Getterön
Encyclopedia
Getterön is a peninsula
in Varberg Municipality
, Halland County
, Sweden
, immediately northwest of the municipal seat Varberg
.
Getterön was an island
until 1936, when the sound
between Getterön and the mainland was filled out and a road was built.
The name Getterön is very old. It is derived from the Viking Age
or even earlier. The spelling
has varied, for example Gederöen or Gäderöen in 1645, Geterholmen in 1691, Getter ön in 1733, Geterön 1734 and Gietterön in 1752. The current spelling Getterön was not widely recognized until the 1900s, but appears in documents as early as in the 18th century and used in the public land registry
in 1825.
The name's meaning is unclear. Probably there is an etymological link with the nearby Getakärr, a medieval
city that was a predecessor of Varberg
. Possibly there is a link to the noun goat. In Norwegian
, the word Geite, which means "goat", is sometimes used in names of rivers and skerries
. The coat of arms
of Varberg Municipality
, whose design is taken from a seal from 1536, includes a goat.
the oldest. The bedrock consists of granulite
. The rock is between 1.6 and 1.7 billion years old.
In the western part of Getterön, the bedrock consists of charnockite
, formed from magma pushed up from the Earth's crust and then solidified. It is around 1.45 billion years old. Mainly, western Getterön consists of two different types of charnockite: Varberg charnockite and Apelviken-Getterön charnockite. At Getterön, the charnockite has slightly larger crystals.
s at Getterön. The older and most famous of them, Getterön Nature Reserve, is one of the finest bird sanctuaries
in Sweden and a Ramsar wetland of international importance. It was founded in 1970.
The other nature reserve, Western Getterön Nature Reserve, was founded in 1974.
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
in Varberg Municipality
Varberg Municipality
Varberg Municipality is a municipality in Halland County, in southwest Sweden. Its seat is in Varberg.It was formed in 1971 through the amalgamation of the City of Varberg and the surrounding rural municipalities...
, Halland County
Halland County
Halland County is a county on the western coast of Sweden. It corresponds roughly to the cultural and historical province of Halland. The capital is Halmstad....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, immediately northwest of the municipal seat Varberg
Varberg
Varberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
.
Getterön was an island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
until 1936, when the sound
Sound (geography)
In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight and wider than a fjord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land ....
between Getterön and the mainland was filled out and a road was built.
Etymology
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
or even earlier. The spelling
Spelling
Spelling is the writing of one or more words with letters and diacritics. In addition, the term often, but not always, means an accepted standard spelling or the process of naming the letters...
has varied, for example Gederöen or Gäderöen in 1645, Geterholmen in 1691, Getter ön in 1733, Geterön 1734 and Gietterön in 1752. The current spelling Getterön was not widely recognized until the 1900s, but appears in documents as early as in the 18th century and used in the public land registry
Land registration
Land registration generally describes systems by which matters concerning ownership, possession or other rights in land can be recorded to provide evidence of title, facilitate transactions and to prevent unlawful disposal...
in 1825.
The name's meaning is unclear. Probably there is an etymological link with the nearby Getakärr, a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
city that was a predecessor of Varberg
Varberg
Varberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
. Possibly there is a link to the noun goat. In Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
, the word Geite, which means "goat", is sometimes used in names of rivers and skerries
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
. The coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Varberg Municipality
Varberg Municipality
Varberg Municipality is a municipality in Halland County, in southwest Sweden. Its seat is in Varberg.It was formed in 1971 through the amalgamation of the City of Varberg and the surrounding rural municipalities...
, whose design is taken from a seal from 1536, includes a goat.
Geology
The eastern parts of Getterön is geologicallyGeology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
the oldest. The bedrock consists of granulite
Granulite
Granulites are medium to coarse–grained metamorphic rocks that have experienced high temperature metamorphism, composed mainly of feldspars sometimes associated with quartz and anhydrous ferromagnesian minerals, with granoblastic texture and gneissose to massive structure...
. The rock is between 1.6 and 1.7 billion years old.
In the western part of Getterön, the bedrock consists of charnockite
Charnockite
Charnockite is applied to any orthopyroxene-bearing granite, composed mainly of quartz, perthite or antiperthite and orthopyroxene , as an end-member of the charnockite series.-Charnockite series:...
, formed from magma pushed up from the Earth's crust and then solidified. It is around 1.45 billion years old. Mainly, western Getterön consists of two different types of charnockite: Varberg charnockite and Apelviken-Getterön charnockite. At Getterön, the charnockite has slightly larger crystals.
Nature reserves
There are two nature reserveNature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s at Getterön. The older and most famous of them, Getterön Nature Reserve, is one of the finest bird sanctuaries
Animal sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and be protected for the rest of their lives. Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death...
in Sweden and a Ramsar wetland of international importance. It was founded in 1970.
The other nature reserve, Western Getterön Nature Reserve, was founded in 1974.