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{{About||the mining company|Kongsberg Silver Mines|the defence contractor|Kongsberg Gruppen|the place in California|Silver Mountain, California}}
{{Distinguish|Königsberg}}
{{Infobox kommune
| name = Kongsberg 
| idnumber = 3303
| image_skyline = Kongsberg Vestsida.jpg
| image_caption = Kongsberg in July 2006
| county = Buskerud
| nickname = Teknologibyen<br />The City of Technology{{force singular}}
| district = [[Buskerud#Geography|Lower Buskerud]]
| capital = Kongsberg
| language = [[Bokmål]]
| demonym = Kongsbering/ Kongsbergenser<br />Kongsbergensar

| coatofarms = Kongsberg komm.svg
| munwebpage = www.kongsberg.kommune.no
| mayor = Kari Anne Sand 
| mayor_party = [[Centre Party (Norway)|Sp]]
| mayor_as_of = 2015
| area_rank = 138s
| area_total_km2 = 792

| area_land_km2 = 753
| area_water_percent = 0.24
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank = 27
| population_total = 25090
| populationpercent = 0.51
| population_density_km2= 31.2
| population_increase= 8.9
| coordinates = {{coord|59|40|10|N|09|39|06|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
| utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6605111 | utm_easting = 0538265 | geo_cat = adm2nd
}}
'''Kongsberg''' ({{IPA|no|ˈkɔ̂ŋːsbær(ɡ)|-|Kongsberg.ogg}}) is a historical [[mining town]] and [[Municipalities of Norway|municipality]] in [[Buskerud]] [[Counties of Norway|county]], [[Norway]]. The city is located on the river [[Numedalslågen]] at the entrance to the valley of [[Numedal]]. Kongsberg has been a centre of [[silver]] mining, [[Weapon|arms]] production and forestry for centuries, and is the site of high technology industry including the headquarters of Norway's largest defence contractor [[Kongsberg Gruppen]].

Kongsberg, formerly spelled '''Konningsberg''' ({{lit}} "King's Mountain"), was developed as a mining city on the basis of the [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]], founded by and named after King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV of Denmark and Norway]] in 1624. The king invited German engineers and other specialists from [[Saxony]] and the [[Harz]] region to help build the mining company. As a mining city, Kongsberg had a distinct urban culture that contrasted with its surroundings, strongly influenced by the traditions of mining communities in Germany and where the German language was extensively used in mining business and for religious services. In the first years nearly half of the city's population were German immigrants, and the majority of the engineers and executives were German immigrants and their descendants well into the 19th century, becoming a distinct social class called mining families that formed the educated social elite of Kongsberg in contrast to the Norwegian farming population; the first Nobel laureate in economics [[Ragnar Frisch]] belonged to such a Kongsberg mining family. By the 18th century Kongsberg was Norway's second largest city, second only to [[Bergen]]. Kongsberg was one of Norway's two privileged mining cities and thus formed a special mining jurisdiction (''[[Bergstad]]''), and only became part of [[Buskerud]] county in 1760. On 1 January 1838, the [[formannskapsdistrikt|new national law]], creating local governments, made Kongsberg a municipality. The rural municipalities of [[Ytre Sandsvær]] and [[Øvre Sandsvær]] were merged into the municipality of Kongsberg in 1964. Kongsberg gradually lost importance to other cities in the 19th century, particularly to the rapidly growing capital of [[Oslo|Christiania]] (Oslo).

The Kongsberg Silver Mines closed in 1958 after operating for 334 years and is today a museum and the city's main tourist attraction. Kongsberg remains the site of the [[Royal Norwegian Mint]] ({{langx|no|Det Norske Myntverket}}), which mints [[Coins of the Norwegian krone|Norwegian coins]] and also produces circulating and collectors' coins for other countries. Kongsberg is also the home of Norway's major [[defence contractor]], [[Kongsberg Gruppen]], founded in 1814. Two of its best-known products were the [[Kongsberg Colt]] and the [[Krag–Jørgensen]] rifle.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://snl.no/Kongsberg_Gruppen_ASA |title=Kongsberg Gruppen ASA |publisher=Store norske leksikon |access-date= October 1, 2017}}</ref>

Both the [[University of South-Eastern Norway]] Kongsberg campus, and [[Tinius Olsen|Tinius Olsen's school]], a combined technical vocational college and secondary school, are located in Kongsberg.

