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Hyllestad

Hyllestad is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Hyllestad. Other villages in the municipality include Sørbøvågen and Leirvik. Hyllestad municipality has existed since 1862 when it was created from parts of the neighboring municipalities of Askvoll and Lavik. Hyllestad is located on the north side of the Sognefjorden, near the mouth of the fjord.

The 259 km2 municipality is the 280th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Hyllestad is the 314th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,268. The municipality's population density is 5.1 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 11.2% over the previous 10-year period.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Hyllestad be closed.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, there were more than 400 employees at Noryard, a shipyard.

General information
Hyllestad was created as a municipality in 1862. Two sub-parishes (sokn) from the Askvoll parish (Øn and Hyllestad) and one sub-parish (sokn) from the Lavik og Brekke parish (Bø) were merged to form a separate municipality which was named Hyllestad. The population at that time in Hyllestad was 2,475. On 1 January 1888, the Krakken farm (population: 17) on the northeastern corner of the island of Sula was transferred from Hyllestad to the neighboring municipality of Utvær. The municipal boundaries have not changed since that time.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Hyllestad farm (Hyllistaðir) since the first Hyllestad Church was built there. The first element comes from Hylli, the old uncompounded name of the nearby Hyllestadfjorden. This name is likely derived from the word which means "quiet", "friendly", or "benevolent". The last element is the plural form of which means "abode" or "town".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 10 March 1989. The official blazon is "Azure, three millstones in bend argent" (På blå grunn tre sølv kvernsteinar i skrå rekkje). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of three millstones lined up diagonally. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The millstones were chosen because the production of millstones is the oldest industry in the municipality and has been very important to the life of the community. The arms were designed by Hans Berge. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Hyllestad. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Hyllestad Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Hyllestad is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Hyllestad:

 * 1861-1861: Andreas Jacobsen Salbue
 * 1862-1865: Henrik Johannesen Sørebøe
 * 1866-1893: Johan Henrik Wolff
 * 1894-1916: Johannes Ottesen
 * 1917-1919: Olai Haugland
 * 1920-1928: Jonas Sørefjord
 * 1929-1934: Andreas Gjertsen
 * 1935-1937: Sivert Holten
 * 1938–1955: Hans A. Risnes
 * 1956-1959: Magnus Lundeland (Ap)
 * 1960-1966: Olav Bruknap (Sp)
 * 1966-1967: Sigurd Giil (Sp)
 * 1968-1971: Leif Hatlem (Sp)
 * 1972-1979: Bendik Systad (Sp)
 * 1980-1981: Ingemar Nordstrand (V)
 * 1982-1985: Per Bygnes (Sp)
 * 1986-1987: Hans Berge (H)
 * 1988-1993: Håkon Giil (Sp)
 * 1993-1995: Astrid Waage (Sp)
 * 1995-2007: Harry Mowatt (Ap)
 * 2007-2011: Tore Bråstad (Sp)
 * 2011-2015: Jan Olav Gjerde (Ap)
 * 2015–2019: Morten Askvik (Sp)
 * 2019-present: Kjell Eide (Ap)

Geography
Hyllestad is located north of the Sognefjorden along the Åfjorden/Hyllestadfjorden, which flows through the middle of the municipality. Hyllestad is bordered to the north by the municipality of Fjaler, to the east by Høyanger, to the south (across the fjord) by Gulen, and to the west by the island municipality of Solund.

Kvernsteins Millstone Park
The production of millstones in Hyllestad started over 1,000 years ago and used to be a major industry employing up to 1,000 people. Millstones were exported to Denmark, the Baltic Sea region, and across Norway. Many of the stone crosses to be seen along the coast are made from millstones from Hyllestad, including the crosses in Eivindvik and Korssund. The park offers nature trails that visualize the history of the industry, with debris, broken product, and half-carved stones still not separated from the rock surface. At the stonemason camp there is a guided tour of the historic stone quarry in the mill stone park and a visit to Åfjordstein where you can see how mill stones are used in a modern, new design.

Lihesten
The majestic and bewitching Lihesten is one of the most prominent mountains on the coast of Norway. There are several marked routes to the peak, over 714 m above sea level, with views both straight out to the open sea and inwards over the fjords. Lihesten also has a number of good fishing lakes.

Trondheim Postal Road
Many bicyclists have described the well-preserved section of the Trondheim postal road between Hyllestad and Fjaler as one of the most exhilarating cycling experiences in the country. There were originally 19 stone bridges on the route between the villages of Dale and Leirvik, and many of them are still standing as proud and impressive examples of early dry masonry. There are only a few places along the 40 km stretch between Dale in Fjaler and Leirvik in Hyllestad where the surface is so uneven that it is best to push a bike rather than ride it. Occasionally it is necessary to join the paved road (Fylkesvei 57), but most of the route is free from cars and idyllic.

Water Mills
On the postroad, by Skor, lies a beautiful cluster of five authentic, newly renovated gristmills.

Notable people

 * Anfin Øen (1868–1928), a bailiff and politician
 * Ivar Tveit (1880–1952), a newspaper editor
 * Håkon Steinar Giil (born 1943), a politician and former mayor of Hyllestad from 1987-1993

title: Hyllestad


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Høyanger

Høyanger is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Høyanger. Other villages in Høyanger municipality include Austreim, Bjordal, Kyrkjebø, Lavik, Ortnevik, and Vadheim.

Høyanger is known for having one of the first industrial towns in Norway to use its steep mountains surrounding the town giving excellent conditions for producing hydroelectricity needed for electrolysis. The main product being produced in the village of Høyanger was aluminium.

The 1001 km2 municipality is the 115th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Høyanger is the 202nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,949. The municipality's population density is 4.3 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 6.5% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. The municipality of Høyanger was created on 1 January 1964 when the old municipalities of Kyrkjebø and Lavik were merged to form a single municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the Nessane area of neighboring Balestrand Municipality was merged into Høyanger (and the rest of Balestrand was merged into a new, larger Sogndal Municipality). Also on that date, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality is named Høyanger (Høyjangr) after the old name of an arm of the Sognefjorden that is now called the Høyangsfjorden. The first element is derived from the word which means "hay". The last element is which means "bay" or "inlet". Thus the name is probably referring to the green hillsides along the fjord.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 15 May 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, three flames in bend argent" (På blå grunn tre sølv flammer i skrå rekkje). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of three flames lined up diagonally. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The flames were chosen as a symbol for the local aluminium industry. Aluminium is melted and purified in the village of Høyanger, due to the cheap hydroelectric energy that is locally available. The colors represent waterpower (blue) and aluminium (silver). The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has four parishes(sokn) within the municipality of Høyanger. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Høyanger Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Høyanger is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Høyanger:

 * 1964-1967: Albert Hellem (Ap)
 * 1968-1975: Einar Lavik (Ap)
 * 1976-1991: Arvid Lillehauge (Ap)
 * 1991-1992: Bodil Bye Stavang (Ap)
 * 1992-1995: Liv Lønne (Ap)
 * 1996-2011: Kjartan Longva (Ap)
 * 2011–present: Petter Sortland (Ap)

Geography
The Sognefjorden (the largest fjord in Norway) runs through the center of the municipality. Høyanger is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Fjaler and Sunnfjord, to the east by Sogndal and Vik, to the south by Modalen and Masfjorden, and to the west by Gulen and Hyllestad.

Høyanger municipality covers an area of about 910 km2. Stølsheimen Nature Reserve was created in 1990 in Høyanger. Its 367 km2 area stretches from high mountaintops through fertile valleys and sweeps over steep meadows down to the fjord. Høyanger is perhaps best known for its mountain farms and lakes. From the village of Ortnevik there are marked footpaths up to Stølsheimen Park and from the village of Bjordal you may drive up the Stordal road to the summit at 730 m above sea level.

Economy
Høyanger is a modern industrial community which has grown in pace with the principal employers being Hydro Aluminium and Høyanger Metallverk. Hydroelectricity has played a major role in the development of the area. In addition to manufacturing aluminium, Høyanger supports a varied range of light industry that is backed by retail and service trades. In the rural areas bordering the fjord, farming is the main source of livelihood. There are currently 115 traditional farms gårds in the municipality. Each traditional farms originally had one owner, but most of them have been divided up and sold off over the years, and so there are more than 115 farms in use today.

Transportation
There are good connections with Oslo and Bergen by bus, as well as air and fast boat services. The nearest airport is in Førde, about 50 km away. The village of Lavik is an important junction for traffic to and from Bergen as it is a ferry port that is part of the European route E39 highway. Høyanger is reached from the neighboring municipality of Balestrand to the east by the Høyangertunnelen which is 7.5 km in length. It is part of the Norwegian County Road 55. It is one of the longest tunnels in Europe. Good ferry services across the Sognefjorden link the northern and southern sides of the municipality.

Attractions
In 1986, in Høyanger, Norsk Hydro Aluminium/Høyanger Metallverk opened a museum designed to show what water power has meant both locally and to Norway as a whole. Visitors will get to learn about how the aluminium industry has grown and prospered in the area thanks to the vast energy produced by water.

Near Vadheim is an 18th-century stone bridge called the Ytredal Bridge. It is a popular tourist attraction.

There is also a narrow gauge funicular railway in the area, first opened in 1953.

