Living in Grimstad

In 2007, Grimstad was selected by the board of the University of Agder to host a new campus for all the University's activities in Aust-Agder. On August 1st 2010, UiA's new state-of the art campus at Grimstad's Technology Park opened its doors to more than 2500 engineering, nursing, business management and teacher education students.

Grimstad has a long history as a centre for telecommunications research. Today, Grimstad is home to Ericsson's "Systemhouse mobile internet", which is Ericssons biggest research and development centre in Norway. It is also an important shipping town, and home to the Ugland, Bergshaven and Tønnevold shipping companies.

Grimstad has recently also become famous for its microbrewery Nøgne Ø, which has won international acclaim for its selection of bottle conditioned ale.

For those seeking to relax and enjoy life by the sea, Grimstad boasts one of Norways's highest number of recorded days of sunshine per year, and the coast is littered with islands, skerries and small beaches tucked away between the rocky shores. The cobbled streets of Grimstad's town centre, with its little white houses, take you back to the days when the young Henrik Ibsen served as an apprentice to local pharmacist Reimann. You can read about Ibsen's intimate knowledge of the local people and surroundings in Terje Vigen.

Cultural attractions include the Maritime Museum, the Town Museum and the Norwegian Horticultural Museum. During early summer Grimstad plays host to the Norwegian Short Film Festival, which attracts film enthusiasts from far and near. Agder Theatre - Fjæreheia is an open-air stage located in a disused stone quarry. The stage has been graced by performances of several of Ibsen's plays. Throughout the year, Grimstad also hosts a wealth of exhibitions and concerts.

Read more about Grimstad on Wikipedia.

Figures on Grimstad Municipality from Statistics Norway.

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