Hammerfest Municipality, Municipality in northern Finnmark, Norway
Hammerfest spreads across several islands, including Kvaløya and Sørøya, where mountains rise straight from the Arctic Ocean. Settlements line the coasts between steep fjords and open bays.
The area received its town charter in 1789 and grew into a trading hub linking northern Norway with northwest Russia. After complete destruction in World War II, every building had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Residents experience the midnight sun from mid-May through late July, while the polar night lasts from November through January. This shift between endless daylight and prolonged darkness shapes how people live and work in the far north.
Coastal waters remain ice-free year-round thanks to the Gulf Stream, so ferries and boats operate even in winter. Most roads follow the coastline, while tunnels and bridges link the islands together.
A station of the Struve Geodetic Arc, a 19th-century survey now recognized by UNESCO, marks the northernmost point of a measurement chain reaching down to Ukraine. These survey points helped determine the exact shape of Earth at the time.
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