Flora Municipality

Template:Short description Template:Infobox kommune

Flora is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The Template:Convert municipality existed from 1964 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Kinn Municipality in the traditional district of Sunnfjord in Vestland county. The administrative centre was the town of Florø (founded in 1860). Other villages in the municipality included Eikefjord, Rognaldsvåg, Stavang, Grov, Norddalsfjord, Nyttingnes, Steinhovden, and Brandsøy.

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the Template:Convert municipality was the 163rd largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Flora Municipality was the 99th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 11,852. The municipality's population density was Template:Convert and its population had increased by 3.5% over the previous 10-year period.<ref name="ssb pop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ssb area">Template:Cite web</ref>

The municipality stretched from inner fjords where the mountains ascend to the Ålfotbreen glacier, to the outermost islands off the mainland coast. The town of Florø, at its centre, had industries that developed continuously. Trade and industry in Flora were mainly fishing industry, shipyards, and supply for the oil and gas industry in the North Sea.

General information

Name

File:Sunset floro.jpg

Sunset over Flora municipality

The municipality is named after the old Flora farm (Template:Langx) on the island of Brandsøya, near where the town of Florø was built in 1860. The meaning of the name is somewhat uncertain with a couple of different likely possibilities. The old name, is the accusative case/genitive case of the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "floor", from which the names Florø and Florelandet are derived. This Old Norse word is probably derived from a Germanic root word, Template:Wikt-lang, meaning "flat ground". Another possibility for the meaning of the name is that it is derived from the word Template:Wikt-lang which means "flood" or "deluge".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> A common misunderstanding is that the name Florø includes the Danish word Template:Wikt-lang which means "island" as a suffix that was attached to the farm name Flora. Although not true, it almost led to the town being renamed Florøy in the 1930s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 19 February 1960 for the town of Florø. A few years later on 1 January 1964, the new Flora Municipality was created, including the town of Florø. On 6 October 1967, the old arms of Florø were granted as the arms for Flora Municipality. These arms were in use until 1 January 2020 when the municipality was dissolved. The official blazon is "Gules, three herrings bendwise argent" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a set of three diagonal herring. 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 three herrings are a symbol for the great local importance of herring fishing for the development and economy of Flora. The arms were designed by Hallvard Trætteberg. 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>

Background

The old Kinn Municipality was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Kinn parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (Template:Lang) of Bru, Kinn Municipality, and Bremanger.<ref name="Em">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Dag">Template:Cite web</ref>

On 3 January 1861, the village area of Florø (population: 846) was established as a ladested (port town) by royal decree, which removed it from the rural Kinn Municipality and it became an independent Florø Municipality. This left Kinn Municipality with 6,531 residents. On 1 January 1866, the northern district of Kinn Municipality (population: 1,852) was separated to become the new Bremanger Municipality. After the split, Kinn Municipality was left with 4,679 inhabitants. On 1 January 1923, Kinn Municipality was divided into three separate municipalities: the western (island) area was Kinn Municipality (population: 2,508); the central (mostly mainland) area was Bru Municipality (population: 1,560); and the southeasternmost inland area was Eikefjord Municipality (population: 929).<ref name="Dag" />

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the new Flora Municipality (population: 7,715) was created upon the merger of the following areas:<ref name="Dag" />

the town of Florø (population: 2,040)
all of Eikefjord Municipality (population: 919)
all of Kinn Municipality (population: 3,567)
the parts of Bru Municipality that were located north of the Førdefjorden (population: 1,155)
the Steindal area of Vevring Municipality (population: 25)
the Husefest and Breivik farms of Bremanger Municipality (population: 9)

On 1 January 2020, Flora Municipality was merged with most of the old Vågsøy Municipality to form a new Kinn Municipality. This non-contiguous municipality is separated by Bremanger Municipality, making it the only non-contiguous municipality in Norway.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Churches

The Church of Norway had four parishes (Template:Lang) within Flora Municipality. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

**Churches in Flora Municipality**
Parish (Template:Lang)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Bru	Askrova Chapel	Askrova	1957
Bru	Stavang Church	Stavang	1957
Eikefjord	Eikefjord Church	Eikefjord	1812
Kinn	Batalden Chapel	Fanøya	1907
	Florø Church	Florø	1882
	Kinn Church	Kinn	12th century
Nordal	Nordal Church	Norddalsfjord	1898

Government

While it existed, Flora Municipality was 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 was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">Template:Cite SNL</ref> The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