Notable people

 * Johan Austbø (1879 in Ikjefjord – 1945), a teacher, dancer, poet, composer, singer, and proponent for the Nynorsk language
 * Einar Liljedahl (1882 in Kyrkjebø – 1955), a Norwegian military officer
 * Torfinn Haukås (1931–1993), a novelist
 * Per Håland (1919 in Høyanger – 1999), a journalist, newspaper editor, and proponent for the Nynorsk language
 * Tell Teigen (1923 in Høyanger - 1958), an acrobat who balanced on stacked chairs atop of masts over 35 m tall
 * Einar Kringlen (born 1931 in Høyanger), a Norwegian physician, psychiatrist, and academic
 * Noralv Teigen (1932 in Høyanger – 2017), an actor, theatre instructor, and theatre director
 * Einar Førde (1943 in Høyanger – 2004), a journalist, politician, and director-general of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) from 1989 to 2001
 * Marit Tusvik (born 1951 in Høyanger), a Norwegian author, poet, and playwright
 * Even Hovland (born 1989 in Vadheim), a professional footballer with almost 300 club caps
 * Vegar Gjermundstad (born 1990 in Vadheim), a Norwegian football defender with over 200 club caps

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Høyanger


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Vik, Sogn

Vik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the southern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Vik is the village of Vikøyri. Other villages in the municipality include Feios, Fresvik, Nese, and Vangsnes.

The 833 km2 municipality is the 137th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Vik is the 249th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,561. The municipality's population density is 3.2 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 6.2% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Vik was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Vik parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Hopperstad, Hove, and Arnafjord (on the south side of the fjord) and Kvamsøy (on the north side of the fjord).

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964 the sub-parish of Kvamsøy (population: 363) was transferred from Vik to Balestrand Municipality and the sub-parish of Vangsnes (population: 189) was transferred from Balestrand to Vik. Also on this date, the Nybø and Nygjerdet farms were transferred from Vik to Høyanger Municipality. All these changes gave Vik a total population of 2,623.

On 1 January 1992, the sub-parishes of Feios and Fresvik were transferred from Leikanger Municipality to Vik Municipality. This added 572 residents to the population of Vik.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old village of Vik (Vík) since the first Vik Church was built there. The name is identical with the word which means "small bay", "cove", or "inlet", possibly referring to the small bay off the main Sognefjorden at the present-day village of Vikøyri.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 15 March 1991. The official blazon is "Vert, three leaf-knives Or bendwise in pale" (På grøn grunn tre skråstilte gull lauvknivar). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a set of three knives for the cutting of leaves that are laying diagonally in a vertical column. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. These types of blunt point knives were commonly used in the area to cut fodder for animals. The arms were designed by Rune Tangstad. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has five parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Vik. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Vik Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Vik is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Vik:

 * 1838-1847: Christian Fredrik Fasting
 * 1848-1849: Christian Severin Houge
 * 1850-1854: Christian Fredrik Fasting
 * 1855-1855: Christian Severin Houge
 * 1856-1857: Peder A. Undi
 * 1858-1861: Christian Christensen
 * 1862-1863: Arnt Uchermann
 * 1864-1865: E.H. Brekke
 * 1866-1873: Christian Christensen
 * 1874-1885: H.M. Meyer
 * 1886-1897: Anfin Refsdal
 * 1898-1898: Olav G. Tryti
 * 1899-1901: Svein Aase
 * 1902-1907: Anfin Refsdal
 * 1908-1919: Nikolai Erdal
 * 1920-1922: Ola R. Hoperstad
 * 1923-1928: Anfin Refsdal
 * 1929-1931: Jon Risløw
 * 1932-1937: Arne Målsnes
 * 1938-1940: Jon Risløw
 * 1940-1945: Otto Svendsen
 * 1946-1957: Lars O. Brekke
 * 1958-1961: Olav Turvoll (Sp)
 * 1961-1963: Ola A. Målsnes (Sp)
 * 1965-1967: Lars Skeie (V)
 * 1968-1973: Olav Turvoll (Sp)
 * 1974-1987: Sjur Hopperstad (Sp)
 * 1988-1991: Olav Turvoll (Sp)
 * 1992-2003: Erling Stadheim (Ap)
 * 2003-2007: Erik Lidal (Sp)
 * 2007-2015: Marta Finden Halset (Ap)
 * 2015–2019: Olav Turvoll (Sp)
 * 2019-present: Roy Egil Stadheim (Ap)

History
The wide and fertile village of Vikøyri was established in ancient times. The area must have stood out early as a good place to settle. Distinct parts of Norway stand out with many large burial mounds. These are areas that have been powerful and rich and must have been political centers in prehistoric times. Vik is such an area.

Vik was a center in Sogn through a great deal of the Bronze and Iron Ages (1800 BC-1050 AD). This is due to the importance of agriculture in Vik.

Viking Age
The farms in Vik lie on old marine terraces, and many of the burial mounds lie on the edges of these. Several of the mounds carried rich finds that show how the people of Vik traded and travelled both domestically and abroad. Especially the burial fields at Stadheim and Hove have given rich finds. The Hove mounds were built about 400-500 AD. At Hopperstad, finds have been made that prove Viking raids from Vik. These finds are bronze bowls and bronze dishes, things that probably found their way to Norway with the Viking raids.

In the latter half of the 12th century the Hopperstad Stave Church was built at Hopperstad and the stone Hove Church was built at Hove. Both churches are now renovated and restored and they are used by villagers and tourists. The Hove Church was privately owned and indicates that Hove was the home of citizens of great wealth.
 * Old Churches

In addition to these churches there was also a stave church at Tenål. This church was destroyed in a landslide, probably in the 16th century. This church might also have been built in the 12th century.

The Middle Ages
Until the 18th century life passed on for centuries without major changes, in Vik as in other parts of Norway. The Black Death swept over the country and lay farms waste. People lived from what the earth, the mountains, and the fjord gave them. Agriculture kept people alive, forestry has never had a central place in the Vik economy. Few people lived far from the fjord.

18th century
In 1726, a military parade ground was established in Vik. This represents an important happening in the history of Vik. With the parade ground soldiers and officers found their way to Vik. When Vik became the drill ground for Sogns Bataljon in 1874, Vik's military days of glory began. The officers who came to Vik meant a lot for the development of the town. They were pioneers in agriculture and they were principal characters in politics. Other important happenings in the 18th century was the school building that was built already in 1741. The vicar Anders Daae built this house by his private means. This was one of the first school buildings in rural Norway. The house was torn down in the 1890s.

19th century
On 2 December 1811, disaster struck Vik. The village of Nese, on the shore of the Arnafjorden, was devastated by a landslide and 45 people died. The farms at Nese were gathered in one house cluster where the landslide came down from the mountain. The situation worsened by the bad crops in 1812. Surviving cost a lot of hard work, and many people were in need of help. But eventually a way out was offered. In 1839. the first people from Vik emigrated to America. Per Ivarson Undi with his wife and children became the first emigrants from Sogn og Fjordane county. Over the years, many would follow. Over 4,000 people left from the area of present-day Vik municipality. In the year 2000 there are less than 3000 inhabitants left in Vik. Tens of thousands of Americans can trace their roots to Vik municipality.

The latter part of the 19th century saw villagers gathering in common organizations and clubs, and official organizations were established. A post office was established in 1844, Vik Sparebank in 1846 and an agricultural organization in 1858. Then followed a rifle club, a temperance society, a morality society, a choral society, a consumer union, a youth society and many others. People created new social meeting places. The extensive shifting of agricultural land resulted in better working and living conditions. In 1865, Vik Prison was built in Vikøyri (the only prison in Sogn og Fjordane county). The dairy plant was established in 1897. The dairy is the only one that produces gammelost (old cheese), and every year there is a Gammelost festival in Vik.

20th century
In 1913, the first power plant in Vik was finished. When the plant was opened it was immoderately labeled "the greatest happening in the development of Vik". The Vik people looked optimistically upon the future of industry and economic growth. In 1920, Vik saw its first industry when Vik Trevarefabrikk (wood articles) and Vik Hermetikkfabrikk (canned products) were established. The Trevarefabrikk employed between 10 and 20 persons, and the Hermetikkfabrikk employed 60 persons from May through September. Both companies have since gone out of business.
 * Power Plant

In 1957, the Norwegian National Road 13 between the municipalities of Vik and Voss (across the Vikjafjellet mountain) was officially opened. This was the first (and only) road connection to Vik from the rest of Norway, without any ferry or boat across the fjord. There are several regular ferry connections across the fjord.
 * Rv13 across Vikjafjellet

From the late 1960s until 1990, agriculture in Vik was revolutionized. New land was cultivated and new farm buildings were built. When the last power project was finished, a great effort was made to establish new employment in Vik. The effort resulted in success, and Vik Verk opened in 1968. The company produced crash barriers, signposts, snow shields, and other aluminium products. About 220 persons were employed. Since then, the company has been split into several minor companies, and the total employment is a lot less today.
 * Industry

Geography
Vik is located on the southern shores of the Sognefjorden and west of the Aurlandsfjorden. The municipality is bordered on the west by the municipalities of Høyanger and Modalen, to the south by Voss and Vaksdal, and to the east by Aurland. Across the Sognefjorden to the north and east lie the municipalities of Sogndal and Lærdal.

The lake Holskardvatnet is located in the southwest part of the municipality. The Fresvikbreen glacier is located between the villages of Fresvik and Vikøyri.

