Orkanger is a city and administration center in Orkland municipality in Trøndelag. The place is located where Orkladalføret meets Orkdalsfjorden. Orkanger and the neighboring town Fannrem have grown together into one town. The town of Orkanger / Fannrem had 8,572 inhabitants as of 1 January 2020.
In 1920, Orkedal municipality was divided into 3:
Orkedalsøra up to Bårdshaug, Midtbygda and Øverbygda. Eventually
Midtbygda got the name Orkdal with Fannrem as the center, Øverbygda
became Orkland.
There was a lot of discussion about the name
change to Orkedalsøren. Proposals such as "Orkang", "Thamshavn",
"Orkstad" and "Njardarvik" were submitted. Dr. Richter from
Orkedalsøren proposed "Orkangr", which after a round in the county
council became "Orkanger". There were 18 votes for «Orkanger», and 4
votes for «Orkang».
At the end of 2013, an initiative was
taken for Orkdal to be granted city status. The case was taken up in
the municipal council already in January 2014 after a strong debate
about whether Orkdal should become an urban municipality or whether
only the administrative center Orkanger should receive city status.
It was decided on 29 May in the municipal council that Orkanger will
be a city from 1 July 2014.
Orkanger is from 2020 an
administration center in the newly established Orkland municipality.
The railway section Thamshavnbanen runs between
Orkanger and Løkken Verk in Meldal. The railway previously
transported ore from the mine at Løkken Verk, but is now only used
as a museum railway.
Orkanger is located 42 kilometers
southwest of Trondheim. The travel time between the two places was
reduced when a new section of European Road 39 was opened on 30 June
2005. The new road is a motor traffic road, and replaces a dangerous
and winding road section along Børsaberga.