Viking Magazine - June 2022 - 14

The fishing town of
Henningsvær (pictured
below) is a vibrant hub of
creativity. It is a popular
destination for culture
lovers and outdoor
enthusiasts all year thanks
to its stunning location
and strong local hipster
community.
Trevarefest (shown
at right) is held in an
old timber factory in
Henningsvær each year.
It attracts thousands
of people and offers an
eclectic mix of music and
the best of what the north
has to offer in the summer.
Cecilie Haaland (pictured
at right) a Lofoten-based
ceramist. She runs a hub
for handcrafts called
Engelskmannsbrygga.
European Capital of Culture designation. And
it won. Since the announcement was made
in September 2019 the seaside city has been
preparing for 2024, when it will show the
world it's more than a pitstop.
Nordland & Bodø
About a quarter of the Norwegian coastline
is in Nordland county, and for thousands of
years this nearly 311-mile stretch has been a
key port for trade with Europe. The county
is split into five regions, each of which have
their own distinct personalities, institutions
and individual ties to the neighboring
European countries. Nordland is also part of
Sápmi, a traditional territory inhabited by the
indigenous Sámi people.
The area boasts a number of flourishing
urban sectors, but the dramatic fjords, soaring
mountains and untamed landscape have
typically been its biggest draw.
Bodø is the biggest municipality in
Nordland, and is considered its regional
capital. The city itself is compact, but hails
as the second-largest in Northern Norway
behind Tromsø.
Historically, Bodø was a fishing village
due to its prime location on the coast of the
Norwegian Sea. It was also a strategic spot for
an air force base from 1955 until January 2022
when the station moved south to Evenes and
Ørland.
During the 1960s, 70s and 80s, the city's
population grew steadily, which goes against
the residential decline the rest of Northern
Norway has been experiencing. Today, Bodø
claims about 50,000 residents, and if city
organizers have their way that number will
increase to 70,000 by 2030.
Focused on Development
Bodø could reach this kind of growth for a
few key reasons. Nature has long been a top
lure for people coming to Nordland. Since the
1990s, tourism has significantly blossomed,
and the city's population has also increased
in both numbers and diversity. It's become
a true international community, as it's now
home to people of more than 100 different
nationalities. The surge has come in part
because for two-plus decades, officials have
focused on not only thriving as a regional
capital administrative center, but also on
increasing opportunities for dynamic cultural
experiences.
In 1994, City
Nord was built,
and was expanded
upon throughout the
2000s. It's the largest
shopping mall in
Northern Norway and
spans 430,000 square
feet of more than 100
stores.
The early 1990s
is also when Bodø
began stepping up its
athletics game. First
was the construction
of Bodø Spektrum, an
indoor sports complex
that initially opened
Nordlandshallen, an
artificial-turf football
hall, and then in
2007 Bodøhallen, a
handball court used
by Bodø HK. In 2001
the city completed
14
June 2022
sonsofnorway.com
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - June 2022

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