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STAVANGER TR,4DITIONAND INNOVATION Thefoundation of Stavanger and its early history
are closely tied to the history of St.Svithuns Cathedral. The date of the town's
foundation has been set at 1125, mainly because the Stavanger bishop@ic was
estab- lished in the 112Os. Even before that time Stavanger may have forfilled an
important urban role. A number of historians have argued convincingly that No?
lhjæren was an economic and military centre asfar back as the 8-900s and the
consolida- tion of the nation at Hafrsfjord. Stavangergrew into a centre of civic
administration and an important South-West Coast market town around 1100- 1200 because
of its ecctesias- tical status around 1100-1200. Even now, Stavanger Cathedral is the
edifice that best illustrates the age and eectesiastical importance of the town.
Stavanger was at itspeak as a religious centre in the late 1200s and early 130Os.
There were many churches in town, as well as a cloister, a cathedral school and a
hospital. Afterfire destroyedpart of the 12th century Romanesque cathedral,
the choir was rebuilt in 1272- 1303 in Gothic style. Bishop, priests, tradesmen,
merchants, seamen anda growing number of official representatives of the kingdom
created a thriving and many-faceted urban settlement.
The royal tax collectors and judges, magistrate and county administrator all lived in
town. Priests as well as other inhabi- tants maintained a broad network of contacts
within the dist@ict, the overseaspat-ts of the Norwegian kingdom and northern Europe.
Contact with England, above all, must have been close. The Cathedral was named for
St. Svithun, a 9th century Winchester bishop who was later canonised. One of the
Cathedral'sfirst bishops was English, from the bitih place of St. Svithun. There are
a number of theo- ries about the meaning of the "Stavanger" name. The most commonly
accepted one claims that "angr", which signifies fjord, refers to Vågen where the first
houses were built, and that "Staf'refers to the distinctive elevation at Vågen known as
Valberget, the most "stave "-like feature of Stavanger's harbour and site of a still
eye-catching 1853 watch tower. ne administrative organiza- tion of Stavanger until
the end of the middle ages tookplace mainly in-the churches and the bishop's residence
built close to one of the smatter 13th century churches, refered to as the Bishop's
Chapel today. The Black Death devastated the town. The subsequent general dectine
affected relig- ious administration, social conditions, population and buildings.
In 1536 the Reforma- tion led to the dissolution Of the Catholic Church and the The
royal tax collectors and judges, magistrate and county adm in istrator all lived in
town. Priests as well as other inhabi- tants maintained a broad network of contacts
within the dist?-ict, the overseasparts of the Norwegian kingdom and northern Europe.
Contact with England, above all, must have been close. The Cathedral was namedfor St.
Svithun, a 9th century Winchester bishop who was later canonised. One of the
Cathedral'sfirst bishops was English, from the birth place of St. Svithun. There are a
number of theo- ries about the meaning of the "Stavanger" name. The most commonty
accepted one claims that "angr", which signifies fjord, refers to Vågen where the
first houses were built, andthat "staj" refers to the distinctive elevation at Vågen known as Valberget, the most
"stave'@-like feature of Stavanger's harbour and site of a still eye-catching 1853
watch tower. The administrative organiza- tion of Stavanger until the end of the middle
ages tookplace mainly in the churches and the bishop's residence built close to one of
the smatter 13th century churches, refered to as the Bishop's Chapel today. The Black
Death devastated the town. ne subsequent general decline affected relig- ious
administration, sociat conditions, population and buildings. In 1536 the Reformation
led to the dissolution of the Catholic Church and the
confiscation of its goods and properties by the king, fu rther weakening a town which
from the time of itsfound- ation some 400years earlier had been closely linked and
dependent upon the Catholic Church. Nonetheless, a number of factors led to a newperiod
of growth in Stavanger during the 16th and 1 7th centuries. The general increase in
population was one importantfactor, but the real impetus camefrom administrative and
economic forces. The new Lutheran church intended to re-establish both the fundamental
falth and the organization of the church. Determined new Lutheran bishops andpriests
lead this projectfrom the end of the 150Os. One of theforemost was Bishopjørgen
Erikssøn, whose portrait hangs in the choir ofthe cathedral. The epitaph of a later
bishop, Humle, and hisfamily, can befound in the nave. All the same,
ecclesiasticaladminis- tration alone could not lead to a significant urban growth.
