Editing Langesund

{{short description|Town in Bamble, Norway}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Langesund
|other_name             = 
|native_name            = 
|nickname               = 
|settlement_type        = [[List of towns and cities in Norway|Town]]<ref>In the Norwegian language, the word ''by'' can be translated as "town" or "city".</ref>
|image_skyline          = Norwegen 06 - Langesund.jpg
|image_caption          = View of the town
|pushpin_map            = Telemark#Norway Telemark#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      = [[Telemark]]
|subdivision_type3      = [[Districts of Norway|District]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Grenland]]
|subdivision_type4      = [[List of municipalities of Norway|Municipality]]
|subdivision_name4      = [[Bamble 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      = 1765
|established_title3     = [[List of towns and cities in Norway|Town]] ({{lang|no|By}})
|established_date3      = 
|area_footnotes         = <ref name="ssb" />
|area_total_km2         = 
|population_as_of       = 2022
|population_footnotes   = <ref name="ssb" />
|population_total       = 
|population_density_km2 = 
|population_demonym     = Langesunder<br />Langesundar
|postal_code_type       = Post Code
|postal_code            = 3970 Langesund
|coordinates            = {{coord|59.00066|9.74873|region:NO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m            = 4
|elevation_footnotes    = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Langesund, Bamble |url=https://www.yr.no/nb/v%C3%A6rvarsel/daglig-tabell/1-22928/Norge/Vestfold%20og%20Telemark/Bamble/Langesund |access-date=2023-09-19 |publisher=[[yr.no]]}}</ref>
|module = {{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Langesund
|ladested               = yes
|former                 = yes
|child                  = yes
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|official_name          = Langesund ladested
|idnumber               = 0802
|county                 = Telemark
|district               = Grenland
|capital                = Langesund
|established            = 1 Jan 1838
|preceded               = none
|disestablished         = 1 Jan 1964
|succeeded              = [[Bamble Municipality]]
|demonyms               = 
|language               = 
|coatofarms             = 
|flag                   = 
|mayor                  = 
|mayor_party            = 
|mayor_as_of            = 
|area_rank              = 
|area_total_km2         = 0.88
|area_land_km2          = 
|area_water_km2         = 
|area_water_percent     = 
|population_as_of       = 1964
|population_rank        = 
|population_total       = 2281
|population_density_km2 = auto
}} }}

{{Audio|Langesund.ogg|'''Langesund'''}} is the [[administrative centre]] of [[Bamble Municipality]] in [[Telemark]] county, [[Norway]]. The town is located on a peninsula along the [[Langesundsfjorden]] near the [[Skaggerak]] coast. The town of [[Stathelle]] lies about {{convert|4|km}} to the northwest. The {{convert|0.88|km2|acre|adj=on}}<ref name="NLF">{{Cite book |last=Helland |first=Amund |url=https://runeberg.org/norgeslof/8-2/0223.html |title=VIII. Bratsberg Amt. Anden del |publisher=H. Aschehoug & Company |year=1900 |series=Norges land og folk |location=Kristiania, Norway |page=211 |language=no |chapter=Langesund ladested |access-date=2023-09-20}}</ref> town was established as a [[ladested]] in 1765 and on 1 January 1838 it became a self-governing municipality. In 1964, it became part of [[Bamble Municipality]].<ref name="snl">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Langesund |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/Langesund |date=2022-07-04 |editor-last=Lundbo |editor-first=Sten |language=no |accessdate=2023-09-19}}</ref>

For a long time, Langesund and neighboring [[Stathelle]] have been grouped together as part of the [[Porsgrunn/Skien]] metropolitan area and because of this, the population and area data for this town has not been separately tracked by [[Statistics Norway]]. What is tracked, is the portion of the metropolitan area located in [[Bamble Municipality]]. In 2022, the Langesund/Stathelle area in Bamble measured {{convert|6.34|km2|acre}} and together they had a population of 10,276 with a [[population density]] of {{convert|1622|PD/km2}}.<ref name="ssb">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |date=2022-01-01 |title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/befolkning/statistikker/beftett/aar}}</ref>

It is possible to visit the remains of the old Coastal Fortress on Langesundstangen on the extreme end of the Langesund peninsula. The fort was established during the [[Second World War]] by [[Nazi Germany]] and later used by the Norwegian Coastal Artillery and [[Home Guard (Norway)|Home Guard]] until 1993.

