Asker is a municipality in the county of Akershus, Norway and a suburb of Oslo.
Asker was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).
Geography
Its main parts are Asker, Gullhella, Vollen, Vettre, Blakstad, Borgen, Drengsrud, Vardåsen, Engelsrud, Holmen, Høn, Hvalstad, Billingstad, Nesøya, Nesbru and Heggedal. Asker is a notably coastal place with many beautiful beaches, but it is also a place of hills and woods. The district is known for many important businesses. It is also known for gardening. The Skaugum estate, where Crown Prince Haakon of Norway lives with his family, is situated here. The first IKEA store outside of Sweden opened in Asker in 1963 .
Culture
Although Asker is principally a rural municipality, the expansion of Oslo has resulted in its becoming an affluent suburb. Thus numerous celebrities now reside in the area.
Asker is also the home of the Frisk Asker Tigers, who won the Norwegian Hockey championship in 2002. Asker Skiklubb is a nationally well known sports club. It has a long history dating back to 1889. Many of Asker's famous people have been successful individuals associated with the sports club.
Asker, more notably Blakstad, was a stronghold for the Baglers, who contended with the Birkebeiners during a civil war during the Viking period.
The city is the home of Asker svømmeklubb too.
The name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Asker, since the first church was built here. The name (Norse Askar) is the plural form of ask 'ashtree'.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1975). It shows three ashtrees.
Politics
Asker is politically dominated by the conservatives, and the mayor is Morten Strand from Høyre (Conservatives)
Famous residents
External links
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