Sarpsborg was founded in 1016 by Olav Haraldsson, later known as St. Olav, making it one of the oldest towns in Norway. The original settlement was burned by Swedish troops in 1567, after which the city status was transferred to Fredrikstad nearby. Sarpsborg had to wait until 1839 to regain it.
The town sits by Sarpsfossen, one of Europe's largest waterfalls by volume. The falls drop 20.5 metres with an average discharge of about 577 cubic metres per second. Most of the water is diverted for hydropower, so the visible falls are less dramatic than the numbers suggest. But in spring flood or when the power station reduces intake, the force of the water is remarkable.
Industry defined Sarpsborg. Borregaard, founded in 1889, sits right by the falls and is today one of the world's most advanced biorefineries. It produces cellulose, lignin-based chemicals, vanillin, and ethanol from wood. What started as a pulp mill has become a surprisingly high-tech operation.
In 2005, a Borregaard scrubber tower released bacteria that caused a Legionella outbreak. Over 55 people were infected and 10 died. It remains one of the worst industrial health incidents in modern Norwegian history.
The rivalry between Fredrikstad FK and Sarpsborg 08 is one of Norwegian football's oldest derbies, going back over a century. Feelings run deep on both sides of the Glomma river.
The town sits by Sarpsfossen, one of Europe's largest waterfalls by volume. The falls drop 20.5 metres with an average discharge of about 577 cubic metres per second. Most of the water is diverted for hydropower, so the visible falls are less dramatic than the numbers suggest. But in spring flood or when the power station reduces intake, the force of the water is remarkable.
Industry defined Sarpsborg. Borregaard, founded in 1889, sits right by the falls and is today one of the world's most advanced biorefineries. It produces cellulose, lignin-based chemicals, vanillin, and ethanol from wood. What started as a pulp mill has become a surprisingly high-tech operation.
In 2005, a Borregaard scrubber tower released bacteria that caused a Legionella outbreak. Over 55 people were infected and 10 died. It remains one of the worst industrial health incidents in modern Norwegian history.
The rivalry between Fredrikstad FK and Sarpsborg 08 is one of Norwegian football's oldest derbies, going back over a century. Feelings run deep on both sides of the Glomma river.