Attractions
The "West Norwegian Fjords of Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord" were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2005. The two fjords are situated 120 km from each other and they are separated by the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The World Heritage Site possesses a unique combination of glacial landforms at the same time as each area is characterised by its own outstanding beauty. The Nærøyfjord areas in this site stretch through the municipalities of Aurland, Lærdal, Vik, and Voss.
 * UNESCO World Heritage Site

The name Vikøyri describes the area between the rivers Vikja and Hopra. The last syllable of the name is the Norwegian word describing the flat area of land at the mouth of a river. The settlement lies on the Øyri, which was created by sediments deposited over thousands of years. Vikøyri was common land, owned by the local community, which might be the reason why the community grew so rapidly. During the 19th century an increasing number of people took up trade.
 * Vikøyri

The Hopperstad Stave Church was built around 1130. It is a triple-nave stave church and has a Gothic altar-baldaquin with sculptured heads, as well as decorations and paintings in the ceiling depicting the childhood of Christ. This stave church was saved from demolition on the initiative of the architect Peter Andreas Blix.
 * Hopperstad Stave Church

The Stave churches are constructions of high quality, richly decorated with carvings. In virtually all of them the door frames are decorated from top to bottom with carvings. This tradition of rich ornamentation appears to go back to the animal carvings of the Viking Age. The dragons are lovingly executed and transformed into long-limbed creatures of fantasy, here and there entwined with tendrils of vine, with winding stems and serrated leaves. The elaborate designs are executed with supreme artistic skill. The stave church doorways are, therefore, among the most distinctive works of art to be found in Norway. However, it is difficult to connect them with the Christian gospel.

The Statue of Fridtjof from Frithjof's Saga is a landmark which towers 22.5 m over the hilltop. The statue was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II, to the Norwegian people and was erected in July 1913. It stands in a beautiful park overlooking the Sognefjorden at Vangsnes.
 * Statue of Fridtjof

Borgstova is a house built in 1790. It is the only remnant of the Sjøtun Estate, which covered almost the entire village of Vikøyri. At Borgstova, there are copies of relics from the oldest burial sites in Vik.
 * Borgstova

The museum is located by the fjord at the centre of Vikøyri in the same building as the tourist office. Here you can experience what historic boatlife was like for the inhabitants along the Sognefjord.
 * Kristianhus Boat and Engine Collection

The Ski Festival is arranged at Vikafjellet (Vik Mountain) at the end of May. There are competitions in ski jumping, slalom skiing, cross-country skiing, and Telemark skiing. Public parties and cultural arrangements are organized in connection with the ski festival.
 * Vik Ski Festival

Situated on the Sognfjord the municipality of Vik is known for its mild climate and great scenery. Take a hike on Vikafjellet and you could see such species as Eurasian golden plover or in good rodent years, maybe a rough-legged buzzard. The woodlands hold the usual passerines depending if it is coniferous or deciduous. Along the fjords red-breasted merganser can be seen all year round while the call of the Eurasian oystercatcher can only be heard from spring through early autumn.
 * Birdlife

Notable people

 * Ludvig Daae (1723–1786), a Norwegian priest and landowner
 * Christen Christensen (1826–1900), a military officer, politician, and mayor of Vik in the 1850s & 1860s
 * Edvard Liljedahl (1845-1924), a farmer, politician, and government minister
 * Anders Nummedal (1867–1944), an archaeologist and academic who discovered the Fosna culture
 * Sverre Riisnæs (1897-1988), a jurist, public prosecutor, and member of the Nasjonal Samling government
 * Kåre Norvald Lerum (born 1939), a wealthy businessperson, politician, and mayor of Sogndal from 1978 to 1982
 * Solveig Kloppen (born 1971), a journalist, actress, and TV hostess who grew up in Vik
 * Gustav Valsvik (born 1993), a footballer with 250 club caps and 6 for Norway

title: Vik, Sogn


text:
Balestrand

Balestrand is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center was the village of Balestrand. Other villages in the municipality included Ese, Kvamme, Låne, Sæle, Tjugum, and Vetlefjorden.

The municipality was situated at the confluence of the Fjærlandsfjorden/Esefjorden and the main Sognefjorden. The major industries in the municipality were tourism and farming. Balestrand became popular early due to the interest of artists, such as Hans Gude, Kjartan Lauritzen, Alfred Heaton Cooper, Hans Dahl, and Johannes Flintoe. Their paintings of the scenery around Balestrand inspired visitors, and Balestrand maintains its connection with art. Other industries include made-to-order kitchen interiors, local apple juice, and Nesseplast which produces industrial plastic. The Norwegian National Road 13 runs through the municipality.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 430 km2 municipality was the 231st largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Balestrand was the 370th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,272. The municipality's population density was 3.1 PD/km2 and its population had decreased by 5.1% over the previous decade.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Balestrand be closed.

General information
Balestrand was established as a municipality in 1850 when the three sub-parishes (sokn) of Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal in the northwestern part of the large Leikanger municipality were separated to form the new municipality of Balestrand. The initial population of the municipality was 2,122. In 1861, the Mundal sub-parish was renamed Fjærland.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964 the municipalities of Vik, Leikanger, and Balestrand changed their boundaries in a land trade. The sub-parish of Vangsnes (population: 189) was transferred from Balestrand to Vik, Balestrand gained the sub-parish of Kvamsøy (population: 389) from Vik, and Leikanger gained the Hella-Eitorn area (population: 31) from Balestrand. Balestrand had a population of 1,606 after the changes were completed.

The Fjærland area of Balestrand had always been isolated from the rest of the municipality, and only accessible by boat. In 1995, the Frudal Tunnel was completed connecting Fjærland to neighboring Sogndal municipality (not to the rest of Balestrand). This caused discussions about Fjærland's municipal future. On 1 January 2000, the entire sub-parish of Fjærland in northern Balestrand was transferred to Sogndal municipality.

On 1 January 2020, Balestrand Municipality ceased to exist. The far western Nesse area of Balestrand was transferred to the neighboring Høyanger Municipality and the rest of Balestrand was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Leikanger and Sogndal to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal.

Name
The municipality is named Balestrand, a compound name for the area that was created in 1832 by the Norwegian writer Henrik Wergeland. The first element is the name of the old Bale farm (Bali). The farm name is identical to the word which means "grassy hillside". The last element is derived from the word which means "beach" or "shore". Thus the "shore along the grassy hillside."

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 23 October 1989. The official blazon is "Azure, a down-pointing sword argent issuant from the base" (På blå grunn eit oppveksande nedvend sølv sverd). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is the hilt of a Viking sword. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design symbolizes an old Viking sword found in the burial mound in Balestrand. The sword is believed to belong to King Bele from Frithiof's Saga. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Balestrand. It was part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

There is also one Anglican church in Balestrand:
 * St. Olaf's Church (built in 1897) is located in the village of Balestrand.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Balestrand is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors of Balestrand:

 * 1849-1879: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
 * 1880-1883: Sjur Bjaastad
 * 1884-1885: Anders L. Ese Gjerde
 * 1886-1887: Sjur Bjaastad
 * 1888-1895: Anders L. Ese Gjerde
 * 1896-1901: Sjur Bjaastad
 * 1902-1922: Ole Tjugum
 * 1923-1925: Per Hovland
 * 1926-1934: Hermund J. Bale
 * 1934-1935: Sigurd Kvikne, Sr.
 * 1936-1941: Anders Johanneson Bøyum (V)
 * 1941-1942: Anders Gjerde (H)
 * 1945-1947: Anders Johanneson Bøyum (V)
 * 1948-1959: Per P. Hovland (Bp)
 * 1960-1961: Sverre Aardal (Sp)
 * 1961-1971: Per Horpedal (Sp)
 * 1972-1974: Karl Munkerud (Sp)
 * 1975-1975: Haakon Steine (H)
 * 1976-1981: Tor Tjugum (Sp)
 * 1982-1983: Jens K. Ese (H)
 * 1984-1995: Olav J. Ulvestad (Sp)
 * 1995-2003: Åse Kari Einevoll (V)
 * 2003-2007: Erland A. Fagermoen (KrF)
 * 2007-2011: Einar Målsnes (H)
 * 2011-2019: Harald Offerdal (Ap)

Geography
Balestrand was located between the high snow-covered Gaularfjellet mountains in the center of the beautiful, lush Sognefjorden. Three fjord arms stretch inland, winding through the mountains and dotted with charming hamlets: Lånefjorden, Esefjorden, and Vetlefjorden. The Fjærlandsfjorden runs along the eastern border of the municipality. The Jostefonn glacier sits at the very northernmost part of the municipality.

Balestrand was bordered to the west by the municipalities of Høyanger and Gaular, to the north by Førde, and to the east by Sogndal and Leikanger. Across the Sognefjorden to the south is the municipality of Vik.

Kvikne's Hotel
Built in the 19th century, the Kvikne's Hotel is one of the most famous buildings in Balestrand. The Kvikne family, who own the place, took it over in 1877. Since then the establishment has undergone constant development which continues to this day. There are many new buildings and remodeling and expansion projects have been carried out.

Today, the hotel is a highly modern facility resounding with tradition and culture. With 200 rooms, it is also one of Norway's largest fine hotels catering to tourists. An impressive collection of art and historical pieces is a central feature of the hotel's interior, and one of the elements of its distinct personality.

Kviknes Hotel was made popular for European visitors in the early part of the 20th century by Kaiser Wilhelm II, who often visited there during his summer vacations prior to World War I. The hotel still possesses the chair he used in their restaurant. The Kaiser is accompanied on the list by a number of emperors, kings, presidents, Prime ministers, film stars, and artists from many countries.

St. Olaf's Church
St. Olaf's Church, also known as the English Church, is an Anglican church built in the style of a Stave church. The church was completed in 1897 as a memorial to Margaret Green. Margaret, an English lady, came to the fjords as a tourist to hike the mountains. She met, fell in love with and married Knut Kvikne who was an avid mountain man. Being a very pious woman, she wished for an Anglican church in Balestrand. She started the church with her husband, but died before its completion. Sunday services are held during the summer months, being conducted by rotating vicars from England.