Mayors

The mayor (Template:Langx) of Flora Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

1964–1971: Odd Færøyvik (V)
1972–1975: Mons Monsen (LL)
1976–1979: Ludvig Botnen (V)
1980–1985: Dagfinn Hjertenes (H)
1986–1987: Odd Husebø (H)
1988–1989: Dagfinn Hjertenes (H)
1990–1991: Odd Husebø (H)
1992–2003: Kolbjørn Dyrli (Ap)
2003–2011: Bente Frøyen Steindal (Ap)
2011–2015: Bengt Solheim-Olsen (H)
2015–2019: Ola Teigen (Ap)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Div col end

Geography

Flora was located in the western central part of Sogn og Fjordane county. To the west, it was bordered by the North Sea, to the north it was bordered by Bremanger Municipality, to the east by Gloppen Municipality, and to the south by Naustdal Municipality and Askvoll Municipality. Flora Municipality included many islands, including Reksta, Askrova, Svanøya, Skorpa, Fanøya, Hovden, and Kinn. The municipality also included the large lakes of Endestadvatnet, Lykkjebøvatnet, and Vassetevatnet. The highest point in the municipality was the Template:Convert tall Ålfotbreen glacier.<ref name="elev" /> The Norddalsfjorden flowed through the northern part of the municipality, and it was crossed by the Norddalsfjord Bridge.

Attractions

Kinn

Off the coast is the grassy island of Kinn. The area around Kinn was the central herring area in Norway for the most part of the 19th century. At the height, there lived approximately 15,000 people on Kinn and the surrounding islands in the herring season. Today, there are 15 inhabitants on Kinn.

On the island of Kinn, on the edge of the ocean lies the historic Kinn Church from the 12th century. The church, built in Romanesque style, is the oldest church in the Sunnfjord region. It has long been associated with the legend of St. Sunniva. The church choir is the oldest part of the church, and the lectern is the only preserved example of its kind in Scandinavia.

Every year during the third weekend in June, the Kinna Pageant is an historical play about love, hate, fidelity and loyalty to the church and humankind. About 150 actors take part, and audiences of several thousand tourists visit the island to watch the play.<ref name="go" />

Svanøy

Svanøya is the southernmost and greenest island in the municipality. The island was the district's most important trade centre last century, and exports and shipping were major activities. A stone cross memorial commemorating King Olav the Holy and a sacrificial site from the Viking Age can be found here.

The Svanøy Estate is an old seat of nobility from 1685. It includes Template:Convert of cultivated land and Template:Convert of woodland, as well as a garden.<ref name="go" />

Eirikstad Farm

The Saga says that the Viking King Eirik Blodøks grew up here, hence the name. It contains a museum with old farming tools. Fjord horses are bred and trained here.<ref name="go" />

Batalden Boathouse

Norway's westernmost art gallery is housed in a restored fishing building on Batalden. Regular painting and drawing courses are held.<ref name="go" />

Troll Cave

Trollhola, a prehistoric cave, is located on the island of Askrova. The main cavern is the size of a cathedral, has several passages leading from it. The highest point of the island, Template:Convert above sea level, provides a view of the archipelago.<ref name="go" />

Rock Carvings

In Ausevika, which is Template:Convert south of Florø, lies one of the largest rock carving sites in Norway. The site has over 300 carvings depicting both animal and human figures, some of which are 3,000 years old.<ref name="go" />

Coastal Museum

The Coastal Museum in Sogn og Fjordane county was established in 1980. The aim was to concentrate on coastal nature and culture both past and present. Old boat houses and domestic dwellings were moved from various places in the district and re-erected in Florø near the museum. The 250-year old Holmedalsjekta (coastal freighter) is Norway's oldest non-Viking ship. A large exhibition on North Sea oil, Snorreankeret, based on the Snorre platform is located in the museum.<ref name="go" />

Lighthouses

The waters around Florø are dangerous and exposed. Three lighthouses were built in the fairways to the town at an early date. Two of them, Stabben Lighthouse and Kvanhovden Lighthouse are now automated and unmanned. The third and largest, Ytterøyane Lighthouse, is still manned. There are many shallow areas in the waters west of Florø. Several shipwrecks are located beneath these waters, which attract divers.<ref name="go">Template:Cite web</ref>

Sports

Local sport teams include Florø TIF and Florø SK.

Notable people

Ivar Lykke Falch Lind, a jurist and politician in both Kinn Municipality and Vevring Municipality

References

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Flora Municipality

Contents

General information