==Minorities==

{| style="float: center;" class="wikitable"
|+ '''Number of minorities (1st and 2nd generation) in Kongsberg by country of origin in 2017'''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/selectvarval/Define.asp?subjectcode=&ProductId=&MainTable=FolkInnvkatLand&nvl=&PLanguage=1&nyTmpVar=true&CMSSubjectArea=befolkning&KortNavnWeb=innvbef&StatVariant=&checked=true |title=Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents |publisher=ssb.no |access-date=30 July 2017|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702101705/https://www.ssb.no/statistikkbanken/selectvarval/Define.asp?subjectcode=&ProductId=&MainTable=FolkInnvkatLand&nvl=&PLanguage=1&nyTmpVar=true&CMSSubjectArea=befolkning&KortNavnWeb=innvbef&StatVariant=&checked=true |archive-date= 2 July 2015}}</ref>
 
|-
! style="background:#efefef;"|Ancestry
! style="background:#efefef;"|Number
|-
| {{flag|Poland}}||336
|-
| {{flag|Lithuania}}||282
|-
| {{flag|India}}||217
|-
| {{flag|Sweden}}||211
|-
| {{flag|Denmark}}||175
|-
| {{flag|Afghanistan}}||164
|-
| {{flag|Iraq}}||160
|-
| {{flag|Iran}}||136
|-
| {{flag|UK}}||127
|-
| {{flag|Eritrea}}||118
|-
| {{flag|Philippines}}||117
|-
| {{flag|Germany}}||110
|}

==History==
[[File:Silver-3d26c.jpg|thumb|Classic Kongsberg wire-silver, collected in the 1980s. Size {{convert|1.4|x|1|x|0.9|cm|abbr=on}}]]
[[Image:Kongensgruve_0606.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to Christian 7. Stoll.]]
[[Image:Chr7_skraaplan.jpg|thumb|right|Inside the mines. Christian 7. Stoll (right), «skråplanet» (down to the left)]]
[[File:Handcars, Kongensgruve (112-1269 IMG).jpg|thumb|right|Kongsberg Silver Mines]]
[[File:Fra Kongens gruve.jpg|thumb|upright|From Kings Mine, drawn by [[Johannes Flintoe]] in 1834, depicting the work of the Kongsberg mine.]]

Kongsberg was founded by [[Denmark-Norway|Danish-Norwegian]] King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] as a [[mining]] community in 1624 after the discovery of silver. In its second year, the town of Kongsberg and the [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]] began. According to official records, [[silver]] was first discovered by the shepherds children Helga Verp and Jacob Grosvold in the summer of 1623. However, the existence of deposits of precious metals was known previously, as evidenced by indications of earlier silver mining. With the rise of silver mining, Kongsberg became the largest industrial center in [[Norway]] before the industrial revolution. At the peak of silver mining in the early eighteenth century, Kongsberg's silver mines and related industries contributed 10% of the [[Denmark–Norway]] [[gross national product]].

To develop the [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]], [[Christian IV]] hired Germans from the silver mines of [[Saxony]] and [[Harz]] and brought in Germans from other mines in [[Norway]]. The Germans brought their knowledge of mining technology, especially important during the start-up phase. Before 1623, the city was located in the royal territory of [[Sandsvær]].

Four years after the establishment of the [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]], most of the 1,500 workers and officials were still German. Gradually, Norwegians entered the workforce and were hired as supervisors. In 1636, 1,370 Germans and 1,600 Norwegians were employed there. In 1648, there were 1,500 Germans and 2,400 Norwegians working in Kongsberg.

Gunpowder was officially introduced in mining in 1681. Mining in the particularly hard rock of Kongsberg Mountain was energy intensive, so the silver mine continued to develop new technology to reduce production costs. A large artificial dam powered the mine's hoists before electricity was introduced. In 1624, a road from [[Hokksund]] to Kongsberg was built to serve the [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]], the most important road built in Norway in the 17th century. In 1665, the road was extended to [[Kristiansand]] and [[Larvik]].

