Flekkefjord, Norway

Flekkefjord is first mentioned in historic documents in 1580, but it was already a place then. The town is also mentioned in reference to King James VI of Scotland, who in 1589 landed at Flekkefjord before travelling to Oslo to marry Princess Anne of Denmark. 

When the southern city of Kristiansand was founded in 1641, King Christian IV wanted to ensure the economic survival of the new city by forcing the Flekkefjord residents there. Many did, but not all of them and the remaining residents continued to trade. By 1660, Flekkefjord got trading rights. 

The major trading partner with Flekkefjord has always been the Dutch, and this shared history goes back hundreds of years. The first major export from Flekkefjord was stone thanks to the large amounts of stone on this part of the coast. In 1736, over 300 ships were reported to have exported stones from Flekkefjord. In the late-18th century, Flekkefjord was the most important export harbour for herring.

After the war, timber export became important and most houses in Amsterdam from the 19th century are resting on timber foundations from the Flekkefjord region.