Langesund is one of the most celebrated summer towns in [[Norway]] because of the large number of sunny days. It is also well known for Wrightegaarden, a building that hosts outdoor concerts every weekend the whole summer. Artists like [[Bob Dylan]], [[A-ha]], [[Elton John]] and [[Little Richard]] have played in Wrightegaarden. Langesund marks the border between [[Ytre Oslofjord]] and [[Skagerrak]].

==History==
[[File:Langesund church, Bamble, Norway.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Langesund Church]]
Langesund became its own customs center in 1570, and in the 1580s was considered the country's largest export port for timber, with a lot of shipping traffic particularly from Dutch schooners. The Dutch also worked on a large salt factory that King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] had built on Langøya in 1602 to refine imported salt. In the early days, Langesund was one of the most important shipping towns in [[Norway]]. In 1765, the growing village was granted rights as a [[ladested]] (town status). At the end of the 17th century, large shipbuilding was started. As the timber trade fell away, shipbuilding and shipping became the town's main industries. [[Peter Wessel Tordenskiold]] had one of his ships built in Langesund, the ''Løvendals Gallej''. It was known as Longsound in English during the 1800s.

===Name===
The town is ''Langesund'' which means "the long strait". The first element is {{wikt-lang|no|lang}} which means "long". The last element is {{wikt-lang|no|sund}} which means "[[strait]]" or "[[Sound (geography)|sound]]".

===Municipal self-government (1838–1964)===
The town of Langesund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). On 1 January 1878, the island of Langøya, just off shore from the town (population: 22) was transferred from the neighboring rural municipality of [[Bamble]] to the town of Langesund. In 1949, the town was enlarged by [[Municipal annexation|annexing]] an adjacent area of [[Bamble Municipality]] (population: 127). During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On 1 January 1964, the town of Langesund (population: 2,281) was merged with the nearby town of [[Stathelle]] (population: 724) and the surrounding rural municipality of [[Bamble]] (population: 5,237) to form a new, larger [[Bamble Municipality]].<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[unemployment]], [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] was [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |language=no |access-date=2023-08-03}}</ref> 

====Municipal council====
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] {{lang|no|(Bystyre)}} of Langesund was made up of representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political [[Political party|party]]. 
{{div col}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1960
|end                       = 1963
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1956
|end                       = 1959
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 12
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 4
|Local_Lists               = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1952
|end                       = 1955
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 5
|Local_Lists               = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1948
|end                       = 1951
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|NKP                       = 1
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 6
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1945
|end                       = 1947
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|NKP                       = 1
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Venstre                   = 5
|Local_Lists               = 4
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1938
|end                       = 1941* 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Venstre                   = 5
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 5
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 10
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Langesund
|city                      = yes
|start                     = 1935
|end                       = 1937 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_057.pdf |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1934 |date=1935 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |location=Oslo, Norge |language=Norwegian }}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|Total                     = 20
|Venstre                   = 6
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 5
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9 
|}}
{{div col end}}

==Attractions==
The best-known landmark in Langesund is the [[Langøytangen Lighthouse]], a [[lighthouse]] placed on the peak of [[Langøya]], a kilometre-long island right outside of Langesund. The island group east of the town are called [[Arøya]].

A short walk outside of the town centre, facing the [[Skagerrak]] strait, lies the decommissioned military fort known as [[Tangen Fortress]].

[[Mathematician]] [[Atle Selberg]], musician [[Vidar Busk]], [[Norwegian-American]] [[Lutheran]] theologian [[Marcus Olaus Bockman]] and Instagram influencer [[Jens Kulås]] were all born in Langesund.

Artists like [[Vidar Busk]] and [[Stephen Ackels]] are originally from Langesund. The concertplace [[Wrightegaarden]] is famous for its intimate concerts and is hosting big Norwegian bands like [[Postgirobygget (rock band)|Postgirobygget]] every year. Langesund is mentioned in the opening lyrics of Postgirobygget's song ''Sommer på jorda'' (Summer on Earth).

==Media gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="145px">
Langesund og Langøya 01.jpg|Aerial view of Langesund and the island of Langøya
RS 2 Langesund 01.jpg|View of the town
Langesund (Grenland).JPG|Harbour area
Langesund mekaniske verksted.JPG|Old shipyard in Langesund
Wrightegaarden, Langesund.jpg|Wrightgaarden in Langesund
H-C-1 Norge- Langesund (11286736693).jpg|Postcards of Langesund (c. 1960s)
</gallery>

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Telemark}}
{{Authority control}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

[[Category:Bamble]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places in Telemark]]
[[Category:1765 establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Norway]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Norway]]