By 1683, the mining industry was an important industry of the state. The rapid development of Kongsberg meant that the number of workers in the city had increased significantly by the end of the 17th century. The proportion of Norwegians in the workforce increased, but for a long time, the main staff was dominated by Germans. Kongsberg was almost an outpost of Germany in Norway: the mine had a German name, and the official language was German, only later becoming bilingual (German and [[Danish language|Danish]]). In Kongsberg, the German mountain justice system was also used. Legally, this means that the city was bound by independent regulations, partially separating the mining community from the country's legal system. The Germans brought with them the Knappschaft, a guild-like association of miners that provided including free medical assistance, a pension plan, worker sick leave and a Saturday break. The ring agriculture characteristic of Kongsberg may also have been inspired by the German pattern.

The proceeds from silver mining provided a valuable assistance to the tight finances of Denmark. [[Denmark–Norway]] relied heavily on the silver of Kongsberg to support an ongoing war against Sweden. Precious metals also became more and more important in the currency, and to get closer to its source of raw materials, the Royal Mint moved in 1686 from [[Akershus]] to Kongsberg. During the [[Great Northern War]] in 1716, the city became the main target of [[Karl XII]]'s foray into Norderhof.

Kongsberg was particularly known for its [[Kongsberg Silver Mines]] and their high purity. Kongsberg's ore also contained a certain amount of gold and large amounts of [[copper]], [[cobalt]], [[lead]]-[[zinc]] and [[fluorite]]. Roughly {{convert|15750|t|lb}} <ref>[https://www.mindat.org/loc-33366.html Kongsberg silver mining district] at [[Mindat.org]]</ref> of silver was extracted between the discovery of the silver [[ore]] seams in 1623 and the last year of [[mining]] in 1957. The workforce at the Kongsberg silver mine began to increase substantially at the end of the 17th century. In the 1769 [[census]], the mines employed about 4,000 workers. With 8,000 inhabitants in all, the town was the second largest in Norway, after [[Bergen]] (and thus larger than today's capital, [[Oslo]]).<ref>[http://www.mindat.org/loc-33366.html Kongsberg Silver Mining District]</ref>

In Norway's 1749 [[census]], Kongsberg was the most populous town in [[Eastern Norway]]. It was granted its [[royal charter]] of trade&mdash;amounting to official [[market town|township]]&mdash;in 1802. Following several hard years with reduced silver output from the mines, the war of 1807&ndash;1814, and a severe town fire in 1810 where 56 houses on the west side were destroyed, mining was complemented by the government establishing a [[defense industry]] in 1814. By 1835, the population had declined to 3,540.

Kongsberg is home to the [[Royal Norwegian Mint]] ({{langx|no|Det Norske Myntverket}}), which mints [[Coins of the Norwegian krone|Norwegian coins]] and also produces circulating and collectors' coins for other countries such as Israel. It was established in 1686, and was renamed from the ''Royal Norwegian Mint'' ({{langx|no|Den Kongelige Mynt}}) in 2004 after having been sold to private investors (the [[Mint of Finland]] and Norwegian company [[Samlerhuset]]) in 2003. Kongsberg is also the site of the [[Kongsberg School of Mines]] (''Kongsberg Bergseminar''), an academic institution for mining technology which operated from 1757 to 1814.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myntverket.no/sider/tekst.asp?side=3&valgtmenypunkt=11 |title=Det Norske Myntverkets historie |publisher=Det Norske Myntverkets|access-date= October 1, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170704033532/http://www.myntverket.no/sider/tekst.asp?side=3&valgtmenypunkt=11|archive-date= July 4, 2017|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://snl.no/Kongsberg_bergseminar |title=Kongsberg bergseminar |publisher=Store norske leksikon|access-date= October 1, 2017}}</ref>

During peaceful times, the defence industry gradually evolved into many other kinds of [[high tech]] activities as well, now dominating the town's employment.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} In 1987, however, the state-owned Kongsberg Weapons Factory (''Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk'') suffered a major financial crisis as well as accusations of breaching the [[CoCom]] rules by selling sensitive technology to the [[Warsaw Pact|Soviet bloc]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} As a result, the company was split into several smaller units and partly sold to private investors.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Today, the separate firms thrive as one of Norway's main high-tech industrial clusters, centering on the defence and maritime company [[Kongsberg Gruppen]] which is listed on the [[Oslo Stock Exchange]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

