Home > Ålesund

has 39,373 inhabitants as of January 1, 2002. It is a sea port, 236 km (145 mi) north northeast of Bergen, and is noted for its unique concentration of Jugendstil or Art nouveau architecture.

It occupies seven of the outer islands of the west coast, Hessa , Aspøy and Nørvøy ,Yksnøy, Ellingsøy, Humla and Tørla which enclose the picturesque town. Ålesund received city rights in 1848, it is the administrative center as well as the principal shipping-place of the Sunnmøre district, and was one of the chief stations of the herring fishery in the 1950ties and 60ties. Today Ålesund is the fishing capital of Norway.

Ålesund is adjaccent to the Hjørund and Geiranger fjords, frequented by tourists. From Øye at the head of Hjørundfjord a road strikes south to the Nordfjord , and from Meråk on Geirangerfjord another strikes inland to Otta. From Åndalsnes, 120 km east of Ålesund, the railway line goes to Dombås on the Dovrebanen , and further railway to Lillehammer and Oslo. Ålesund is a port of call for passenger and freight vessels travelling between Bergen, Kingston upon Hull, NewcastleNewcastle upon Tyne often called just Newcastle is a city in North East England in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. The City has a relatively small population of around 259,000 ( 2001 census). However, the Metropolitan Boroughs of North Tyneside, HamburgHamburg is Germany's second largest city (after Berlin) and its principal port. The official name Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg recalls its membership in the mediaeval Hanseatic League and the fact that Hamburg is a city state and one of Germany's sixteen, and TrondheimThe city and municipality Trondheim in the county of Sor-Trondelag, Norway, has 154,351 inhabitants as of January 1, 2004, and an area of 341 km². A large number of registered students, 29203 (as of 2003), also reside in the city; students are typically r, including the daily Hurtigruta (Norwegian Coastal Express ships).

Gangerolf, outside of Norway better known as RolloNormandy Rollo was the Frankish- Latin name taken by (probably) Hrolf Ganger (Hrolf the Walker, or Gange Rolf). He has also been called "Rollo the Gangler" in some works, or occasionally "Robert". 932) was a Viking leader, probably (based on Icelandic sou, the 10th century9th century 10th century 11th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. Events The beginning of the Medieval Warm Period Viking groups settle in northern France N founder of the dynasty of the dukes of NormandyThis article concerns the former country of Normandy. For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a former country (a Duchy) situated in northern France occupying the, comes from the community of Giske, north west of Ålesund.

In the night of January 23January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 342 days remaining, 343 in leap years. Events 1556 The deadliest earthquake in history kills 830,000 people in Shanxi Province, China. 1570 The assassination of regent James Stewa, 1904, the city was the scene of the Ålesund Fire, one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the whole town was destroyed, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the place in the middle of the night at a few minutes' notice.

Ålesund is the site of an annual Norwegian Food Festival.

The local newspaper is named Sunnmørsposten.

The local football team, Aalesunds Fotballklubb (AaFK), founded in 1914, played in the Norwegian premier league in the 2003 season, and will be back in this league in 2005.