12, [6]. checkin: 15.00; checkout: 10.00. Nordseter Hyttegrend i situated in beautiful natural surroundings at Nordseter 850m only 12 km from the centre of Lillehammer with many great activities. Choosing to stay at Nordseter Hyttegrend you can enjoy the Norwegian mountains and activities for everyone in the family summer as well as winter. We welcome you to an unforgettable holiday at Nordseter.  edit

Contact

There is an informative tourist office in the railway station building.

Tourist Information Office in Lillehammer All the information you need on Lillehammer and the area in one place. Lillehammer's Tourist Information Centre is at the Bus and Train station.

The Tourist Information office will arrange accommodation in hotels, guesthouses and private lodgings in Lillehammer and surrounding areas. Souvenirs of Norway. See a display of Norwegian products for purchase in the Tourist Information. There is also a small souvenir shop with a good selection of traditional souvenirs and gifts and stamps and postcards can also be purchased. Free brochures. All the brochures that you may need on Lillehammer and nearby area are freely available as well as exhibitions giving information on journeys further away. Also on sale are walking and skiing maps.

Open

Monday-Friday 09.00-16.00 Saturdays 10.00-14.00 Sundays Closed In Summer there are longer opening hours Phone: +47 61289800 Internet: http://www.lillehammer.com

Trondheim ← Hafjell (Øyer) ←

N  S

→ Hamar → Oslo

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia has an article on:

Lillehammer

Wikipedia

Norwegian

Proper noun

Lillehammer

1. A municipality in Oppland, Norway