St. Olaf's Church is notable as the inspiration for the chapel in Elsa's coronation scene in the 2013 Disney film Frozen.

Other attractions

 * Songnefjord Aquarium
 * Balejazz summer jazz festival
 * Balestrand Art Village
 * The Norwegian Museum of Travel and Tourism

Notable people

 * Christian Garup Meidell (1780 in Balestrand – 1863), a military officer and politician; first Mayor of Leikanger in 1838-1839
 * Jakob Sverdrup (1845–1899), a Norwegian bishop and politician, raised in Balestrand
 * Georg Sverdrup (1848 in Balestrand – 1907), a Norwegian-American Lutheran theologian and teacher
 * Edvard Sverdrup (1861 in Balestrand – 1923), a Norwegian educator, author, church leader, and a key theologian in the Church of Norway in early 20thC.
 * Anders Johanneson Bøyum (1890 in Balestrand – 1962), a politician who was mayor of Balestrand before and after WWII
 * Trygve Heltveit (1913 in Balestrand – 1985), a Norwegian philologist.

title: Balestrand


text:
Leikanger

Leikanger is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center was the village of Hermansverk, which also was the administrative center of the old Sogn og Fjordane county.

The Leikanger/Hermansverk urban area had 2,144 inhabitants (2019), about 90% of the municipal population. This urban area is often called Systrond, which is why a person from Leikanger is often called Systrending.

The 180 km2 municipality is the 342nd largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Leikanger is the 302nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,331. The municipality's population density is 13.1 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 8.1% over the last decade.

General information
Leikanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was large and it was identical to the old Leikanger parish (prestegjeld) with the six sub-parishes (sokn) of Leikanger, Fresvik, Rinde, Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal. In 1849, the sub-parishes of Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal were transferred into the newly created Balestrand parish (prestegjeld). The new parish was separated from Leikanger municipality in 1850 to form the new Balestrand Municipality. This split left Leikanger with 2,368 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Hella-Eitorn area (population: 31) was transferred from Balestrand back to Leikanger. Also, the Tingstad area (population: 5) was transferred to neighboring Sogndal municipality. These changes left Leikanger with 2,680 residents. On 1 January 1992, the sub-parishes of Leikanger lying south of the Sognefjorden, including Feios and Fresvik (total population: 572) were transferred to the municipality of Vik. This move left Leikanger with only one sub-parish: Leikanger.

On 1 January 2020, Leikanger was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Balestrand and Sogndal to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Leikanger farm (Leikvangir) since the first Leikanger Church was built there. The first element is which means "game", "sports", or "contest". The last element is the plural form of which means "field" or "meadow". Thus it means a meadow used for sports or games. Prior to 1889, the name was written Lekanger.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 5 September 1963. The official blazon is "Vert, two apples on a branch with three leaves Or" (På grøn botn to gull eple på kvist med tre lauv). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is an apple tree branch with two apples and three leaves attached. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The apple tree branch is a symbol for the many orchards in the municipality and thus for the local economy. The three leaves symbolised the three parishes (Leikanger, Feios, and Fresvik) that used to make up the municipality (before two of them were transferred to Vik Municipality in 1992). The arms were designed by K. Fotland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Leikanger. It was part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Leikanger was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Leikanger:

 * 1838-1839: Christian Garup Meidell
 * 1840-1843: Søren Lem
 * 1844-1847: Herman Brun
 * 1848-1849: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
 * 1849-1851: Herman Brun
 * 1852-1853: Hans Johannes Brun
 * 1854-1857: Johan David Haslund
 * 1858-1868: Sjur Sæterlid
 * 1868-1868: Hans Lem
 * 1868-1869: Johan Herman Brun
 * 1870-1873: Nils J. Njøs
 * 1874-1881: Lars M. Husabø
 * 1882-1884: Jakob Liv Rosted Sverdrup
 * 1885-1901: Jakob Bøthun
 * 1902-1907: Lars M. Husabø
 * 1908-1916: Nils Tjønn
 * 1917-1919: Hans N. Grinde
 * 1920-1922: Hans Fleche
 * 1922-1922: Knut Jordal
 * 1923-1934: Hans N. Grinde
 * 1935-1951: Olav Tveit (V)
 * 1952-1957: Per H. Bøthun (V)
 * 1958-1961: Hans Husabø (V)
 * 1962-1963: Leiv Loen (V)
 * 1964-1975: Arne Grepstad (V)
 * 1975-1975: Olav Straume (KrF)
 * 1976-1977: Lars Lefdal (H)
 * 1978-1979: Kåre Næss (KrF)
 * 1980-1983: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
 * 1984-1987: Erling Olsen (Ap)
 * 1988-1991: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
 * 1992-1993: Kjell Helleland (Ap)
 * 1994-1995: Åsta Magni Hauge (Ap)
 * 1996-1999: Nils Erling Yndesdal (V)
 * 2000-2003: Rolf Nesheim (V)
 * 2003-2015: Olav Lunden (Ap)
 * 2015-2019: Jon Håkon Odd (Ap)

Geography
Leikanger is located on the north side of the Sognefjorden and to the east of the Fjærlandsfjorden. It is bordered on the north and east by the municipality of Sogndal, on the west by Balestrand, and on the south (across the Sognefjorden) by Vik.

Buildings and structures
East of Leikanger, there are the Sognefjord Spans, three powerline spans with length over 4 km, which are currently the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th longest spans in the world. In 1955, the first Sognefjord Span was built near Leikanger. It was the longest span in the world from 1955 until 1997.

Sister cities/Twin towns
Leikanger has sister city agreements with the following places:
 * 🇩🇰 Ribe, Denmark

Notable people

 * Iver Erikssøn Leganger (1629 in Leikanger – 1702), a priest, author, and farm owner
 * Georg Burchard Jersin (1767 in Leikanger – 1827), a Lutheran minister and representative on the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
 * Olaf Huseby (1856 in Leikanger – 1942), a Norwegian-American bookseller and publisher
 * Jakob Sverdrup (1881 in Leikanger – 1938), a Norwegian philologist and lexicographer
 * Kjell Bondevik (1901 in Leikanger – 1983), a Norwegian politician who also wrote history books
 * Oddvar Flæte (born 1944 in Leikanger), a politician who was County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane from 1994-2011
 * Silje Nes (born 1980 in Leikanger), a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, singer, and sound artist
 * Elise Thorsnes (born 1988 in Leikanger), a Norwegian footballer who played 125 games with the Norway women's national football team

title: Leikanger


text:
Sogndal

Sogndal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Hermansverk is the administrative center of Sogndal municipality. Other villages include Kaupanger, Kjørnes, Fimreite, Nornes, and Fjærland. Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen is located 10 km southwest of Kaupanger.

The Norwegian dialect spoken in Sogndal is called sognamål.

In 1917, a farmer in Sogndal (Kato Linde) plowed up the Eggja stone, a gravestone with runic inscriptions important for the history of the Old Norse language.

The 1258 km2 municipality is the 84th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sogndal is the 96th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 12,198. The municipality's population density is 9.9 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 10.2% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Sogndal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Sogndal parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Stedje, Norane, and Kaupanger. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Tingstad area (population: 5) was transferred from Leikanger Municipality to Sogndal Municipality. On 1 January 2000, the sub-parish of Fjærland was transferred from Balestrand Municipality to Sogndal because of the completion of the Frudal Tunnel which connected the previously isolated area of Fjærland to Sogndal rather than Balestrand.

On 1 January 2020, a major municipal merger took place. Sogndal Municipality (population: 8,191) was merged with Leikanger Municipality (population: 2,331) and most of Balestrand Municipality (except for the Nesse area which was merged into Høyanger Municipality) to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal. On the same date the administrative centre was moved from Sogndalsfjøra to Hermansverk. Also on that date, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Sokndalen valley (Sóknardalr) since the historic Stedje Church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the river Sókn (now called Sogndalselvi). The river name is derived from the verb which means "to seek" or "to look for", thus it is "the river which seeks (finds/forces) its way". The last element is which means "valley" or "dale".

Coat of arms
The original coat of arms was granted on 14 December 1984 and was used until 31 December 2019. The official blazon is "Azure, a ship's stern issuant Or" (På blå grunn ein oppveksande gull skipsstamn). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is the front of a Viking ship. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The ship symbolized the nearby naval Battle of Fimreite between King Sverre of Norway and the local King Magnus Erlingsson in the year 1184. The latter was killed in battle together with many nobles of the time. The arms were designed by the artist Inge Rotevatn from Nordfjordeid. The municipal flag had the same design as the coat of arms.

A new coat of arms was granted in 2019 for use starting on 1 January 2020 when the municipality was enlarged. The blazon is "Azure, an S-shape argent narrowing to chief". This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is an S-shaped curve that narrows towards the top of the design. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms symbolize a fjord curving between the mountains. The curving shape is also similar to an "S" which is the first letter of the name of the municipality.

Churches
The Church of Norway has six parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Sogndal. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

The main church of the parish is in Stedje. This is probably one of the oldest church sites in Sogn, probably erected in the first half of the 11th century. The present church was built in 1867, at the same time the old stave church was torn down. A runestone stands near the church, and traces of a Viking settlement have been found nearby.

Sogndal has historically had three sub-parishes (under Stedje): Kaupanger, Norane, and Fjærland. All three of these are also old church sites. The first churches in Kaupanger and Norane were probably built as early as the 11th century and in Fjærland the original church was built around 1600. The present church in Fjærland was built in 1861 and in Norane in 1863. In Kaupanger, the old Stave church from the 12th century is still standing. Excavations show that this was probably the third church on this site. The church was rebuilt in 1862 and lost most of its original character. But today, as a result of a restoration project you will find the church much as it was prior to 1862.