On 13 October 2021, [[Kongsberg attack|a man stabbed multiple people with a bladed weapon]], killing five and injuring three. Police subsequently apprehended a suspect whom the Kongsberg police chief later told reporters was a [[Muslim convert]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/man-kills-several-people-norway-bow-arrow-attacks-police-say-2021-10-13/ |title=Man kills several people in Norway in bow and arrow attacks, police say |publisher=Reuters |date=13 October 2021 |accessdate=13 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Ellen |last1=Francis |first2=Erin |last2=Cunningham |first3=Rachel |last3=Pannett |first4=Rick |last4=Noack |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/13/norway-kongsberg-bow-arrow-attack/ |title=Norway bow-and-arrow attack that killed five people appears to be 'terrorist act,' police say |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=13 October 2021 |accessdate=14 October 2021}}</ref>

==Coat-of-arms==
The [[Coat of arms|coat-of-arms]] is from modern times and was designed by [[Hallvard Trætteberg]]. They were granted on 25 August 1972. They are based upon the old seal for the city from 1689 which shows the [[Roman mythology|Roman god]] [[Janus (mythology)|Janus]] dressed as an [[Roman emperor|emperor]] (to represent the king); the [[sword]] and the pair of scales represents [[justice]]. The colour green represents the forests, silver represents the mountains, and gold represents wealth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mail1.kongsberg.kommune.no/intradok.nsf/02dd68ed9bcb920ec125693500572f6d/a4de2278019337dfc12569dc003de982?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=2.1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724180605/http://mail1.kongsberg.kommune.no/intradok.nsf/02dd68ed9bcb920ec125693500572f6d/a4de2278019337dfc12569dc003de982?OpenDocument&ExpandSection=2.1|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-24 |title=Kommunevåpen |publisher=Kongsberg kommune|access-date=2009-01-10 |language=no}}</ref>

==Geography==
Kongsberg is located at the mouth of the valley [[Numedal]]; farther to the South the valley is called [[Lågendalen]].

The neighbouring municipalities of Kongsberg are [[Flesberg]] to the north; [[Øvre Eiker]] and [[Hof Municipality (Vestfold)|Hof]] to the east; [[Lardal]], [[Siljan, Norway|Siljan]], and [[Skien Municipality|Skien]] to the south; and [[Sauherad]] and [[Notodden]] to the west. Of these, the two first lie in Buskerud county like Kongsberg, while Hof and Lardal lie in [[Vestfold]], and the others lie in [[Telemark]]. The town is divided by the river [[Numedalslågen]], which has three [[waterfall]]s in the town itself.
{{Further|Buaren}}

==Climate==
Kongsberg has a [[humid continental climate]] (Dfb), with late summer and autumn as the wettest season and February – April as the driest season. Kongsberg has warm summers by Norwegian standards; average daily highs in summer are comparable to Oslo. In winter Kongsberg is colder than Oslo, and snow cover on the ground is common. The largest snow depth recorded is 123&nbsp;cm on 3 March 2006.The all-time high temperature {{convert|34.6|°C}} was recorded 19 June 1970, while 10 August 1975 recorded {{convert|34.5|°C}}. The all-time low {{convert|-32.5|°C}} was recorded 3 January 1941. As pr January 2022, all monthly record lows are old, 11 from before 1950. All record highs are from after 1950, 5 of 12 from after 2000 (pr January 2022). Kongsberg has recorded {{convert|30|°C}} as early as 14 May (in 2000). The weather station Kongsberg brannstasjon has recorded since 2003, extremes includes data from Kongsberg II, III and IV.
{{Weather box 
|width=auto
|metric first = yes
|single line  = yes
|location     = Kongsberg 1991–2020 (170 m, extremes 1915–2020 also includes earlier stations)
|Jan record high C = 14.2 | Jan record low C = -32.5
|Feb record high C = 16.7 | Feb record low C = -29.3
|Mar record high C = 20.5 | Mar record low C = -25.3
|Apr record high C = 26.2 | Apr record low C = -16.9
|May record high C = 30.1 | May record low C = -7.6
|Jun record high C = 34.6 | Jun record low C = -1.1
|Jul record high C = 32.9 | Jul record low C = 2
|Aug record high C = 34.5 | Aug record low C = 0.3
|Sep record high C = 28 | Sep record low C = -4.9
|Oct record high C = 24.6 | Oct record low C = -14.1
|Nov record high C = 15.9 | Nov record low C = -22
|Dec record high C = 13.8 | Dec record low C = -31.1
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean C = -4.2
| Feb mean C = -3.2
| Mar mean C = 0.4
| Apr mean C = 5.1
| May mean C = 10.5
| Jun mean C = 14.5
| Jul mean C = 16.7
| Aug mean C = 15.2
| Sep mean C = 10.8
| Oct mean C = 5
| Nov mean C = 0.2
| Dec mean C = -3.8
|year mean C = 
<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
|precipitation colour = green<!-- Enter "green" for green precipitation colours, remove this line for blue colouring. -->
| Jan precipitation mm =64.7
| Feb precipitation mm = 40.8
| Mar precipitation mm = 42.9
| Apr precipitation mm = 46.3
| May precipitation mm = 66.2
| Jun precipitation mm = 79.4
| Jul precipitation mm = 85.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 96.1
| Sep precipitation mm = 84.5
| Oct precipitation mm = 95.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 88.6
| Dec precipitation mm = 59.1
|year precipitation mm = 
<!-- Mandatory fields, source -->
|source 1= Norwegian Meteorological Institute/yr.no<ref>{{Cite web |title=yr.no |url=https://www.yr.no/en/statistics/table/5-28380/Norway/Viken/Kongsberg/Kongsberg |publisher=Norwegian Meteorological Institute}}</ref>
|source 2= Værogvind<ref>{{Cite web |title=verogvind |url=https://verogvind.net/showpage.asp?id=110 }}</ref>
}}

