The 813-square-kilometre (314 sq mi) municipality is the 140th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Larvik is the 21st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 48,246. The municipality'spopulation density is 62.5 inhabitants per square kilometre (162/sq mi) and its population has increased by 5.9% over the previous 10-year period.[6][7]
Larvik is known as the hometown ofThor Heyerdahl.[9]: 30 It is also home toBøkeskogen, the northernmost beech tree forest in the world. Larvik is the home of Norway's only natural mineral water spring, Farriskilden.[8][10]Farris Bad, located in Larvik, has been described as one of the best spas inEurope.[11] It has the largest spa department in Scandinavia.[12]
Thetown of Larvik was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (seeformannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1875, a small area ofBrunlanes Municipality (population: 4) and a different area ofHedrum Municipality (population: 46) were both transferred into thetown of Larvik. In 1937, another area of Hedrum Municipality (population: 69) was transferred into Larvik. In 1948, an area of Hedrum Municipality (population: 296) was transferred into Larvik. On 1 January 1974, the unpopulated Tagtvedt area of Hedrum was transferred to Larvik. On 1 January 1986, part of the Åsveien 3 property in Hedrum was transferred to the neighboringtown of Larvik.[13]
On 1 January 1988, the city of Larvik was part of a major municipal merger which consolidated the municipalities ofBrunlanes (population: 8,138),Hedrum (population: 10,449), andTjølling (population: 7,878) with the towns ofLarvik (population: 8,045) andStavern (population: 2,538) to create a new, much largerLarvik Municipality with a population of 37,048 people.[13]
On 1 January 2018,Lardal Municipality was merged the neighboring Larvik Municipality as part of a nationwide municipal reform.[14] After merging, Larvik was the largest municipality in Vestfold by area and the second-most populous municipality in Vestfold.[15]
The municipality (originally thetown of Larvik) is named after the small cove at the end of theLarviksfjorden, which was historically calledLagarvík inOld Norse. The first element is thegenitive case oflǫgr 'water,river' (here referring to theNumedalslågen River). The last element isvík 'cove,inlet'. Thus, the meaning of the name is 'cove at the mouth of a river'. Prior to 1889, the name was writtenLaurvik orLaurvig.[16]
Arms from 1899 to 1989Arms from 1989 to 2018Arms since 2018
Larvik has had three differentcoats of arms since 1889.
The firstcoat of arms was granted in 1889 and it was in use until 20 January 1989 when a new coat of arms was granted. The officialblazon was"Argent, a leaved tree issuant from amountvert". This means the arms have afield (background) has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. Thecharge is a green tree growing out of a green hill. The green color in the field and the tree design symbolize the localbeech forest around the town. This design may have been chosen because for a couple of reasons. A beech tree had been used by the 18th century governor of the area, Jens Kielman. Also this beech tree design was part of a seal of a localguild in the early 19th century.[17]
The secondcoat of arms was granted on 17 March 1989 and it was in use until 1 January 2018. The officialblazon was"Azure, a mast with three sailsargent" (Norwegian:I blått en sølv mast med tre seil). This means the arms have a bluefield (background) and thecharge is a ship'smast with threesails. The charge has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color in the field and the design were chosen to represent the maritime traditions of the municipality. The arms were designed by Kjell Ronald Hansen. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.[17][18][19][20]
The currentcoat of arms was adopted for use starting on 1 January 2018. Theblazon is"Azure, a tree with seven droplet-shaped leaves, of which six are opposite two and two, issuant from a mount argent" (Norwegian:I blått et oppvoksende tre med syv dråpeformede blader hvor av seks er motstående to og to, alt i sølv). This means the arms have a bluefield (background) and thecharge is a tree design with six leaves shaped like water droplets that are arranged symmetrically, three on each side and one on top. The charge has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms have a complex symbolism. The seven drops symbolize forest water that flows into streams and further into the mainNumedalslågen andFarriselva rivers. The tree design symbolizes the importance of the localbeech forests andforestry industry. The six water drops also symbolized the ports spread along the coast as well as the six former municipalities that are now together as one large municipality. The arms were designed by Tormod Henriksen fromSvarstad. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.[17][21][22][23]
Various remains from theStone Age have been discovered throughout the municipality of Larvik, for instance byTorpevannet near the village ofHelgeroa.Raet goes through all of Vestfold County before peaking out of the ocean inMølen in Larvik. Ancient peoples have carried rocks from Raet and constructed vast numbers of burial mounds at Mølen. During theRoman Iron Age, ancient peoples erected a stone monument resembling a ship atIstrehågan, one of Norway's greatest remains (oldtidsminne) from prehistoric times.[25]: 8
About 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) southeast of the town isSkiringssal, an archaeological site where archaeologists first discovered burial mounds and an ancient Viking hall, and later uncovered the nearby remains of an ancient town,Kaupang. This is now known as the oldest known merchant town in Norway. There was international trade from this area, over 1,200 years ago.[25]: 12 Skiringssal has remains from the oldest town yet discovered in theNordic countries,[26] and it was one of Scandinavia's earliest urban sites.[27]
Larvik (which historically used theDanish spelling:Laurvig) was an old coastal village. In 1671, the village receivedkjøpstad (market town) status in 1671 whenUlrik Fredrik Gyldenløve bought the Fritsø estate. He later became the firstCount of Laurvig. The count built a new residence in 1674, "Herregården", which can still be visited today.[28][5] The whole Larvik area was owned by aDanish Count (grevskap) until 1817. Since the rest of Norway had come under Swedish rule in 1814, the county was purchased by four local businessmen in 1817.[29] Then in 1821, it became part of the newly createdJarslberg og Laurvigs amt (county).