Government
Sogndal Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Sogndal is made up of 31 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Sogndal:

 * 1838-1839: Wilhelm Christian Magelsen
 * 1840-1841: Nils Knagenhjelm
 * 1842-1851: Fredrik Christian Juell
 * 1854-1864: Carl Johan Fleischer
 * 1865-1865: Christen Knagenhjelm
 * 1870-1877: Christen Knagenhjelm
 * 1878-1878: Jakob Liv Rosted Sverdrup (V)
 * 1879-1879: Ivar Gurvin
 * 1880-1883: Oluf Andreas Rønneberg
 * 1884-1886: Johannes O. Bondevik
 * 1887-1888: Henrik Mohn Dahl
 * 1889-1889: Johannes O. Bondevik
 * 1894-1898: Ivar Gurvin
 * 1899-1901: Skak Lystrup Ormelseng
 * 1902-1904: Reidar Darre-Jensen
 * 1905-1910: Ivar Gurvin
 * 1911-1913: Gjert Falch Heiberg
 * 1914-1916: Vilhelm Flugheim
 * 1917-1919: Anders K. Tylden
 * 1920-1930: Jonas Schanke Mossige
 * 1930-1931: Tomas Nornes
 * 1932-1937: Ivar O. Skjeldestad
 * 1938-1940: Lars Uglum
 * 1945-1946: Hans H. H. Heiberg (H)
 * 1947-1947: Johan Flugheim
 * 1948-1951: Lars Uglum
 * 1952-1957: Audun A. Slinde (V)
 * 1958-1961: Per L. Slinde
 * 1962-1963: Audun A. Slinde (V)
 * 1964-1967: Sigmund Ylvisåker
 * 1968-1973: Nils Knagenhjelm (H)
 * 1974-1977: Erlend Ylvisåker (V)
 * 1978-1981: Kåre Lerum (H)
 * 1982-1983: Ivar Falck Husum (Sp)
 * 1984-1985: Trygve Bjørk (Ap)
 * 1986-1987: Bjørg Rimeslåtten (V)
 * 1988-1993: Trygve Bjørk (Ap)
 * 1994-2003: Jarle Skartun (Sp)
 * 2003-2007: Karen Marie Hjelmeseter (Sp)
 * 2007–2023: Jarle Aarvoll (Ap)
 * 2023-present: Stig Ove Ølmheim (Ap)

Education
With more than 2,000 students in the municipality, Sogndal is the educational center of Vestland County. Students from all over Norway come to Sogndal and they create a high level of activity, which is hard to find in places of similar size.

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is one of the main employers in Sogndal. The Western Norway Research Institute is located within the campus, but it is an independent institution with special expertise in information communication, technology systems, environmental research, and organizational research. In addition to the University College, Sogndal has a large upper secondary school and the oldest continuously running folk high school in the country.

Subsistence farming
Sogndal is an old dwelling place. Archaeological excavations indicate that people have been living there as far back as 700 BC. The first farms in Sogndal date back to the 1st century AD and findings indicate that these were rich farms. Since ancient time, agriculture has been the most important trade in Sogndal. Traditionally grain cultivation and animal husbandry were the most important, but forestry and fruit growing were also common. Fruit, especially apples, have been grown as far back as there are written sources. In the historical records of King Sverre (12th century) there are words and names indicating that apples have been grown in this area.

Industrial revolution
The largest settlement of Sogndal, Sogndalsfjøra, has a long and remarkable history as a seaside settlement. It probably served as the center of the parish for centuries, with general stores and bakeries testifying to its early importance as a center of commerce and trade.

This was a community characterized by vigorous activity. There were boat landings for farmers living alongside the fjord, military functions were established here, and later on, house owners would rent rooms to the first students of the newly established folk high school. Legal assemblies were held at Hofslund, the vicar lived just nearby, and the church was located within sight at Stedje.

Sogndalsfjøra was inhabited as early as the 17th century. By 1701, the number of permanent residents had reached 60–70, mainly people who did not own property but made their living as day laborers. A century later, the population had increased to 222, and by 1900, 422 residents were registered.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the industrial base had been widened and strengthened. In 1881, there were house painters, a goldsmith, saddlers, carpenters, shoemakers, watchmakers, a tinker, and a butcher. Ten years later, Sogndalsfjøra had its own insurance agent, a telephone operator, an ”automobile chauffeur”, a photographer, and a printer. Sogndalsfjøra was no longer a slum, it was becoming a center of trade, commerce and education.

Sogndal has never been a typical industrial community. Situated along the river 300 m upstream from the fjord, there was a matchstick factory from the mid-19th century onwards. Later, a wool mill and a bottling plant for soft drinks and fruit juices were added. In 1911, a hydroelectric power station with a 200 kilowatt generator was built here. This was one of the region's first power stations, in fact one of the first in rural Norway.

On the other side of the river is the Stedje Mill, a turbine-driven grain mill that was of great importance to Sogndal and the neighboring parishes during the early 20th century. It was established in 1893 and remained in use until the 1960s, owned and run by the same family through three generations.

Geography
Sogndal is located on the northern shore of the large Sognefjorden, surrounding the Sogndalsfjorden which branches off the main fjord. Northern Sogndal surrounds the inner part of the Fjærlandsfjorden. The municipality is cut in half by mountains and the Frudal Tunnel connects the southern (more populous) part of Sogndal to the Fjærland area in the north. The Fjærland area is surrounded by mountains and water. The only other access to the Fjærland area comes via the Fjærland Tunnel which connects to Jølster municipality to the north.

The Jostedalsbreen National Park lies in the far northern part of the municipality. The Jostedalsbreen glacier is partially located in Sogndal, and it has several small glacial arms inside Sogndal: Bøyabreen, Jostefonn, and Supphellebreen.

The municipality of Luster lies to the northeast and east; Jølster municipality lies to the northwest; Gaular, Leikanger, and Balestrand municipalities lie to the west; Vik and Lærdal municipalities lie to the south (across the Sognefjorden).

Climate
Due to vast topographical differences, the climate of Sogndal varies from temperate oceanic (Cfb) at sea level along the Sognefjord to subarctic (Dfc) at higher elevations to alpine tundra at the high elevations in the mountains above the treeline (above 900 m ASL). Njøs is closest weather station to Sogndal town (about 16 km away as the crow flies), and has a temperate oceanic climate (marine west coast climate). The wettest season is September - January, while the driest season is April - August. Monthly mean temperatures range from 0.7 C in February to 16.5 C in July. The all-time high at Njøs 32.5 C is from July 2019, and the all-time low -17.4 C was recorded January 1987 at an earlier station in Leikanger, close to Njøs.

The Norwegian meteorological office runs several stations in the municipality. Fjærland is situated near the head of a long and narrow fjord branch with less oceanic influences and surrounded by high mountains with Norway's largest glacier nearby. There is also a station at Sogndal Airport, situated at 497 m ASL.

Economy
Agriculture has always played a major role in the municipality of Sogndal. Traditionally, the industries in Sogndal have been centered around the processing of agricultural and forestry products.

Industrial park
The Kaupanger Industrial Park is home to several large companies. Lerum Industries A/S, a producer of lemonade, syrup, juice, and jam, is a cornerstone company in Sogndal, and it is also the largest factory of its kind in Norway. Gilde is a meat processing company specializing in cured meat products. Together with Lerum it constitutes the majority of the traditional industry in Sogndal. Many of the public service functions for the region are also located in Sogndal.

River fishing
Fishing permits (for salmon fishing) are sold for use on specific rivers, including Årøy-elva.

Shopping
Sogndal is the shopping and retail center for the surrounding region which has about 30,000 inhabitants. There are about 70 shops in the compact center of Sogndalsfjøra. Many of these shops are located in the new, modern shopping mall called Sogningen Storsenter.

Sogndal football
Sogndal has excellent sports accommodations for both indoor and outdoor sports and can offer a great variety of activities. On the national level, Sogndal Fotball (soccer), which plays at Fosshaugane stadium is well known. Sogndal Fotball (formerly Sogndal IL), plays in the Norwegian Second Division (1. Divisjon), which is the second tier of Norwegian football. In spite of the small size of Sogndalsfjøra and the low population of the municipality, Sogndal has managed to spend several seasons in Norway's top division.

Sognahallen
There is room for both competitive and recreational sports, and Sognahallen is the main sports arena in Sogndal. This is a modern sports hall, which has a full-sized football field, including team handball fields, a 100 m athletics track, and an 18 m high climbing wall. In cooperation with the Norwegian State College for Physical Education and Sport, Sognahallen has established a great scientific sports centre. This sports centre consists of a strength training studio, an aerobic hall, and a spinning hall. Together with the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sognahallen has good facilities for sports education, rehabilitation, and testing.

Attractions

 * De Heibergske Samlinger – Sogn Folkemuseum and Sogn Fjordmuseum at Kaupanger. It demonstrate life along the Sognefjord in the 18th century to present.
 * Kaupanger stavkyrkje - the biggest Stave church in the Sognefjord region, built around 1190.
 * Norsk Bremuseum in Fjærland – a museum with “hands on” activities which has won many awards and where you can learn about snow, ice and glaciers.
 * Den norske bokbyen in Fjærland - various second hand bookshops, antique stores, and book cafes.

