Årdal Municipality

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox kommune

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. Other villages in the municipality include Øvre Årdal, Indre Offerdal, and Seimsdalen. Årdal Municipality was established in 1863 when it was separated from Lærdal Municipality.

The Template:Convert municipality is the 119th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Årdal Municipaltiy is the 181st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,213. The municipality's population density is Template:Convert and its population has decreased by 4.7% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ssb area">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="kom">Template:Cite web</ref>

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

General information

Establishment

Lærdal Municipality was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original Lærdal Municipality was identical to the Church of Norway's Lærdal prestegjeld which included the parish (Template:Lang) of Aardal. In 1863, the parish of Aardal (population: 1,791) was separated from Lærdal Municipality and became the new Aardal Municipality (the spelling was later changed to Årdal).<ref name="em">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Dag">Template:Cite web</ref>

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 Municipality to Lærdal Municipality.<ref name="Dag" />

Historically, this municipality was part of the old Sogn og Fjordane county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Vestland county (after Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane counties were merged).<ref>Template:Cite SNL</ref>

Name

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View of Årdalstangen between two lakes

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Årdalen valley (Template:Langx) since it is the central geographical feature of the municipality. The first element is the genitive case of the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "river" or "creek" (referring to the Utla river). The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "valley" or "dale".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 9 August 1957. The official blazon is "Gules, three barrulets dancetty Or" (Template:Langx). 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 Template:Lang 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Churches

The Church of Norway has two parishes (Template:Lang) within Årdal Municipality. It is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Årdal Municipality
Parish (Template:Lang) Church name Location of the church Year built
Nedre Årdal Årdal Church Årdalstangen 1867
Øvre Årdal Farnes Church Øvre Årdal 1970

History

The group called Årdal Sogelag concerns itself with local history.

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Asylum center

From 1 August to 1 September 2013, Årdal Municipality received 151 asylum seekers.<ref name="Responsibility">Template:Cite news</ref> (Earlier, the municipal council had said no to establishing a center for asylum seekers, but the County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane ordered it anyway.<ref name="Responsibility" />) On 4 November 2013, one of the center's asylum seekers was removed by police and ordered to be deported from Norway. This was the first time an asylum seeker was deported from the Årdal asylum center.<ref name="FirstDeportation">Template:Cite news</ref> Later on the same day, there was a murder on a bus from Årdal to Oslo. One of the residents of the asylum center was found with a knife in his hand on the bus together with one dead bus driver and two dead passengers. The incident is known as the Triple murder on the Valdres Express.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The police considered the asylum seeker alone as the suspected murderer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After the deaths, the media said that Norway has no requirement for screening the mental health of asylum seekers, unlike requirements in other countries, such as the Netherlands.

Geography

File:Koldedalen.jpg
The two mountains on each side of the valley are named Hjelledalstind (left) and Falketind (right)

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. The highest point in the municipality is the Template:Convert tall mountain Storen.<ref name="elev" /> The mountains Blåberg, Falketind, Store Austanbottstind, and Hjelledalstinden are also located in the municipality.

There are two main urban areas in Årdal: Årdalstangen and Øvre Årdal. There are also smaller village areas throughout the municipality: Naddvik (Vikadalen), Nundalen, Indre Offerdal, Ytre Offerdal, Seimsdalen, Fardalen, Avdalen, Utladalen, Vetti, and Vettismorki.<ref name="kom"/>

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

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.<ref name="ks">Template:Cite SNL</ref> The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council Template:Lang of Årdal Municipality 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. Template:Div col Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Kommunestyre table Template:Div col end

Mayors

The mayor (Template:Langx) of Årdal Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

  • 1863–1863: 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)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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Industry

Årdal Municipality became a symbol of modern Norway after World War II. In the course of a few years, Årdal Municipality was transformed from a scarcely populated rural community into a more urban area 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.

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Attractions

Utladalen

The Vettisfossen waterfall was given protected status in 1924. With a free fall of Template:Convert, 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 (Template:Convert) 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.<ref name="kom"/>

Avdalen Gård (Farm)

The Avdalen Farm (Avdalen Gård)

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.<ref name="kom"/>

Jotunheimen National Park

The Jotunheimen National Park, established in 1980, covers an area of approximately Template:Convert 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.<ref name="kom" />

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.<ref name="kom"/>

Scenic Views

Notable people

File:Gunvor Eldegard(Jarvin).jpg
Gunvor Eldegard, 2008

References

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