▁in ▁nearby ▁Sv art nes , ▁on ▁the ▁main land . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁is ▁connected ▁to ▁the ▁main land ▁by ▁the ▁under se a ▁V ard ø ▁T unnel ▁which ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁European ▁route ▁E 7 5 . ▁ ▁V ard ø ▁Airport , ▁Sv art nes ▁is ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁other ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁tunnel ▁on ▁the ▁main land . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁village ▁of ▁V ard ø , ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁V ard ø ya , ▁was ▁made ▁important ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁V ard ø hus ▁Fort ress ▁that ▁was ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁ ▁The ▁village ▁grew ▁up ▁around ▁the ▁for tr ess ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁major ▁trad ing ▁post ▁between ▁the ▁Norweg ians ▁in ▁Finn mark ▁county ▁and ▁the ▁nearby ▁Rus si ans . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁V ard ø ▁was ▁a ▁centre ▁of ▁several ▁high - profile ▁w itch ▁tri als , ▁most ▁not ably ▁the ▁ 1 6 2 1 ▁w itch ▁trial ▁and ▁ 1 6 6 2 ▁w itch ▁tri als . ▁ ▁Pom or ▁trade ▁was ▁very ▁important ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁and ▁V ard ø ▁was ▁often ▁called ▁the ▁Pom or ▁capital . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁this , ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 9 ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Norway ▁granted ▁V ard ø ▁town ▁status . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁the