| KRISTIANSAND - NORWAY
Kristiansand (earlier
Christianssand) is the capital city of the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. It
had 75,280 inhabitants as of January 1, 2004, making it the fifth largest
city in Norway. The administrative district of the city covers 276 square
kilometers.
Kristiansand was founded by King Christian IV, who in 1641 said the famous
words "here the town shall stand". The centre of Kristiansand is called
Kvadraturen due to its square gridline of streets.
The zoological garden, Kristiansand Dyrepark
(Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park) just east of the city, has a wide
selection of animals in, for the most part, natural habitats. This includes
animals such as wolves and the lynx. Due to the allocation of areas the
combination of zoo and recreational park turns out surprisingly well.
Each year in July, Kristiansand is the site of the Quart Festival, a multi-day
rock music festival. [1] (http://www.quart.no/templates/dt_front.asp?gid=1001)
The Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit was born and raised in
Kristiansand.
Note: Even though the names actually are different, Kristiansand is often
noted as Kristiansand S (S for South) to distinguish it from Kristiansund N,
also in Norway. The practice originated before postal codes were introduced,
as mail sometimes was sent to the wrong city.
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