Stavanger

The Oil Centre of Norway

Stavanger is the 4th largest city in Norway, and is called the "Oil Capital of Norway".

The Stavanger municipality has 126.000 inhabitants by January 2011, and the city is the administration centre of Rogaland county.

By population, Rogaland is the 4th largest county in Norway, with a population of 436.000.

As a result of the oil industry and the North Sea Oil, several major oil companys are present in the city, which also makes this one of the most internationalized cities in Norway.

You will find a university here, and the international study programmes taught in English at the University are very popular. From their homepage you can even download their International Study catalog.

The Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms was designed by Hallvard Trætteberg, and was finally approved in 1939.

The motive is based upon a seal from 1591, and shows 3 leaves on a wine tree branch, in gold on a blue background.

The meaning of using a wine branch in the city seal is actually still unknown.

Industry and communications

The town has a wide range if industry -services and companys, and is the High Tecnology city of Norway.
The main industry supplies the oil companys and their needs, and the oil installations in the North Sea. That's why the city has one of the most important off-shore harbours in Norway, with a high activity of cargo ships, supply vessels and anchor-handling vessels.

Now it has also become an important harbour for international cruise traffic, and has more than 100.000 tourists from cruise ships every year.

2011 has been the highest record so far, and 2012 is expected to be even better.

The airport, Stavanger Lufthavn Sola, is one of the largest airports in Norway, and has flights to 40 international destinations, and several domestic flights each day.

This is also the end station of the Sørlandsbanen, the railway between Oslo, Kristiansand and Stavanger.

Hotels and accomodation

Winner of Travellers Choice 2013 in Trip Advisor was  Rica Park Hotel  which is located a 15 minutes walk from the city centre. Another popular one, and in the centre of the town is Best Western Havly Hotel  where you go a little down on the luxury, but still keep quality.

If you are on a low budget, and prefer something cheaper, you should try one of the Hostels in town.

One of them is the St. Svithun Hostel, a quite modern hostel with a central location. All rooms have shower and WC, as well as TV and free wireless Internet access. Breakfast is included in the pension prices.

Churches

There are 17 churches and parishes in the town, in addition to many other congregations, like the Methodist Church, the Catholic Church and others.

Close to the Breivatnet lake in the city centre, you can see the beautiful, old medieval cathedral, the Stavanger Domkirke.

The cathedral was built to the memory of St. Swithun. The oldest part of the church is build in the Romanesque style, from the first half of 1100's.

Parts of the cathedral are build after a huge fire in the 1200's, and the beautiful glass paintings are actually from 1957, designed by Victor Sparre.

Museums

The city has quite many museums, of many kinds.

Some of them are unique, and unlike the ones you will find in other any city. As examples we mention The Norwegian Oil Museum (see photo) and the Canning Museum.

The museums are really worth a visit, and includes

• Stavanger Museum (the Main museum)
• Sjøfartsmuseet (the Maritime Museum)
• Norsk Hermetikkmuseum(the Canning Museum)
• Norsk Grafisk Museum (Norwegian Graphic Museum)
• Norsk Barnemuseum (the Children's Museum)
  
• Skolemuseet (the School Museum)
  
• Ledaal (mansion and royal residence)
• Breidablikk (shipowner's residence)

More about the museums in our "Museum" page.