==Transportation==
The main highways are the [[European route E134|E134]], crossing Kongsberg east to west (and connected to the [[European route E18|E18]] to [[Oslo]]), and [[Norwegian national road]] 40 ''(Riksvei 40)'', going north to south. The [[Sørland Line]] stops at Kongsberg Rail Station, with connection to local and regional bus lines.

==Culture==
{{multiple image |direction=horizontal |total_width=300
|image1=Kongsbergkirkefront.jpg|caption1=Kongsberg Church
|image2=Gloger organ Kongsberg.jpg|caption2=Kongsberg Church baroque organ
}}
With the population increase during the town's silver mining heyday of the mid-eighteenth century came the need for a new church, which was built over a 21-year period and inaugurated in 1761. It has an austere red [[brick]] exterior, but a richly decorated [[baroque]] interior including unique [[chandelier]]s made at ''Nøstetangen'' Glass Works in neighbouring [[Hokksund]]. Kongsberg Church remains one of the largest in Norway with a [[seating capacity]] of 2,400.

The church's original baroque-era [[pipe organ]], made by renowned German [[organ (music)|organ]] builder [[Gottfried Heinrich Gloger]] in 1760&ndash;65, was fully restored by [[Jürgen Ahrend]] in 1999&ndash;2000 and reopened to great fanfare in January 2001. With its 42 voices, it is the largest baroque organ in [[Scandinavia]]. At the end of January each year, the Gloger Music Festival now draws a select crowd of artists and music lovers from all over the world.

Since 1964, Kongsberg has hosted [[Kongsberg Jazzfestival]], an annual international [[jazz]] festival. Heavily sponsored by the local industry, prominent world acts such as [[B. B. King]], [[Diana Krall]], [[Ornette Coleman]], [[Joshua Redman]] and [[John Scofield]] have played at the festival in recent years.

== Sport ==
The town is known for many great [[ski jumping|ski jumper]]s. [[Birger Ruud]] and his two brothers, as well as many other townsmen, such as [[Petter Hugsted]], won numerous medals in Winter Olympics and other international championships in the 1930s and 1940s. The first ski jumping technique, the [[Kongsberger technique|Konsberger]] was developed by [[Jacob Tullin Thams]] and [[Sigmund Ruud]] in Kongsberg, and was the most popular ski jumping technique from the late 1920s to the late 1950s. Their medals and equipment can be seen at the [[Kongsberg Skiing Museum]] (''Kongsberg Skimuseum'') which is co-located with the [[Norwegian Mining Museum]] (''Norsk Bergverksmuseum'') in central Kongsberg. Inventor of the modern [[ski binding]], [[Norwegian-American]] skier and Olympic skiing coach [[Hjalmar Hvam]], was born in Kongsberg in 1902.
Recent winter sports athletes of the Kongsberg region include Olympic snowboarders [[Stine Brun Kjeldaas]], [[Silje Norendal]] and [[Halvor Lunn]]; [[cross-country skiing (sport)|cross-country ski]] sprinter [[Børre Næss]] of the village ''Efteløt''; and ski jumper [[Sigurd Pettersen]] of nearby municipality [[Rollag]] (60&nbsp;km/37&nbsp;mi north of Kongsberg). A large ski centre for [[alpine skiing]] and [[snowboard]]ing, with several [[ski lift|lift]]s and ca 320&nbsp;m of height difference has been in operation and gradually expanding since 1965. Kongsberg hosted the cross-country skiing parts of the 2006 [[Nordic skiing]] National Championships. The arranging sports club was IL Skrim, the ski tracks being located at [[Heistadmoen]], a former military camp.

