Hirtshals
Hirtshals | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Hirtshals | |
  Hirtshals Location in Denmark  Hirtshals Hirtshals (North Jutland Region) | |
| Coordinates:57°35′N09°57′E/ 57.583°N 9.950°E | |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | North Denmark (Nordjylland) |
| Municipality | Hjørring |
| Settled | 1860, when theLighthousewas built |
| Incorporated (city) | 1919-1931 |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 4.43 km2(1.71 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 90 m (295.5 ft) |
| Population (1 January 2024)[1] | |
| •Urban | 5,434 |
| • Urban density | 1,200/km2(3,200/sq mi) |
| • Gender[2] | 2,744 males and 2,690 females |
| Demonym | Hirtshalsgenser or Hirtshalsboer |
| Time zone | UTC+1(Central European Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2(European Summer Time) |
| Postal code | DK-9850 Hirtshals |
| Website | Hjørring Municipality |
Hirtshalsis atownandseaporton thecoast of Skagerrakon theislandofVendsyssel-Thyat the top of theJutlandpeninsula in northernDenmark,Europe.It is located inHjørring municipalityinRegion Nordjylland.The town of Hirtshals has a population of 5,434 (1 January 2024).[1]Located on theSkagerrak,it is especially known for itsfishingandferryharbours.
History[edit]
The town of Hirtshals developed around theartificial harbourwhich was constructed between 1919 and 1931. In 1925, theHjørring-Hirtshalsrailway lineopened to link the port of Hirtshals with the Danish rail network. In 1966, the harbour was expanded and became one of the largestfishing portsin Denmark. On September 8 1989Partnair flight 394crashed off the coast of Hirtshals killing all 55 passengers on board.[3]
Until 1 January 2007, Hirtshals was also the seat ofHirtshals Municipalitywhich was merged with existingHjørring,Løkken-Vrå,andSindalmunicipalities to form an enlargedHjørring Municipality.
Geography[edit]
Hirtshals is located on thesandandclaypromontoryHirtshals,overlooking theSkagerrakbetween theJammer Bayand theTannis Bay.The shoreline is backed by lowcliffs,beneath which is a narrow and rockybeach.
Cityscape[edit]
The town's 35-metre-highlighthouse,Hirtshals fyr,is a local landmark. Building was begun on 28 June 1860, and it was first lit on 1 January 1863. It is constructed of red brick and covered with Dutch tile.
Climate[edit]
 | This sectionis written like areview.(May 2010) |
The sea level has been[when?]as high as 1 metre over the norm.[clarification needed]But in days where there is no wind, the waves typically will not be higher than maximum 20 cm (8 in) over normal sea level.
Due to the proximity of the town to the coast, sea fog is not an uncommon occurrence. In the winter, the air temperature can fall as low as 1.6 degrees, but in the summer, it can reach over 25 degrees Celsius.[4]
Waves[edit]
Hirtshals Havnekontor (Hirtshals' Harbour Office) keeps track of wave periods. Annual wave periods fluctuate between half a second, up to about 9 seconds. According to Hirtshals Havnekontor (Hirtshals' Harbour Office) normal wave heights are between 2 and 2.5 metres.
Wind[edit]
The prevailing wind in Hirtshals is to the south or south-west. Wind speeds vary all year long, usually topping at 10 m/s during the winter.
Economy[edit]
Fishing plays a big role for the town and its inhabitants, as does tourism and the renting ofsummer homes. Due to the ferry connections withNorway,the shops in Hirtshals thrive on the large number of visitors, especially Norwegians, who shop in the small town all year long. Hirtshals also provides good employment in manufacturing industries like ‘Jackson, Lilleheden and Scanvogn’.
Culture[edit]
It is the home of one of the largestaquariumsin Europe, theNordsøen Oceanarium.This was built in 1984 as Nordsømuseet, The North Sea Museum, and got its present name after it was extended in 1998 to include a fish tank containing 4.5 million litres of water, making it the largest in northern Europe. The Oceanarium has 70 different species in its collection. A fire in December 2003 destroyed the new extension, but it was rebuilt and reopened on 22 July 2005.