Larvik is also the site of theTreschow estate, "Fritzøehus", which is currently owned by the heirs ofMille-Marie Treschow, reportedly "Norway's richest woman". The Treschow estate was created in 1835 when Willum Frederik Treschow bought the county from the Danish crown, who in turn had bought the county from the local consortium "grevlingene", four local entrepreneurs who proved unable to manage the ownership financially (the consortium had bought the county from the Danish crown in 1817 originally, the crown taking over the county when the last of the counts had to sell it because of debt).
Larvik, along with neighbouring cities ofSandefjord andTønsberg, were the three dominantwhaling cities of Norway in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[30]
Themunicipal council(Kommunestyre) of Larvik is made up of representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by politicalparty.
Larvik's population is primarily centred along the coast. The administrative centre of the municipality is thetown of Larvik, is one of two cities in the municipality; the other one beingStavern. The city's residential areas are first and foremost in the hills between the fjord andBøkeskogen.[5]
The municipality had a total population of 49,012 as of Q2 2025, with 4,159 of them being immigrants to Norway from other countries.[64] Figures from a census held at the beginning of the 19th century indicate that Larvik's population has quadrupled in approximately 200 years. Its population however is spread through the municipality, and about 50% of the people reside in thecity of Larvik. The majority of the population is found along and around theLarviksfjorden, fromStavern in the west to Gon in the east.[9]: 32 The population sometimes doubles during summer weeks due to tourism.[9]: 48 Larvik is home to 4,886 vacation homes as of 2023.[64]
Larvik is the most important agricultural municipality inVestfold county. Besides grains, other crops grown include potatoes and vegetables. It has the county's largest production of cucumbers and tomatoes. Important industries are commerce, hotel management, and restaurant management. Thefishing industry in Larvik is the second-largest in Vestfold, only smaller than the fishing industry inFærder Municipality. Important fishing harbours includeStavern,Helgeroa, andNevlunghavn. Furthermore, Larvik has the biggestlogging industry in the county.Norway Spruce is the most important tree species.[5]
The mined mineralLarvikite, found only here, is exported from Larvik to countries in Europe, to the United States and many other countries.[25]: 64
Larvik is first and foremost known as a summer vacation community. Due to its stable climate and one of Norway's highest median temperatures, Larvik experiences significant summer tourism.[9]: 97 [25]: 70 Larvik's climate is among the mildest in Norway, with one of the nation's highest number of annual sunshine days. It is home to nearly 5,000holiday homes.[64][9]: 64
Kaupang has been described as the "chief attraction" for visitors in Larvik.[67] Kapuang is also known as Norway's most important monument from theViking Age.[9]: 14 Another source describesMølen Geopark as Larvik's most visited tourist attraction.[9]: 64 Other attractions include the Maritime Museum,Fritzøehus, Herregården, the home ofThor Heyerdahl, andBøkeskogen. Larvik is also home toFarris Bad, the largest spa in theNordic countries, which has been described as one of Europe's best spa facilities.[11]
Larvik occupies the southwestern corner ofVestfold county, betweenSandefjord Municipality in the east and theLangesundsfjorden in the west. The coastline of Larvik stretches from the entrance to theSandefjordsfjord and to the Langesundsfjord, with theLarviksfjorden in the middle. The coastline consists of various beaches, bays, islets, and skerries. The land is relatively flat along the coast and by the many bays, while the interior parts consist of large and hilly woodlands. Larger mountains are found along the border withTelemark County in the west.[25]: 6 The municipality has a 110 kilometres (68 mi) coastline, a listtle shorter than that of neighbouringSandefjord Municipality.[68]
The municipality is located approximately 105 kilometres (65 mi) southwest of the Norwegian capital,Oslo. The municipality covers an area of 813 square kilometres (314 sq mi), making it the largest municipality in Vestfold county. By population, however, Larvik is the third-most populous municipality, only smaller than neighbouringTønsberg andSandefjord municipalities.[9]: 32 Larvik has its ownfjord which connects to theLågen River.[69]
Larvik is also noted for its natural springs of mineral water,Farriskildene, which have been commercially exploited under the brand nameFarris. At Kaupang in Tjølling lies the remains of the medievalSkiringssal trading outpost. Larvik is also home to the world's northernmost natural occurrence ofFagus sylvaticaforests (European Beech tree), known asBøkeskogen ("The Beech Tree Forest").
