Svolvær is the administrative centre of Vågan Municipality (9,200 inhabitants) in Lofoten, Nordland County, Norway. The town itself has a population of 4,378 as of 1 January 2006. Svolvær was separated from Vågan as a town, and municipality of its own, in 1919 - but it was again merged with Vågan January 1, 1964. The place is first mentioned in 1567 ("Suoluer"), but it is probably much older. Svolvær is located in Lofoten on the south coast of Austvågøy, facing the open sea to the south, and with mountains immediately to the north. The most famous mountain, Svolværgeita, was first climbed in 1910. Svolvær is partly located on smaller islands, such as Svinøya, connected to the main island by way of the Svinøy Bridge. Sheltered by the mountains to the north and west, the Svolvær area has less fog and experiences somewhat higher daytime temperatures in summer than the western part of Lofoten, but the same mountains also create more orographic precipitation on rainy days (weather forecast). Precipitation is heaviest in autumn and winter; October averages three times as much rain as does June. Svolvær has an average frost-free season of nearly 6 months. My friend Sissel sent me this lovely card.
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