The 2014 Danish filmThe Sunfishis set in Hirtshals.
Transportation[edit]
Credit: Marius Vassnes
Port of Hirtshals[edit]
Hirtshals is the Danish terminal for the services of the Norwegian ferry company,Color Line.Each year thousands of tourists travel back and forth between Hirtshals and the Norwegian cities ofKristiansandandLarvik.Previously,Color Linealso offered services toBergen,StavangerandOslo,but decided to stop operating these routes in early 2008. Another ferry operator,Fjord Line,now operates a route toBergen,Stavanger,KristiansandandLangesund.It has also been possible since autumn 2010 to travel toTórshavnin theFaroe Islandsand toSeyðisfjörðurinIcelandwithSmyril Line.The port hasLNGfacilities for the ferries,[5]and hosts the firstwind farmbuilt without subsidies.[6][7]
Railway stations[edit]
TheHirtshals railway lineconnects Hirtshals with Hjørring and the rest of theDanish rail network.Hirtshals railway stationis the principal railway station of the town. The town is also served by therailway haltsLillehedenandEmmersbæk.
Notable people[edit]
- Niels Hausgaard(born 1944 in Hirtshals) singer, songwriter and comedian[8]
- Kim Lynge Pedersen(born 1965 in Hirtshals) a Danish weightlifter, competed in the1992 Summer Olympics
- Lene Espersen(born 1965 in Hirtshals) former politician,Deputy Prime Minister2008/2011
- Louise Jensen(1971 in Hirtshals – 1994) a tour guide working in Cyprus, murdered by three British soldiers
- Simon Mathew(born 1984 in Hirtshals) pop singer
- Dodo and the Dodos(begun in 1986) pop band on Danish radio stations in the 1980s
- Patrick Pedersen(born 1991 in Hirtshals) footballer, plays as a striker forValur
Local radio[edit]
- Skaga FM,[9]formerly known asRadio Hirtshals,is a local radio station that plays domestic and foreign hits from the 1980s, 1990s and onwards, and reports on current events happening within the municipality ofHjørring.MHz: 105.6 FM.
- Since early 2010, local ferry operatorColor Line(serves two ferry routes between Hirtshals and Norway) have had their own radio station, Color Radio, that plays popular songs from mostly the 1980s and 1990s. It also gives passengers from Hirtshals to Norway information about the next departure, and when check-in closes. The radio can be heard all over Hirtshals town, and from the motorway roundabout near Aabyen at theE39.MHz: 95.3 FM.
External links[edit]
- Hjørring Municipality's official website(in Danish)
- North Sea Museum
- Hirtshals local online newspaper(in Danish)
Links to Hirtshals Weather[edit]
- Hirtshals Havnekontor Weathermeasurings, updates every minute (Only in metric)
- DMI Hirtshals (Only in metric)'
- Weather-Forecast.com Hirtshals (Metric & Imperial)
Webcams of Hirtshals Harbour[edit]
- 2 Webcams on Hirtshals Harbour
- The first one on the page is Pier II, and the second is Frontbassin towards northeast.
References[edit]
- ^abBY3: Population 1. January by urban areas, area and population densityThe Mobile Statbank fromStatistics Denmark
- ^BY1: Population 1. January by urban areas, age and sexThe Mobile Statbank fromStatistics Denmark
- ^Ap (1989-09-09)."Plane Crash Off Danish Coast Kills 55".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2024-05-26.
- ^Hirtshals Havnekontor Weathermeasurings
- ^"Fjord Line is rebuilding single-fuel LNG-ships to dual-fuel".Shippax.
- ^"Subsidy-Free Onshore Wind Gains Traction in Europe".www.greentechmedia.com.
- ^Hirtshals wind turbinesonYouTube
- ^IMDb Databaseretrieved 25 April 2020
- ^The Skaga FM official website (Mainly in Danish, but offers German tourist radio during the summer)
- Municipal statistics:NetBorger Kommunefakta,delivered fromKMD aka Kommunedata (Municipal Data)
- Municipal mergers and neighbors:Eniro new municipalities map
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