Rørosmartna is an annual market and cultural event in Røros that takes place from the next to last Tuesday in February and lasts until the following Saturday.[1]
Rørosmartna, a unique annual market and cultural event in Røros, is a must-visit for history and culture enthusiasts. With a typical attendance of 70,000 to 80,000 visitors, the market is a significant event for Røros and the surrounding area.[2] The opening day is a spectacle, as around 80 horse-drawn sleds arrive with visitors from Sweden and the surrounding mountain villages, adding a touch of tradition and charm to the event.
History.
editRøros Copper Works originally monopolized all trade in the mining town. In the 1700s, they stopped enforcing this monopoly as it was impossible to prevent the free exchange of goods. In 1801, a few merchants in Røros were granted permission to engage in trade for a fee. However, illegal trade in Røros only increased. In 1842, the merchants' trading privileges ended, which was largely meaningless when even the factory owners traded independently. After many years of pressure from Røros municipality to the Ministry of the Interior, the first Rørosmartna was held in 1854.
The market has a historical basis from a royal resolution from 1853:[3]
"From 1854 onwards, a market shall be held in Røros, starting on the next-to-last Tuesday in February and lasting until the following Friday."
In 1855, the market was visited by a couple of thousand people, mainly from the nearby districts, in addition to Gudbrandsdalen, Hedmark, and Sweden. Examples of goods traded included skins, grain and flour, fish, linen, and horses[4]. Because so many people attended, the authorities needed the military to be present as security.[5].
Development.
editThere existed a natural basis for the Rørosmartna in the region, as people came to buy and sell their products, which contributed significantly to the economy. For this reason, Rørosmartna developed independently during the initial years without planning or regulations[6]. From the outset, there was a market fee that the vendors had to pay. It was the police's task to collect the fee, which can be described as an organizing function. Additional security was necessary to maintain peace and order during the market, and the guards were financed through the fees.
However, trade at Rørosmartna declined around 1874, and after an application, a royal resolution was issued on February 29, 1877, stating that the market would be discontinued from 1878[7][8]. Many also believed that the opening of the Røros Railway would make the Rørosmartna unnecessary, but the railroad instead sparked a revival for the market by bringing in more people and goods from new areas, and a new resolution was passed stating that the previous resolution for closure would not take effect[9][10]. Eventually, it was seen that the organizing conditions changed as the local business community became more interested in Rørosmartna. Not until after World War II did a form of market committee emerge to plan the event. This included some members of the Røros Merchants' Association who cooperated[11].
Interest in Rørosmartna again declined throughout the 1960s, after which the Røros Tourist and Travel Association (now Opplev Røros AS) took over the entire event with several representatives from the business community and the municipality, gradually rekindling interest in the event.[12]
Development in to the 21th century
editSince the royal resolution, Rørosmartna has continued to grow. Saturday has also become market day, and the variety of goods traded has expanded. Each year, more sales booths are set up, and the event is filled with the hustle and bustle of trade. In cafes and venues, old dance music sets the mood from early in the day until late at night, adding to the festive atmosphere of the market.
In 2015, an unofficial estimate of the number of visitors was made, and the organizers assumed that as many as 80,000 people had visited Rørosmartna from February 17 to 21 that year.
The opening ceremony.
editRørosmartna often has prominent guests to deliver the opening speech.
| År | Person | Rolle |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jonas Gahr Støre | Prime minister of Norway 2021 - |
| 2023 | Tore O. Sandvik | County mayor of Trøndelag county 2018 - |
| 2022 | Avlyst på grunn av covid-19 | |
| 2021 | Avlyst på grunn av covid-19 | |
| 2020 | Iselin Nybø | Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries in Norway 2020 - 2021. |
| 2019 | Hanna Geiran | Director for The Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Norway 2018 - |
| 2018 | Axel Wernhoff | Swedish ambassador in Norway Sveriges 2014 - 2018 |
| 2017 | Linda Hofstad Helleland | Ministry of Culture in Norway 2015 - 2018 |
| 2016 | Cathrine Pia Lund | CEO for the Brand Norge. |
| 2015 | Tine Sundtoft | Former Ministry of Climate and Environment 2013 - 2015 |
| 2014 | Hans Vintervold | Mayor in Røros county |
| 2013 | Torbjørn Røe Isaksen | Parliamentary represtative for the party Høyre |
| 2012 | Per Edgar Kokkvold | Journalist and Secretary General of Norwegian Press Association |
| 2011 | Erling Aas-Eng | Mayor in Tolga kommune |
| 2010 | Jørn Holme | Director for The Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Norway 2009 - 2018 |
| 2009 | Heidi Sørensen | State Secretary in the Environment departement 2007 - 2012 |
| 2008 | ||
| 2007 | Tore O. Sandvik | County mayor in Sør-Trøndelag county 2003 - 2018 |
| 2006 | Eva Zätterlund | Member of Forbonden Kløvsjø |
| 2005 | Jens Stoltenberg | Parliamentary leader of the party Arbeiderpartiets 2001 - 2005 |
| 2004 | Marvin Wiseth | Executive director for Communication and Public Relations in Sparebank 1 SMN |
| 2003 | Kåre Gjønnes | County mayor in Sør-Trøndelag county 1993 - 2011 |
| 2002 | Torbjørn Bertnsen | Ministry of Climat and Environment 1990 - 1997 |
| 2001 | Paul Ottar Haga | Norwegian actor |
| 2000 | Stephan Tschudi-Madsen | Director for The Directorate for Cultural Heritage in 1978 - 1991 |
[[Category:Retail markets]]
- ^ "Program" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ Kleven, Rita (2015-02-21). "80.000 besøkende på Rørosmartnan". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Historien" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Historien" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ "Rørosmartnan - Bergstaden Røros og Kobberverket". Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ Lien, Steinar. Rørosmartnan - en lokal kulturtradisjon.
- ^ "Martna før i tiden - Bergstaden Røros og Kobberverket". Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ Lien, Steinar. Rørosmartnan - en lokal kulturtradisjon.
- ^ "Martna før i tiden - Bergstaden Røros og Kobberverket". Retrieved 2024-10-01.
- ^ Lien, Steinar. Rørosmartnan - en lokal kulturtradisjon.
- ^ Lien, Steinar. Rørosmartnan - en lokal kulturtradisjon.
- ^ "Historien" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-10-01.