2025Stavanger 900th Anniversary - First Day Cover

Stavanger’s cathedral was completed in 1125, and with the establishment of the diocese, the story of Stavanger began. In the Middle Ages, Stavanger was a small but important trading center with strong ties to England and the continent. In the 1800s, the city "exploded" when herring returned to the coast in large numbers, and Stavanger became a center for herring fishing, processing and canning. The population increased significantly, and the city became one of Norway's largest. The oil industry has given Stavanger an international character and prosperity for decades. At the same time, the Stavanger has managed to preserve its cultural history and atmosphere, with its old town being Northern Europe's best-preserved wooden house settlement and a popular tourist attraction.