The local basketball team [[Kongsberg Miners]] is regarded one of the best teams in the country.

The [[1978 World Orienteering Championships]] were held in Kongsberg.<ref name=iof-woc1978>{{cite web |url=http://orienteering.org/events/?event_id=22 |title=World Orienteering Championships 1978 |publisher=[[International Orienteering Federation]] |access-date=15 September 2017}}</ref>

[[Motorcycle speedway]] has been prominent in Kongsberg. The first track existed at the Kongsberg Idrettsparken and it held the final of the [[Norwegian Individual Speedway Championship]] in 1969.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmnorwegii.php |title=Individual Speedway Norwegian Championship | website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego |access-date=15 February 2024}}</ref> More recently speedway practices have sporadically been run on an oval track (known as Basserudåsen Speedway) constructed by the NMK Kongsberg, adjacent to the Kongsberg Motorsenter Gokart.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nmk-kongsberg.no/ |title=Home| website=ongsberg Motorsenter |access-date=15 February 2024}}</ref> This site also held the final of the Norwegian Championships in 1997, 1998 and 2003.

==The crowns in Håvet==
[[File:Kronene i Håvet.JPG|thumb|upright|Kronene i Håvet]]
This attraction (''Kronene i Håvet'') is a site where Norwegian royal monograms have been carved into the mountainside overlooking Kongsberg to mark royal visits to the city. In June 1704 King [[Frederik IV]] visited Kongsberg and started a tradition that is still celebrated. King Frederik also arranged for the monograms of visits from earlier monarchs to be recorded as well.

The first monogram on the hillside property belonged to [[Christian IV]] who in 1624 founded Kongsberg at the site of the newly discovered silver deposits. His visit was followed by that of [[Frederik III]] (1648) and [[Christian V]] (1685). [[Christian VI]] and his Queen Sofie Magdalene (1733), [[Frederick V of Denmark|Frederik V]] (1749), [[Oscar I of Sweden|Oscar I]] (1845), [[Oscar II of Sweden|Oscar II]] (1890), [[Haakon VII]] (1908), [[Olav V]] (1962) and most recently [[Harald V]] (1995).

== Kongsberg Technology Park ==
Kongsberg Technology Park is a part of Kongsberg that is located in Kirkegårdsveien 45 and the Arsenal on Kongsgårdsmoen. It has over 5.200 employees, spread across 60 nationalities and 48 countries and can trace its roots back to 1814. Among the tenants in Kongsberg Technology Park are Kongsberg Gruppen, [[Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace]], [[GKN Aerospace]], [[Siemens Energy AG|Siemens Energy]], Kongsberg Terotech, [[TechnipFMC]], [[Data Respons]], and [[Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Om Kongsberg Teknologipark |url=https://www.kongsberg-teknologipark.no/om-oss/ |access-date=2021-02-11 |website=Kongsberg Teknologipark |language=nb-NO |archive-date=2021-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210417170359/https://www.kongsberg-teknologipark.no/om-oss/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The park also manages properties in [[Stjørdal (town)|Stjørdal]], [[Horten (town)|Horten]], [[Sandefjord (town)|Sandefjord]], [[Skedsmo]], [[Asker]], [[Bærum Municipality|Bærum]], [[Oslo]], [[Rygge]], [[Kristiansand (town)|Kristiansand]], [[Stavanger (city)|Stavanger]], [[Ulsteinvik]] and [[Brattvåg]].