Public thinking & public service

 * Melchior Falch (1720 in Sogndal – 1791), a jurist, magistrate, and fisheries promoter
 * Niels Johannesen Loftesnæs (1789 in Sogndal – 1848), a farmer, soldier, and representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
 * Hans Paludan Smith Schreuder (1817 in Sogndal - 1882), a missionary with the Zulu Kingdom
 * Jens Andreas Friis (1821 in Sogndal – 1896), a philologist, lexicographer, university professor, and prominent linguist in the languages spoken by the Sami people
 * Andreas Leigh Aabel (1830 in Sogndal – 1901), a Norwegian physician and poet
 * Harald Sverdrup (1888 in Sogndal – 1957), an oceanographer and meteorologist and director of the Norwegian Polar Institute
 * Liv Signe Navarsete (born 1958 in Sogndal), a tempestuous politician, party leader, and minister

The Arts

 * Gjest Baardsen (1791 in Sogndalsfjøra - 1849), an outlaw, jail-breaker, non-fiction writer, songwriter, and memoirist
 * Minda Ramm (1859 in Sogndal – 1924), a Norwegian novelist, translator, and literary critic
 * Olav Stedje (born 1953) (born 1953 in Sogndal), a Norwegian soft rock singer-songwriter
 * Tone Damli Aaberge (born 1988 in Sogndal), a Norwegian singer-songwriter and actress
 * Windir (1994–2004), a Norwegian sognametal band whose members originated in Sogndal
 * Eva & The Heartmaker (formed 2006), a musical duo of Eva Weel Skram and Thomas Stenersen

Sport

 * Eirik Bakke (born 1977 in Sogndal), a retired footballer with 386 club caps and 27 for Norway
 * Thea Bjelde (born 2000 in Sogndal), a footballer with over 100 club caps and over 50 for Norway
 * Terje Skjeldestad (born 1978 in Sogndal), a retired goalkeeper with 244 caps with Sogndal Fotball
 * Anders Stadheim (born 1980 in Sogndal), a former footballer with over 200 club caps
 * Oddbjørn Skartun (born 1989 in Sogndal), a Norwegian footballer with over 200 club caps
 * Kristian Opseth (born 1990 in Kaupanger), a Norwegian footballer with almost 200 club caps

title: Sogndal


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Aurland

Aurland is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located on the south side of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen.

The 1468 km2 municipality is the 60th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Aurland is the 294th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,775. The municipality's population density is 1.3 PD/km2 and its population has increased by 3.6% over the previous 10-year period.

General information
Aurland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Aurland parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Aurlandsvangen, Flåm, and Undredal. In 1859, the sub-parish of Nærøy was created by separating it from the sub-parish of Undredal. The municipal borders have not changed since 1838.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old village of Aurland (Aurland) since the first Vangen Church was built there. The first element is which means "gravel" or "moist earth". The last element is which means "land" or "district".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 22 May 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, a goat buck's head erased argent" (På blå grunn eit avrive sølv geitebukkhovud). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is the head of a male goat. The goat head has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. A goat was considered an appropriate symbol for the municipality since the area is famed for its goat farming and its production of goat cheese. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has four parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Aurland. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

History
The earliest inhabitants lived by hunting and fishing until they gradually started farming about 2,000 years ago. Agriculture is still important with the rich valley floors and abundant mountain pastures. As in all of western Norway, the area was overpopulated in the middle 19th century, and cotters were forced to clear land far up the mountainsides. This difficulty led to emigration and in the 20-year period after 1845, 1,050 people moved out of the community—most of them moving to America.

Tourism came to the community as early as the middle of the 19th century, in the form of sport fishing and hunting. Tourists from England were dominant during this time and one can still find English names for mountaintops, hunting cabins, and fishing holes.

Later, a different type of tourist came to the region. These tourists came to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. These tourists created a need for jobs in the form of transportation and lodging. Three or four ships would anchor in the Nærøyfjord at a time which created the need for scores of horse-drawn carriages to take the tourists up to Stalheim hotel, located just over the border in Voss municipality to the southwest.

Government
Aurland Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Aurland is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Aurland:

 * 1838-1839: Jonas Wessel Crøger
 * 1841-1841: Torstein Fretheim
 * 1842-1843: K. A. Bugge
 * 1844-1847: Torstein Fretheim
 * 1848-1848: Henrik Christian Borchgrevink
 * 1849-1851: Torstein Fretheim
 * 1853-1859: Torstein Fretheim
 * 1862-1865: Sjur Loven
 * 1867-1868: Anders Brekke
 * 1868-1871: Torstein Fretheim
 * 1872-1879: Lars Ohnstad
 * 1881-1885: Eirik Otternes
 * 1886-1897: Anders Brekke
 * 1899-1907: Peder Skjerdal
 * 1909-1925: Olav Sævartveit
 * 1926-1928: Jens Lunde
 * 1928-1929: Per Wangen
 * 1939-1941: Jens Lunde
 * 1942-1945: Torstein Skahjem
 * 1945-1945: Jens Lunde
 * 1946-1959: Jon Ø. Underdahl
 * 1960-1963: Ragnvald Winjum (V)
 * 1965-1971: Svein Fossheim (Sp)
 * 1971-1979: Martin Widme (Ap)
 * 1980-1985: Torleiv Gjerløw (Sp)
 * 1986-1991: Osvald Turlid (Ap)
 * 1992-2003: Ivar Bjarne Underdal (Sp)
 * 2003–2011: Olav J. Ellingsen (Sp)
 * 2011–2019: Noralv Distad (H)
 * 2019–2023: Trygve Skjerdal (Sp)
 * 2023-present: Kjell Bøe Bjørgum (Ap)

Police
In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Aurland be closed.

Geography
Aurland lies 200 km from the west coast of Norway in the eastern part of Vestland county, along the Aurlandsfjorden and the Nærøyfjorden. These are branches that flow off of the world's longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjorden.

Aurland is bordered by four municipalities in Vestland county: Lærdal to the north-east and Vik to the west, Voss to the south-west, and Ulvik to the south. It is also bordered by one municipality in Buskerud county: Hol to the south-east.

Most of the area is composed of fjords and mountains with small populated areas concentrated in the lower river valleys, the largest of which is the Aurlandsdalen. The main village areas include Aurlandsvangen, Gudvangen, Undredal, Flåm, and Vassbygdi.

Wild and beautiful nature dominate the community from the fjords to mountaintops that are 1200 to 1800 m above sea level. There are two permanent glaciers in Aurland: Storskavlen and Blåskavlen.

The Aurlandsfjellet mountains separate Aurland from the neighboring municipality to the east, Lærdal. The Lærdal Tunnel, the longest in the world as of 2014, cuts through the mountains connecting the two municipalities. The Gudvanga Tunnel connects the villages of Gudvangen and Undredal in southwestern Aurland.

Climate
Aurland has a typical inland climate with mild winters at the lower levels, early springs, and warm summers. A yearly average of 470 mm of precipitation make Aurland one of the driest areas in Norway. In comparison, Bergen has 2250 mm of precipitation per year.

Vegetation
Aurland has rich and varied flora, which is more typical of eastern rather than western Norway. The mountain plant life is especially rich since the bedrock contains calcium rich deposits of phyllite.

Geology
The oldest bedrock in Aurland are Precambrian basement rocks which crop out in tectonic windows in the north-eastern part of the municipality. This basement unit is mainly composed of granites, granodiorites and gneisses and is overlain by a nappe unit of cambro-silurian phyllite and mica schist of varying thickness. This is in turn overlain by a second nappe unit, called the Jotundekket (“Jokun Nappe”), which consists of Precambrian, mainly magmatic rocks which are more or less metamorphosed into gneisses and amphibolite.

Part of the scenery took its shape 9,000 years ago, at the end of the ice age. The ice's advance was either halted or continued, according to the climatic conditions, and moraine ridges and gravel terraces were deposited along the glacier front. They are still visible today south of the Flåm church.

On the western side of the Aurlandsfjord, there is rock that was pushed up into mountain ranges several million years ago. The fjord itself was gouged out of an earlier valley. Aurlandsvangen is typical of the lower areas, lying on an old river delta—the land is very flat and fertile. The mountainsides are steep causing frequent rock slides and avalanches.

The lakes Nyhellervatnet and Fretheimsdalsvatnet are located in Aurland.

UNESCO World Heritage Site
The West Norwegian Fjords of Geirangefjord and Nærøyfjord were added to UNESCO's World Heritage Site list in 2005. The two fjords are situated 120 km from each other and they are separated by the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The World Heritage Site possesses a unique combination of glacial landforms at the same time as each area is characterised by its own outstanding beauty. The Nærøyfjord areas in this site stretch through the municipalities of Aurland, Lærdal, Vik, and Voss.

Aurlandsdalen Valley
The Aurlandsdalen valley is a well known hiking trail in Norway with its fabulous nature and contrasting countryside. The valley is rich in history and packed with culture. One can take the hike in several stages: From Geiteryggen where the path starts, it is a four-hour hike to Steinbergdalen. There are beautiful views of mountain peaks, snow glaciers, and lakes. In Steinbergdalen you will find Steinbergdalen mountain lodge which opened in 1895.

Flåmsbana Railway
The Flåm Railway is a masterpiece in engineering which is one of the most exciting railway journeys in the world. This journey from Myrdal to Flåm is twelve miles long (19 km), a descent of 866 m. It has 20 tunnels with a total length of almost 6 km. About 80% of the Flåm railway has a maximum gradient of 5.5%. To cope with the enormous change in height over such a short stretch, the track runs partly through tunnels which spiral in and out of the mountainside. The gradient is quite exceptional for a normal railway and the carriages are fitted with five different brake systems, any one of which is sufficient to stop the train.

Undredal Stavkyrkje
The Undredal Stave Church is a simple, small one-nave church that was built around 1150. It is located in the village of Undredal. It is one of the oldest preserved stave churches in Norway.

