The Telemark Channel - The waterfront in skien - is chosen as "The 1000-year-place of Telemark". The proposed rearmament and illumination will make the waterfront will indicate Skiens newest and most important "city-area". The lighting will make the waterfront an outstanding place, defining the closest surroundings. By varying the lights - this area will tell us a lot of historicle facts in spite of beeing a city-room with modern design.

Once again travelling people will be seen in this harbourarea day and night. Some have their daily work here, and others will make the use of restaurants and pubs.

What is a harbour? We all know, but are we able to define this word - harbour? Let's take a look into the very old Salomonsen's encyclopedia, where we allways might find an answer:
"A harbour is a partly reserved water-area - where ships will find protection against streams, ice, waves and storms, - and where they can sail their cargoes in and out in a pleasant way. They also might have inspections, raparations, having fuel-supplies , food-supplies - and they will recieve their new orders for new cargo-business."

This simple harbour which was established in skien in the 9th century, to manage the shipping of honestone from Eidsborg, was due to this definition.The harbour and the waterfront was the real meetingplace.

Famous seaport-towns like New York, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Gdansk, Gøteborg, Bergen and Skien - do all have a waterfront. We will also realize that these waterfronts have had great changes and adaptions - to match the society development. You'll not find many persons able to remember the harbour of Skien filled up with sailing-ships, but it's a common motive for picture postcards.

Today - mostly all this pulsating activities from the previous century is gone. All the loading- and unloading-activities - and all the people swarming to and fro - is gone. As Skien built a brand new harbour in the Vold-area, made this old waterfront - this important old harbour - became an allmost ruinous area.

In the beginning of the 1990's - a "reconstructing and rearming Langbryggene"-initiative was made - and Skien again discovered this historic waterfront-area. Today you'll find a beautiful park-, restaurant- and tourist-area, and a nice place for people arriving Skien by boat.

Hjellevannet is the inland-harbour for Skien. The Hjellen-part of Skien did have many hotels in ancient times, serving the travellers by boat through the Telemark Channel. Today you'll find restaurants, pubs and other tourist-services. The Hjelle-bridge (Hjellebrygga) has been the depature-bridge for the Telemark-boats back to 1900. The ware-hall at Hjellebrygga with it's characteristic expedition hall - constructed by architect Haldor Børve - is still standing. The boats on the harbour is not sailships, freight- or cargoingboats. Leisure-boats and boat-tourists makes the modern picture of Hjellen inlandharbour. Chartering boats and taxiboats take care of the people travelling the Telemark Channel and on the Skien River.

But the historic feelings was still remaining - when the great royal-ship - own by the king of Norway - approached Skien harbour at the old waterfron - to celebrate Skiens 1000 year anniversary. A lot of guests arrived to celebrate - and Skien once again had a great time as meeting-place!