==Notable residents==
=== Public service & public thinking ===
[[File:Poul Steenstrup av Christian Olsen, Eidsvoll 1814, EM.01509 (cropped).jpg|upright=0.65|thumb|Poul Steenstrup, 1814]]
* [[Johan Gerhard de Besche]] (1821–1875) – a physician, owned the [[Morgenbladet]] newspaper
* [[Christian Peder Bianco Boeck]] (1798–1877) – a doctor, zoologist, botanist and mountaineer
* [[Carl Wilhelm Boeck]] (1808–1875) – a Norwegian dermatologist
* [[Erik Brofoss]] (1908–1979) – Economist and jurist, politician for the [[Labour Party (Norway)|Labour Party]] and central bank governor
* [[Thomas Bryn]] (1782–1827) – a jurist, magistrate and rep. at the [[Norwegian Constitutional Assembly|Constitutional Assembly]]
* [[Anders Bugge]] (1889–1955) – Norwegian theologist and art historian
* [[Morten Thrane Esmark]] (1801–1882) – a Norwegian priest and mineralogist, Discoverer of [[Thorium]]
* [[Sverre Fehn]] (1924–2009) – Architect and professor at [[Oslo School of Architecture and Design|Oslo's School of Architecture]] from 1971 to 1995
* [[Roar Flåthen]] (born 1950) – Union leader and [[Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions|LO]] leader from 2007 to 2013.
* [[Bernt Hagtvet]] (born 1946) – Professor of political science at the University of Oslo
[[File:ThoralfSkolem-OB.F06426c.jpg|thumb|[[Thoralf Skolem]] made revolutionary contributions to [[mathematical logic]]|211x211px]]<!--- Skolem image here, article below ---> 
* [[Paul Ernst Wilhelm Hartmann]] (1878–1974) – Finance minister who served in the [[Nygaardsvold's Cabinet|exile government]] of [[Johan Nygaardsvold]] during [[World War II]]
* [[Iver Heltzen]] (1785–1842) – Norwegian priest, naturalist, and author
* [[Gustava Kielland]] (1800–1889) – Writer and missionary
* [[Jens Landmark]] (1811–1880) – a Norwegian military officer and Mayor of Kongsberg
* [[Tinius Olsen]] (1845–1932) – [[Norwegian-American]] [[engineer]] and [[inventor]]
* [[Ole Petter Ottersen]] (born 1955) – Professor of medicine and rector at the University of Oslo from 2009 to 2017
* [[Thoralf Skolem]] (1887–1963) – Professor of mathematics at the [[University of Oslo]]<!--- Skolem article here, image above ---> 
* [[Poul Steenstrup]] (1772–1864) – industrial entrepreneur and rep. the [[Norwegian Constitutional Assembly|Constitutional Assembly]]
* [[Gunhild Stordalen]] (born 1979) – Physician and environmentalist, was married to the billionaire [[Petter Stordalen]]
* [[Jørgen Herman Vogt]] (1784–1862) – First Minister of Norway, 1855 to 1858

=== The Arts ===
[[File:Maurits Hansen.jpg|upright=0.65|thumb|Maurits Hansen]]
* [[Tine Asmundsen]] (born 1963) – a Norwegian jazz bassist
* [[Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire|Ingri d'Aulaire]] (1904–1980) – American writer of children's books
* [[Håkon Austbø]] (born 1948) – a classical pianist and academic in the Netherlands
* [[Halfdan Cleve]] (1879–1951) – classical composer and music teacher
* [[Ivar Grydeland]] (born 1976) – [[jazz guitar]]ist, raised in Kongsberg
* [[Maurits Hansen]] (1794–1842) – journalist and novelist, teacher in Kongsberg from 1826
* [[Morten Harket]] (born 1959) – lead singer of the [[synth-pop]] band [[a-ha]]
* [[Per Theodor Haugen]] (1932–2018) – actor and theater manager
* [[Morten Qvenild]] (born 1978) – [[jazz piano|jazz pianist]], band leader and producer
* [[Otto Sinding]] (1842–1909) – painter, illustrator, poet and dramatist
* [[Christian Sinding]] (1856–1941) – composer and pianist

=== Sport ===
[[File:Birger Ruud3.jpg|upright=0.65|thumb|Birger Ruud, 1936]]
* [[Hans Beck (ski jumper)|Hans Beck]] (1911–1996) – ski jumper, silver medalist at the [[1932 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Ailo Gaup (motocross rider)|Ailo Gaup]] (born 1979) – former [[freestyle motocross]] rider who invented the Underflip and won world title in [[Freestyle motocross|FMX]]
* [[Petter Hugsted]] (1921–2000) – ski jumper, gold medalist in the [[1948 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Hjalmar Hvam]] (1902–1996) – Nordic skier and invented the first safety ski binding
* [[Bryan King (footballer, born 1947)|Bryan King]] (born 1947) – British footballer with over 540 club caps and [[scout (association football)|scout]], lives in Kongsberg
* [[Roy Mikkelsen]] (1907–1967) – an American Olympic ski jumper and US Champion
* [[Silje Norendal]] (born 1993) – Snowboarder and gold medalist in [[Winter X Games]] 
* [[Birger Ruud]] (1911–1998) – ski jumper, gold medalist at the [[1932 Winter Olympics|1932]] & [[1936 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Sigmund Ruud]] (1907–1994) – ski jumper, silver medalist at the [[1928 Winter Olympics]]
* [[Magnus Sylling Olsen]] (born 1983) – a retired Norwegian footballer with over 250 club caps
* [[Daniel-André Tande]] (born 1994) – ski jumper and team gold medalist at the [[2018 Winter Olympics]]