Vangen Kyrkje
The Vangen Church was built in 1202. The church is built in the early Gothic style influenced by English architecture. A document written in 1714 tells us that English merchants used to stay in Aurland during long periods to buy different articles and they are supposed to have taken part in the building of the church. Most likely they would have been the master builders.

In 1725, the Danish-Norwegian government was experiencing financial problems and King Frederick IV sold the church. The church remained as private property until the late 19th century. Then the municipality bought Vangen church back for 500 kroner.

At the last restoration in 1926, the original colors and designs were uncovered. Then the ceiling was taken away and the baldachin over the pulpit was brought back again. A new altarpiece was made. The Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland made the stained glass windows (two of the windows in the chancel illustrate the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the one in the middle is Jesus Christ, the Savior).

Sightseeing

 * Kjelfossen is a waterfall located near the village of Gudvangen
 * Kjosfossen and Rjoandefossen are waterfalls that can be seen from the Flåmsbana railway
 * The Stegastein viewpoint was constructed in 2006 with views of the surrounding fjords and valleys.

Notable people

 * Absalon Pederssøn Beyer (ca. 1528 in Aurland – 1575), a Norwegian author, lecturer, and Lutheran clergyman
 * Ragnvald Gjerløw (1853 in Aurland – 1936), a Norwegian priest and writer
 * Per Sivle (1857 in Flåm – 1904), a Norwegian poet, novelist, and newspaper editor
 * Ragnvald Winjum (1917–1965), a Norwegian jurist, politician, farmer, and attorney who lived in Aurland from 1953 and became the Mayor of Aurland municipality
 * Keldian (formed 2005 in Aurland), a Norwegian power metal band

title: Aurland


text:
Lærdal

Lærdal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the south side of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri. The old Filefjell Kongevegen road passes through Lærdal on its way to Valdres and later to Oslo.

The 1343 km2 municipality is the 71st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway (with over half of this area consisting of mountains). Lærdal is the 273rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,129. The municipality's population density is 1.7 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 2.2% over the previous 10-year period.

The Lærdal river valley is long, running from Hemsedal (Høgeloft mountain) and the Filefjell mountains in the east to the Sognefjorden in the west. About half of the municipal residents live in the main village of Lærdalsøyri; the rest in the small villages in the surrounding valleys such as Borgund, Ljøsne, Tønjum, Erdal, Vindedalen, Frønningen, and Strendene. The Old Lærdalsøyri village has 161 protected buildings. Some of the houses there date back to the mid-18th century. On the night of 18–19 January 2014, a major fire destroyed at least 30 buildings.

General information
Lærdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In the 19th century, the name was sometimes spelled Leerdahl or Leirdal. The municipality of 1838 was created to be identical to the Lærdal parish (prestegjeld) that included the sub-parishes (sokn) of Borgund, Tønjum, Hauge, and Aardal. In 1863, the northeastern sub-parish of Aardal (population: 1,791) was separated from Lærdal to form a separate municipality. In 1864, the eastern sub-parish of Borgund (population: 963) was separated from Lærdal to form its own municipality. This left Lærdal with 2,777 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Lærdal (population: 1,755) was merged with the municipality of Borgund (population: 492) and the Muggeteigen, Luggenes, and Bergmål farms (population: 11) along the Sognefjorden from the municipality of Årdal. After the merger, Lærdal had a total of 2,258. On 1 January 1992, the Frønningen area (population: 32) of Leikanger Municipality was transferred to Lærdal municipality.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old village of Lærdal (Lærardalr). The first element is the genitive case of the old name of the local river Lærr. The meaning of the river name is unknown. The last element is which means "valley" or "dale".

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 18 December 1987. The official blazon is "Gules, two dragon heads bendwise Or" (På raud grunn to gull drakehovud i skrå rekkje). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is two dragon heads aligned diagonally. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The dragon heads are based on the wooden dragons seen on the gables of the historic Borgund Stave Church that was built around 1150 in Lærdal. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches
The Church of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Lærdal. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Government
Lærdal Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Lærdal is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Lærdal:

 * 1838-1843: Nils Rossing Bull
 * 1844-1845: Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen
 * 1846-1847: Hannibal Winsnes
 * 1848-1857: Nils Rossing Bull
 * 1858-1859: Jan Rumohr
 * 1860-1863: Jørgen Christian Lindstrøm
 * 1864-1871: Jan Rumohr
 * 1872-1875: Søren Schelderup
 * 1876-1877: David Anderson Raa
 * 1878-1879: Baard Lysne
 * 1880-1881: Tøger Ravn
 * 1882-1888: Otto Blehr
 * 1889-1891: Peder Th. Tønjum
 * 1896-1898: Gerhard Dahl
 * 1899-1901: Tøger Ravn
 * 1908-1910: Hans H. Michelsen
 * 1911-1913: Haakon Mo
 * 1914-1916: Hans H. Michelsen
 * 1917-1922: Olav Skjær
 * 1923-1925: Nils Lysne
 * 1926-1937: Olav Skjær
 * 1938-1942: Per Severin Hjermann (Bp)
 * 1942-1945: Petter Klingenberg (NS)
 * 1945-1954: Per Severin Hjermann (Bp)
 * 1954-1959: Egil Natvik (V)
 * 1960-1963: Ingebrigt Eri (Sp)
 * 1964-1975: Anders Lunden (Ap)
 * 1976-1979: Per Hjermann (Sp)
 * 1980-1981: Knut L. Blaaflat (Sp)
 * 1982-1989: Knut O. Hegg (Sp)
 * 1990-1999: Hans A. Tønjum (Sp)
 * 1999-2003: Olav Wendelbo (Sp)
 * 2003–2007: Knut O. Aarethun (Ap)
 * 2007–2011: Arne Sanden (Ap)
 * 2011–2019: Jan Geir Solheim (Sp)
 * 2019–present: Audun Mo (Ap)

Twin towns – Sister cities
Lærdal has sister city agreements with the following places:
 * Jericho, Palestine (since 1998)

Geography
Lærdal is located southeast of the Sognefjorden and east of the Aurlandsfjorden. The municipality is centered on the Lærdalselvi River with the Filefjell and Hemsedalsfjell mountain ranges on its east. Lærdal is bordered in Vestland county by the municipality of Aurland to the southwest, Sogndal to the northwest, and Årdal to the north. It is also bordered on the east by Vang (Innlandet county) and Hemsedal (Buskerud county), and in the south by Ål and Hol (both in Buskerud county).

The lakes Eldrevatnet, Juklevatnet, and Øljusjøen are located along the southeastern border, south of the mountain Høgeloft.

Climate
Lærdal is situated near the head of Sognefjorden. The very long fjord snakes past mountain ranges on its way from the sea inland to Lærdal, and the mountains create a rain shadow effect for the innermost part of the fjord, making Lærdal much drier than the coast, with just 20% of Bergen's precipitation. The mountains also sometimes gives a föhn effect in winter for Lærdal. The climate of Lærdal is a thus a mix of oceanic and continental features. Lærdal has a humid continental climate, or a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb), depending on winter threshold (0 °C as used in US or -3 °C as in the original Köppen climate classification). The record high 33.4 C was recorded both July 2018 and July 2019. The all-time low -21.8 C is from January 1942.

Lærdal tunnel
The Lærdalstunnel was built through the Aurlandsfjell mountains dividing Aurland from Lærdal. It is the world's longest road tunnel at 24.5 km. Construction began in 1995 and was completed in 2000.

Lærdalselvi river
The River Lærdalselvi was traditionally one of the most exclusive salmon and sea trout rivers in Norway. Known by the Norwegian King Harald V as his second Queen, the river has established Lærdal as one of the meccas of salmon and sea trout fly fishing, among others for the unusual fact that the river offers daylight fishing and dry fly fishing for sea trout. The salmon population was drastically depleted after an infestation with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris in the fall of 1996. After several treatments with aluminium sulfate, there are still problems with the parasite. In fall 2007, a smolt was again found infected by the parasite, and new treatments started in late March 2008. Because of this parasite, the river was closed to angling for the 2008 season.

The river has formed a large delta at Lærdalsøyri, where huge amounts of silt and sand have been deposited by the river. Although the area has been spoiled by some unfortunate landfills it is still a sight worth seeing.

Economy
Lærdal has long traditions in farming, with the lower region of the valley being great for vegetable crops. Because of its dry climate it was one of the first places in Norway to begin the use of artificial irrigation. Despite having an inland climate, the water in the fjord keeps the winters from getting too cold.

The local Western Norway Regional Health Authority hospital provides medical care for Lærdal itself and seven of the surrounding municipalities. The hospital, together with Opplysningen 1881 (directory assistance company), Østfold Energiproduksjon A/S and Norsk Hydro Aluminium Production Facilities in Årdal, are the major employers in Lærdal. The local government and health authority is trying to close this hospital due to cost cutting, which may have negative effects on the area.

Notable people

 * Peder Hjermann (1754 in Lærdal – 1834), a farmer and representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
 * Anders Olson Lysne (1764 – executed 1803), a farmer who led the Lærdal farmers' rebellion from 1800 to 1802
 * Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen (1801–1879), a businessman and politician who was mayor of Lærdal in the 1850s
 * Per Lysne (1880 in Lærdal – 1947), a Norwegian-American artist who brought Rosemaling folk art to the USA
 * Eivind Blehr (1881 in Lærdal – 1957), a politician who was a government minister in Quisling's government during WWII
 * Knut Rumohr (1916 in Lærdal – 2002), a Norwegian painter and printmaker
 * Knut O. Aarethun (born 1942 in Lærdalsøyri), a politician who was mayor of Lærdal from 2003 to 2007
 * Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft (born 1947 in Lærdal), a Norwegian former TV presenter
 * Øyvind Hegg-Lunde (born 1982 in Lærdal), a musician (playing drums and percussion) who was raised in Borgund

title: Lærdal


text:
Årdal

Årdal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Årdalsfjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Årdalstangen is the administrative center of the municipality. The other main village is Øvre Årdal. The municipality of Årdal was created in 1863 when it was separated from the municipality of Lærdal.

