Arendal (pop. 12,000), chief town of Aust-Agder county, is picturesquely situated on the slopes of a hill, with an important harbor and shipyards. In the south of the town stands the Town Hall, the largest wooden building in Norway after the Stiftsgård in Trondheim.
The town of Arendal has two notable lighthouses - Store Torungen, completed in 1
844 and its twin, Lille Torungen. The Hove Festival was a musical event held for the first time in June 2007. It is expected to become the largest festival in Norway, drawing as many as 20,000 attendees.