As a sign of the new importance attached to wordly matters, the former bishops
residence was given to the king's representa~ tive, the district governor, who was
the administrator Of Stavanger county (extending over an area approximately that of
to day's Roga la n d) - When an o cialgovernment >ffi was introduced in 1660, the
building continued to serve as the i.@ountygovernor's residence until 1824, when it
was trans-
formed into a high school, the Stavanger Cathedral School of our era. Stavanger
became an admin- istrative and tax-collection nucleous as well as the seat of the
court ofjustice. A mayor and councillors served on the city council. The
countyadministrator's powerful rural repre- sentatives, the bailiffs, also lived
frequently in town. Thejudge and the magistrate employed sckbes and agents. The entire
legal and administrative body grew in authority and size. As an example, in 1500-1600
the role of customs officersgained irnportance through the growing arnount of travet
and trade between Stavanger and Rogaland and the rest of the country. Particularly
important was the sale of oak timberfrom the Ryfylkefjord area to several northern
European counttles, contributing greatly to the growth of the town. A special royal
chartergrantedstavanger a monopoly on this trade. The population grew, as well as the
prospetity of many of its citi- zens, many of whom were imrnigrants, oftenfrom Denmark.
Some of them combined officialdom with commerce, eventually acquiring their ownj7eet of
ships. As a safeguard against major loss of capital through shipwreck, groups of
merchants and shipownersjoined toform part-ownerships in which their shares, as
well as their responsi- bilities, were limited. A leader among these Danish-born
formed into a high school, the Stavanger Cathedral School of our era. Stavanger
became an admin- istrative and tax-collection nucleous as well as the seat of the
court ofjustice. A mayor and councillors served on the city council.
The countyadmin- istrator'spowerful rural repre- sentatives, the bailiffs, also
lived frequently in town. Thejudge and the magistrate employed sci-ibes and agents.
The entire legal and administrative body grew in autho?-ity and size. As an example,
in 1500-1600 the role of customs officersgained importance through the growing amount
of travet and trade between Stavanger and Rogaland and the rest of the country.
Particularly important was the sale of oak timberfrom the Ryfylkefjord area to several northern European count?ies, contributing greatly to the growth of the
town. A special royal chartergranted Stavanger a monopoly on this trade.
The population grew, as well as the prosper@ty of many of its citi- zens, many of whom
were immigrants, oftenfrom Denmark. Some of them combined officialdom with commerce,
eventually acquiring their ownfleet of ships. As a safeguard against major loss of
capital through shipwreck, groups of merchants and shipowners joined to form
part-ownerships in which their shares, as well as their responsi- bilities, were
limited. A leader among these Danish-born
entrepreneurs was mayor Søren Pedersøn Godtzen, who arrived from Denmark in Stavanger
as a 20-year old around the year 1620. Theplacque in the cathe- dral lists him, along
with his numerousfamily, all of whom occupied keypositions in town or the immediate
district; several subsequent generations of hisfamily continued to hold dominating
positions in town. Ryfylke was deforested in the course of afew decades and the royal
revenuefrom Stavanger dropped so drastically that in the 1680s an attempt was made
toforcibly move the citizens to Kristiansand. The bishopric was, infact, moved to
Kristian- sand but the towns c itizens resisted the king's decree and Stavanger
remained a South- West Coast market centre. It was not until 1925 that Stavanger once
again had a bishop of her own, who resided in town. In the course of a later boom
period, a newly affluent Stavanger was able to afford a remarkable blossoming of the
decorative arts and crafts. Wood carving, painting, silver- andgold designflourished
so admfrably that this entire pekodgoes under the name of Stavanger Renaissance. In
addition to the mentioned placque of epitaphs, thepulpit in the Stavanger Cathedral
is an example of this era of artistic greatness, a legacy of beauty carved by Lauritz
Smith. Among the catastrophes suffered by i 7th century Stavanger were two majorfires,
entrepreneurs was mayor Søren Pedersøn Godtzen, who arrived from Denmark in Stavanger
as a 20-year old around the year 1620. Theplacque in the cathe- dral lists him, along
with his numerousfamily, all of whom occupied keypositions in town or the immediate
district; several subsequent generations of hisfamily continued to hold dominating
positions in town. Ryfylke was deforested in the course of afew decades and the
royal revenuefrom Stavanger dropped so drastically that in the 1680s an attempt was
made toforcibly move the citizens to Kristiansand. The bishopric was, infact, moved
to Kristian- sand but the towns citizens resisted the king's decree and Stavanger
remained a South- West Coast market centre. It was not until 1925 that Stavanger
once again had a bishop of her own, who resided in town. In the course of a later boom
period, a newly affluent Stavanger was able to afford a remarkable blossoming of the
decorative arts and crafts. Wood carving, painting, silver@ andgold designflourished
so admfrably that this entire pekodgoes under the name of Stavanger Renaissance. In
addition to the mentioned placque of epitaphs, thepulpit in the Stavanger Cathedral
is an example of this era of artistic greatness, a legacy of beauty carved by Lauritz
Smith. Among the catastrophes suffered by i 7th century Stavanger were two majorfires,
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