Årdal is a modern industrial community, with ties to the old society of farming and fishing. It is surrounded by dramatic nature with high mountains and waterfalls. The climate is rather mild and with less rain than normal in the west part of Norway. Årdal is a good starting point to explore the wild nature of Jotunheimen National Park, and with summer and winter activities within its boundaries. The Vettisfossen waterfall (highest in Norway) is located within the municipality.

The 977 km2 municipality is the 119th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Årdal is the 179th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,172. The municipality's population density is 5.6 PD/km2 and its population has decreased by 6.3% over the previous 10-year period.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Årdal be closed.

Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Årdalen valley (Árdalr) since it is the central geographical feature of the municipality. The first element is the genitive case of the word which means "river" or "creek" (referring to the Utla river). The last element is which means "valley" or "dale". On 21 December 1917, a royal resolution enacted the 1917 Norwegian language reforms. Prior to this change, the name was spelled Aardal with the digraph "Aa", and after this reform, the name was spelled Årdal, using the letter Å instead.

Coat of arms
The coat of arms was granted on 9 August 1957. The official blazon is "Gules, three barrulets dancetty Or" (På raud botn ein gull trillingstreng med ormeband-skurd). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is three zig-zag lines running horizontally across the escutcheon. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The local economy at the time of the creation of the arms was mainly based on heavy industry, which needed a lot of electricity. The zig-zag lines in the arms symbolize both the electrical power and the industries. The zig-zag design also symbolizes the ormeband-skrud which is more or less translated as a "worm-ribbon ornament" which is a design of dragons and lindworms that were depicted in the ornamentations in the ancient Norwegian wooden stave churches in the area. The arms were designed by Hallvard Trætteberg, after an original idea by Magnus Hardeland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

History
Lærdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Lærdal parish (prestegjeld) including the sub-parish (sokn) of Aardal. In 1863, the sub-parish of Aardal (population: 1,791) was separated from Lærdal and became a municipality of its own. The spelling was later changed to Årdal. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Muggeteigen, Luggenes, and Bergmål farms (population: 11) were transferred from Årdal to Lærdal.

Establishment of center for asylum seekers
From 1 August 2013 to 1 September it received 151 asylum seekers. (The municipal council had beforehand said no to establishing a center for asylum seekers, but the fylkesmannen resolved otherwise. ) On 4 November 2013, one of the residents of the center was found—with a knife in his hand—on the bus from Årdal to Oslo, together with one dead bus driver and two dead passengers. The incident is known as the Triple murder on the Valdres Express, and only one male —the asylum seeker—is a police suspect. Earlier on the same day, for the first time one of the center's asylum seekers was removed (by police) in order to be deported from Norway. (After the deaths, media said that Norway has no requirement for screening the mental health of asylum seekers—unlike requirements in Netherlands.)

Government
Årdal Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Årdal is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Mayors
The mayors (ordførar) of Årdal:

 * 1860-1863: Endre Offerdal
 * 1864-1865: Erik Ofredal
 * 1866-1869: Jørgen J Schudtz
 * 1882-1887: Lars C. Østvold
 * 1887-1887: Wollert Hille
 * 1888-1891: Tomas Holsæter
 * 1896-1898: Erik Nundal
 * 1899-1904: Olav Bjørkum
 * 1905-1907: Ivar Offerdal
 * 1908-1919: Per Klingenberg Hestetun
 * 1920-1922: Ivar Offerdal
 * 1923-1926: Per Klingenberg Hestetun
 * 1926-1940: Jørgen O. Hæreid
 * 1941-1941: Per Bjørkum
 * 1941-1944: Tomas Lægreid
 * 1945-1945: Gunnar Hansen
 * 1946-1955: Ivar Sterri
 * 1956-1971: Asbjørn Søfting
 * 1972-1974: Jakob Flæte
 * 1974-1983: Jørgen O. Vee
 * 1984-1995: Jo Ragnar Sønstlien (Ap)
 * 1995-2002: Oddbjørn Einan (Ap)
 * 2002-2019: Arild Ingar Lægreid (Ap)
 * 2019-2023: Hilmar Høl (Ap)
 * 2023-present: Christian Sønstlien (Ap)

Geography
The municipality is situated at the inner part of the Årdalsfjorden, one of the beginning branches of the Sognefjorden and is a gateway to the mountain areas called Jotunheimen and Hurrungane, including the mountains Falketind, Store Austanbotntind, and Store Skagastølstind.

There are two urban areas in Årdal: Årdalstangen and Øvre Årdal, with a total population of approximately 5,700. There are also smaller village areas throughout the municipality: Naddvik (Vikadalen), Nundalen, Indre Offerdal, Ytre Offerdal, Seimsdalen, Fardalen, Avdalen, Utladalen, Vetti, and Vettismorki.

Årdal is bordered to the north and west by the municipality of Luster, to the east by Vang (in Oppland county), and to the south by Lærdal.

Industry
Årdal became a symbol of modern Norway after World War II. In the course of a few years, Årdal was transformed from a scarcely populated rural community into a small town situated around the aluminium plant Årdal og Sunndal Verk. Construction of the aluminium plant at Årdal started in 1941. The purpose was to build a large aluminium industry as a part of the German war effort. The Norwegian State confiscated the unfinished plant in Årdal in 1945 at the end of the war. The plant was finished by the government and production started in 1948.

At Årdal, the aluminium factory produced semi-finished aluminium that went on to be transformed into various products in other factories. During the early years most of the aluminium was exported. The car and airplane industries were big aluminium consumers. Some finished products were made in Norway, such as Høyang kitchen equipment, kettles, and pans.

In 1986, Årdal og Sunndal Verk was merged with Norsk Hydro under the name Hydro Aluminium AS.

Churches
The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Årdal. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Utladalen
The Vettisfossen waterfall was given protected status in 1924. With a free fall of 275 m, it is the highest waterfall in Northern Europe.

The Vetti Gard og Turiststasjon, a farm rich in tradition dating from around 1120, is set in dramatic natural surroundings. The farm has been involved in tourism ever since the early 19th century and now serves as a café and tourist information office in the summer. The Vettismorki mountain farm is located nearby.

The Utladalen Landscape Protection Area (314 km2) was established in conjunction with the Jotunheimen National Park. It comprises large parts of the Utladalen valley and adjoining side valleys. The area contains several old farms and mountain pasture farmsteads of historical interest.

Utladalen Naturhus is a nature center situated at Skåri, an old farm. Farming here ceased in the early 1970s. In 1996 work commenced on the restoration of the old cultural landscape, and the Utladalen Naturhus center was opened in May 1998. Run by the Utladalen Naturhus foundation, the aim of the centre is to inform visitors about the natural and cultural history of Utladalen and Western Jotunheimen. The centre also includes the Slingsby Museum.

Avdalen Gård (Farm)
The Avdalen farm is scenically situated on the mountainside above the beautiful Avdalen waterfall in the Utladalen valley. The land was cleared for farming in the 16th century. Abandoned in more recent times, the farm has now been restored to provide restaurant, accommodation and meeting facilities. The mill house can be seen in operation milling grain.

Jotunheimen National Park
The Jotunheimen National Park, established in 1980, covers an area of approximately 1145 km2 and comprises the Hurrungane, Fannaråki, and the Rauddalstind og Mjølkedalstind peaks. Jotunheimen is a popular area for hiking in summer and skiing in winter, and the Hurrungane massif is very popular with climbers.

Indre Offerdal Museum
This old fjord-side settlement of Indre Offerdal "right down by the shore" is packed with interesting history about Årdal. Ten buildings, including a mill, sawmill, a shoreside warehouse, and farm buildings dating from the 19th century, provide insight into the beginnings of the extensive industrialization of this local community.

Scenic Views

 * Mountain Road from Årdal-Turtagrø: In the summer, this road from Øvre Årdal to Turtagrø links Årdal to the Sognefjell mountain road.
 * Folkevegen road from Hjelle-Vetti: From Vetti you can walk to Europe's highest waterfall (275 m high). The road/path passes four waterfalls.

Notable people

 * James O. Davidson (1854 in Årdal – 1922), an American politician who was the 21st Governor of Wisconsin
 * Sigurd Eldegard (1866 in Årdal – 1950), a Norwegian actor, playwright and theatre director
 * Andreas Bjørkum (1932 in Årdal – 2014), a Norwegian philologist who specialized in dialectology
 * Karl Seglem (born 1961 in Årdalstangen), a jazz musician, composer, and producer
 * Gunvor Eldegard (born 1963 in Årdal), a Norwegian politician and mayor of Årdal from 2003-2005
 * Odd Einar Nordheim (born 1972 in Årdal), a singer and musician known from The Voice and Stjernekamp
 * Beate S. Lech (born 1974), a jazz singer, composer, and lyricist who was brought up in Øvre Årdal
 * Tommy Øren (born 1980 in Årdalstangen), a retired Norwegian footballer with over 240 club caps

Historical society
The group called Årdal Sogelag concerns itself with local history.

Transportation
The Valdres Express stops in Øvre Årdal and has its end stop in Årdalstangen. The bus line originates from Oslo.

title: Årdal