in 1793, the port of "aalesund" was granted limited ladested rights. later, in 1824, it was granted full ladested rights. in 1835, ålesund had 482 inhabitants. on 1 january 1838, the new formannskapsdistrikt law went into effect, granting limited local self-government to all parishes in norway. therefore, on that date, the small ladested of "aalesund" became a small municipality with its own council. it was surrounded by the large rural municipality of borgund. in 1848, it was upgraded to the status of a kjøpstad, a more important market town.