Moss is a town and municipality in the province of Østfold in
Viken county in eastern Norway. It borders in the north to Vestby,
in the east to Våler and in the south to Råde. To the west, Moss
borders Horten (across the fjord).
Moss has a diverse
industrial and commercial environment, art galleries, varied fjord
and inland nature with Jeløya, Mossemarka and Vansjø. Moss is
centrally located on the east side of the Oslo Fjord midway between
Oslo and Sweden and has, among other things, a ferry connection
across the Oslo Fjord to Horten and Vestfold. In Moss is also
Statens Hus with the County Governor and most of the state's other
businesses for Østfold. The town is an important trade and service
center for its catchment area, which primarily includes Råde and
Våler in Viken, formerly in Østfold; and Son in Viken, formerly in
Akershus. Politically, the Moss region includes the municipalities
of Moss, Råde and Våler. Sometimes Hobøl and Vestby are also
included in the area around Moss. Moss has three upper secondary
schools, Kirkeparken vgs and Malakoff vgs which are run by Østfold
county municipality. Kirkeparken and Moss upper secondary
Steinerskole have recently had new premises built for the school.
The basis for the city of Moss is to be found in a combination
of good communications and hydropower. Mossefossen in Mosseelva
(also called Mossa, original name Morsa) with a waterfall of approx.
25 meters, lay the foundation for a versatile business community
with saws and mills. Mossesundet offered a good harbor, despite a
long access north of Jeløya. An alternative anchorage was
Værlebukta, which is exposed to southerly and westerly winds.