Hamar

Hamar is a town in Hamar Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is the administrative centre of Hamar Municipality. The town is in the traditional region of Hedmarken. Hamar lies on the shore of Mjøsa, the largest lake in Norway. In the past, it was the main city of the former Hedmark county, which is now part of Innlandet county.

The town of Hamar is in the southwest part of Hamar Municipality. The town covers  and had a population of 30,030 in 2024, with a population density of . The built-up area of the town continues into Ringsaker Municipality and Stange Municipality. About  and 2,438 people live in the part of the town that is in Ringsaker, while  and 332 people live in the part that is in Stange Municipality.

General information
Name
The municipality, which first was just the town, is named after the old  farm (). In the Middle Ages, a market was built on this farm. The market later became a kjøpstad and then a municipality. The name comes from the word hamarr, which means “rocky hill”.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was officially granted on 2 June 1896. It shows a Black Grouse sitting at the top of a pine tree on a white background. An older version of the arms had been used for a long time before this. The old design was first described in the Hamar Chronicle from 1553.

History

Between 500 and 1000 AD, the Åker farm was one of the most important power centers in Norway. It was located a few kilometers from today’s Hamar. Coins found in Ringerike in 1895 date back to the time of Harald Hardråde and mention the name .

Middle Ages
Sometime after 1030, but before 1152, the main center was moved from Åker to a peninsula near Rosenlundvika, now called Domkirkeodden. This area is part of modern Hamar. It is likely that Harald Hardråde supported this move because he owned land there.

Most knowledge about medieval Hamar comes from the Hamar Chronicle from around 1550. The town reached its height in the early 1300s. At that time, it had the Hamar Cathedral, the bishop’s manor, a fortress, and nearby settlement. Hamar was known for apple orchards, as well as merchants, craftsmen, and fishermen.

After Norway was Christianized in 1030, Hamar became an important place for trade and religion. In 1152, Nikolaus Breakspear created the Diocese of Hamar as one of five dioceses in Norway. The first bishop, Arnold, began building the cathedral. Hamar stayed an important religious center until the Reformation in 1536–1537, when it lost its status. The last Catholic bishop, Mogens Lauritssøn, was captured and sent to Denmark, where he later died.

Hamar was badly affected by the Black Plague in 1349. After the Reformation, the town declined and eventually disappeared.

Reformation and decline
By 1587, trade had been moved to Christiania, and Hamar lost its market town status. Over time, it stopped functioning as a town and became farmland. The ruins of the cathedral and fortress remained visible for centuries.

The founding of modern Hamar

In the 1700s and early 1800s, there were many discussions about creating a new trading town on Mjøsa. After many studies and debates, the king approved a new town near Storhamar.

On 26 April 1848, Hamar was officially established as a kjøpstad. The town formally came into existence on 21 March 1849, when its borders were set. It was separated from Vang Municipality and became Hamar Municipality. 

Building a city
The town was carefully planned with wide streets, parks, and space for public buildings. Construction began in 1849, and the town grew steadily. Roads, flooding, and harbor access were early challenges, but the town developed quickly.

The Diocese of Hamar was re-established in 1864, and the new Hamar Cathedral was completed in 1866.

Modern era
During the 1900s, Hamar expanded by merging with nearby areas. Major mergers happened in 1946, 1947, 1965, and especially in 1992, when Vang Municipality and parts of Ringsaker Municipality became part of Hamar.

Cityscape
Hamar has several important landmarks. The Hedmark museum at Domkirkeodden shows medieval ruins and historic farm buildings. The Vikingskipet is a large indoor arena shaped like a Viking ship. It was built for the 1994 Winter Olympics and is still used for sports and large events.

 Transport 
Hamar is an important railway hub between Oslo and Trondheim. The Norwegian Railway Museum is also located in the town. Oslo Airport is about  away and can be reached by road or train.

Climate
Hamar has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Weather records show very cold winters and occasional hot summers. The highest recorded temperature was  in July 2018, and the lowest was  in December 2010.

Related pages
List of towns and cities in Norway

References

Other websites
 Hamar Pictorial click-through 

Category:Cities in Norway