Himberg is anexclave which is part ofSandefjord Municipality, although it is completely surrounded by Larvik Municipality in all directions.[71][72][73] Attempts atannexing Himberg into Larvik Municipality have largely been met with protests from Himberg residents. A 1995 attempt at annexing Himberg was cancelled due to protests from local residents.[74] There are only four such enclaves in Norway, and Himberg is the most populous enclave in Norway, with a population of approximately 40 people. Himberg is 1.4 square kilometres (0.54 sq mi).[75]
Larvik has awarm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb) with fairly cold winters and mild summers. Snow is common during the winter months, but along the coast it can sometimes melt during mild spells. Summers are sunny with daytime temperatures of 19 °C (66 °F) to 24 °C (75 °F) most places.
Climate data for Larvik - Tjølling 1991–2020 (15 m)
Hiking trails can be found throughout the municipality, including in the city forestBøkeskogen, Norway's largest beech tree forest.[9]: 23 [25]: 58 This forest is home to various trails, starting at 2.6 kilometres (1.6 mi) in length up to 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) in length.[84] Hiking trails can also be found atMølen, which is anUNESCO GeoPark and home of Norway's largest stone beach.[85][86] The Coastal Path (Kyststien) is a 35-kilometre (22 mi) path throughBrunlanes to the townStavern. Additional hiking trails can be found by the lakesGoksjø andFarris. Farris Lake is the largest lake in Vestfold County.[9]: 99
Due to the municipality's many rural areas, Larvik is known for its game hunting, and large forests are open for hunting. There are great stocks ofmoose; Larvik has among Norway's highest number of moose.[5] Between 700 and 800 moose are annually slaughtered in the county.[87] Other important species of game areRoe deer,Red deer,Mountain hare,European beaver, andCommon wood pigeon.[88]
Larvik Maritime Museum is housed in Larvik's oldest brick building.
The Larvik Museum Society was founded in 1916. The museum is now associated with the Vestfold Museum (Vestfoldmuseene). Larvik Museum was established with the purpose of preserving, and restoring the city's collection of historic buildings.[89][90][91]
Verkensgården houses geological exhibitions ofLarvikite, a locally quarried 500-million-year-oldgranite type.[92]
The Treschow-Fritzøe Museum (Verkensgården) houses exhibitions from the former Treschow-Fritzøe ironworks. Verkensgården displays tools, equipment, drawings, and models illustrating the iron-production era in Larvik, which dated from 1670 to 1870. The exhibition shows various aspects; from the geological process of creation to production, and use of the stonelarvikite, the area's main export product. The Iron Works was closed during 1868.[93]
Herregården is one of Norway's best preserved wooden structures.[69]Fritzøehus is the largest privately owned estate in Norway.[94][95]
Manor House (Herregården) was built byUlrik Fredrik Gyldenløve for his third wedding in 1677. It is a large wooden structure with well-preserved baroque interiors from the 1730s. Herregården manor house is a largeBaroque wooden building with classic elements. The interior design is mainlyBaroque andRegency style. The house is filled with 17th- and 18th-century antiques.[96] Herregården from 1677 is considered one of Norway's finest secular Baroque structures.[8] It is one of few baroque architectural monuments representing nobility in Norway.[97] Furthermore, it is one of Norway's largest wooden buildings from 17th century.[25]: 22
The Larvik Maritime Museum (Larvik Sjøfartsmuseum) is housed in Larvik's oldest brick building, dating from 1730. Larvik Maritime Museum is located in the oldcustoms house, and is the residence of the local building inspector. This museum displays models of ships, paintings of sailing vessels, and other nautical artifacts to bring the port's maritime history alive. One section of the museum is devoted to the expeditions of Larvik-bornThor Heyerdahl.[98][99]
Fritzøehus is a private estate located in Larvik. The estate has traditionally been associated with various members of theTreschow family and is presently owned byMille-Marie Treschow. It is Norway's largest privately owned estate.[94][95]
Bøkeskogen, Norway's largest and the world's northernmost beech tree forest.[11][10]
Larvik Maritime Museum, museum dedicated to Larvik's nautical history. It is home to several models byColin Archer, and has its own exhibition dedicated toThor Heyerdahl.[8]
^Nickel, Phyllis; Valderhaug, Hans Jakob (2017).Norwegian Cruising Guide—Vol 2: Sweden, West Coast and Norway, Swedish Border to Bergen. Attainable Adventure Cruising Ltd. p. 98.ISBN9780995893962.
^Engel, Lyle Kenyon (1963).Scandinavia: A Simon & Schuster Travel Guide. Cornerstone Library. p. 147.
^Larsen, Erlend (2011).På Tur i Vestfold del 2 (in Norwegian). E-forlag. p. 238.ISBN9788293057222.
^abFerguson-Kosinski, Laverne (2015).Europe by Eurail 2016: Touring Europe by Train. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 386.ISBN9781493012763.
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