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway}}
Kongsberg is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web |title=Formannskapet: Myndighet og ansvarsområde |url=https://www.kongsberg.kommune.no/globalassets/dokumenter/12politikk-og-innsyn/02presentasjoner/02formannskap/191106presentasjon-formannkapets-ansvar-og-myndighet.pdf |website=kongsberg.kommune.no |publisher=Kongsberg Kommune |page=15 |language=no |date=2019-11-06|access-date=2021-05-04}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Chitose, Hokkaido|Chitose]], Japan
*{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Espoo]], Finland
*{{flagicon|NED}} [[Gouda, South Holland|Gouda]], Netherlands
*{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Køge Municipality|Køge]], Denmark
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Kristianstad Municipality|Kristianstad]], Sweden
<!--Red Wing – twinning ended-->
*{{flagicon|ISL}} [[Skagafjörður (municipality)|Skagafjörður]], Iceland
{{div col end}}

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Kongsberg stasjon.jpg|Kongsberg Rail Station
File:Bergseminaret 2010.JPG|Kongsberg School of Mines
File:Norwegian Mining Museum.jpg|Norwegian Mining Museum
File:Tinius Olsens skole.jpg|Tinius Olsens School
File:Kongsberg Bergskrivergaarden.jpg|Kongsberg Bergskrivergaarden
File:KRONA 4.jpg|University of South-Eastern Norway, campus Kongsberg
File:Kongsberg sykehus IMG 0489.JPG|Kongsberg hospital
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Grøntjernkollen]]
*[[Kongsberg Skiing Museum]]
*[[Mykle]], lake
*[[Norwegian Mining Museum]]

==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kongsberg}}
{{wiktionary|Kongsberg}}
{{EB1911 poster|Kongsberg}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Buskerud}}
*{{Wikivoyage inline|Kongsberg}}
*[https://www.laagendalsposten.no/historiske-bilder/historiske-bilder-bildegalleri/historiske-bilder-fra-kongsberg/g/2-2.1601-1.3315358 Photos of the town – old and new]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050308210715/http://www.solvveien.no/index_english.htm Kongsberg Tourist Office] – Comprehensive information about the town and surrounding landscape, including photos and webcams
*[http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Norway/Buskerud/Kongsberg-217419/TravelGuide-Kongsberg.html Kongsberg Travel Guide]- From VirtualTourist.com; contains tourist-submitted photos and articles
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051028182706/http://www.kongsberg-jazzfestival.no/default.asp?uid=172&CID=172 Kongsberg Jazz Festival] – Official website, with lists of artists and concert dates {{in lang|no}}
*[http://www.gloger.no/ The Gloger Academy] – History of the Gloger Organ and information on upcoming concerts and the Gloger Music Festival {{in lang|no}}
*[http://www.laagendalsposten.no/ Laagendalsposten] Local newspaper covering Kongsberg and [[Numedal]] {{in lang|no}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Kongsberg
|North = [[Flesberg]]
|Northeast = 
|East = [[Øvre Eiker]]<br/>[[Holmestrand]]
|Southeast = 
|South = [[Skien Municipality|Skien]]<br/>[[Siljan, Norway|Siljan]]<br/>[[Larvik]]
|Southwest = 
|West = [[Notodden]]<br/>[[Midt-Telemark (municipality)|Midt-Telemark]]
|Northwest = 
}}
{{Buskerud}}
{{30 most populous cities of Norway}}
{{Cities founded by Christian IV}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kongsberg| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Buskerud]]
[[Category:Ski areas and resorts in Norway]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Norway]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1624]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Numedalslågen]]
[[Category:1624 establishments in Norway]]