Hyllestad
Encyclopedia
Hyllestad is a municipality in the county
of Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. It is located in the traditional district
of Sogn
. The administrative center of Hyllestad is the village of Hyllestad.
Hyllestad was established as a municipality in 1863 when it was created from parts of Askvoll
and Lavik
municipalities. It is located on the north side of the Sognefjord
.
parish
(Øn and Hyllestad) and one sub-parish (sokn) from the Lavik og Brekke
parish
(Bø) were merged together 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 island of Sula
was transferred to the municipality of Solund
.
Hyllistaðir), since that was where the first church in the parish was built. The meaning of the first element Hylli is unknown (perhaps an old uncompounded name of Hyllestadfjorden) and the last element is staðir which means "homestead" or "farm".
is from modern times. The arms were granted on 10 March 1989. It shows three millstone
s because the production of millstones is the oldest industry
in the municipality and has been very important to the life of the community.
has three churches within the municipality of Hyllestad. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Ytre Sogn
.
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services
, senior citizen
services, unemployment
and other social services
, zoning
, economic development
, and municipal road
s. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor
.
breakdown is as follows:
(ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. The mayor for the 2007-2011 term is Tore Bråstad of the Centre Party
(Senterpartiet).
along the Åfjorden, 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 by Gulen
, and to the west by Solund
.
s 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.
on the coast of Norway
. There are several marked routes to the peak, over 714 metres (2,342.5 ft) above sea level, with views both straight out to the open sea
and inwards over the fjord
s. Lihesten also has a number of good fishing lakes.
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 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 kilometres (24.9 mi) 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 (Riksvei
57), but most of the route is free from cars and idyllic.
s.
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located in the traditional district
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
of Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
. The administrative center of Hyllestad is the village of Hyllestad.
Hyllestad was established as a municipality in 1863 when it was created from parts of Askvoll
Askvoll
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll....
and Lavik
Lavik
Lavik is a village and former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. It is located in the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Høyanger...
municipalities. It is located on the north side of the Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
.
General information
Hyllestad was created as a municipality in 1862. Two sub-parishes (sokn) from the AskvollAskvoll
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll....
parish
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
(Øn and Hyllestad) and one sub-parish (sokn) from the Lavik og Brekke
Lavik og Brekke
Lavik og Brekke is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipalities of Gulen and Høyanger. It was part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Lavik og Brekke was the village of Lavik.-Name:The municipality of...
parish
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
(Bø) were merged together 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 island of Sula
Sula, Sogn og Fjordane
Sula is an island in the municipality of Solund in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The island is the main island of the municipality. The island is located at the end of the Sognefjorden in the Sognesjøen, about east of Holmebåen, the western-most point in Norway. The largest village on the...
was transferred to the municipality of Solund
Solund
Solund is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. Solund is the westernmost island municipality in Norway, and the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county that is made up only of islands...
.
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm "Hyllestad" (Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
Hyllistaðir), since that was where the first church in the parish was built. The meaning of the first element Hylli is unknown (perhaps an old uncompounded name of Hyllestadfjorden) and the last element is staðir which means "homestead" or "farm".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat 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...
is from modern times. The arms were granted on 10 March 1989. It shows three millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s because the production of millstones is the oldest industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
in the municipality and has been very important to the life of the community.
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has three churches within the municipality of Hyllestad. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
and the Rural Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
(Prosti) of Ytre Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
.
| Parish (Prestegjeld Prestegjeld A Prestegjeld is a geographic and administrative area of the Church of Norway roughly equivalent to a parish. A prestegjeld can consist of one or many congregations... ) | Sub-Parish (Sogn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyllestad Parish | Hyllestad | Bø kyrkje | 1868 | Bø |
| Hyllestad kyrkje | 1880 | Hyllestad | ||
| Øn kyrkje | 1958 | Øn |
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Hyllestad, are responsible for primary educationPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, senior citizen
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
services, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and other social services
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
, economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, and municipal road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Hyllestad is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to every four years. For 2007–2011, the partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
breakdown is as follows:
Mayor
The mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. The mayor for the 2007-2011 term is Tore Bråstad of the Centre Party
Centre Party (Norway)
The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...
(Senterpartiet).
Geography
Hyllestad is located north of the SognefjordSognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
along the Åfjorden, which flows through the middle of the municipality. Hyllestad is bordered to the north by the municipality of Fjaler
Fjaler
Fjaler is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Dale. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke and Espedal....
, to the east by Høyanger
Høyanger
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Høyanger, which has 2177 inhabitants . Other villages in Høyanger include Lavik, Kyrkjebø, Austreim, and Vadheim...
, to the south by Gulen
Gulen
is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Eivindvik...
, and to the west by Solund
Solund
Solund is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. Solund is the westernmost island municipality in Norway, and the only municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county that is made up only of islands...
.
Kvernsteins Millstone Park
The production of millstoneMillstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s 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
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
region, and across Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Many of the stone crosses to be seen along the coast are made from millstones from Hyllestad, including the crosses in Eivindvik
Eivindvik
Eivindvik is the administrative centre of the municipality of Gulen in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland, along the north shore of the Gulafjord, about south of the village of Dingja , about northwest of Dalsøyra, and about northeast of Byrknes...
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
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
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 mountainsMountain ranges of Norway
The geography of Norway is dominated by vast mountain ranges broken up by valleys and fjords. Less than 10% of the country's area is arable, and the rest is mountainous. Glaciers are the major cause for erosion, so terrain in Norwegian mountains consists of plateaus and lakes with peaks...
on the coast of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. There are several marked routes to the peak, over 714 metres (2,342.5 ft) above sea level, with views both straight out to the open sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
and inwards over the fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s. Lihesten also has a number of good fishing lakes.
Trondheim Postal Road
Many bicyclists have described the well-preserved section of the TrondheimTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
postal road between Hyllestad and Fjaler
Fjaler
Fjaler is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Dale. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke and Espedal....
as one of the most exhilarating cycling experiences in the country. There were originally 19 stone bridges on the route between Dale
Dale, Sogn og Fjordane
Dale or Dale i Sunnfjord is the administrative centre of the municipality of Fjaler in Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Dalsfjorden in the northern part of Fjaler, about northeast of the village of Flekke.The population of Dale is 980, and the...
and Leirvik
Leirvik
Leirvik is a town and the administrative centre of Stord municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Leirvik is the regional centre of Sunnhordland, and has many public services and offices such as the regional court and Sunnhordland Museum, as well as shops and restaurants...
, 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 kilometres (24.9 mi) 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 (Riksvei
Norwegian national road
Norwegian national road , are roads thus categorized by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration which also maintains them...
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 gristmillGristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
s.
Notable residents
- Håkon Steinar GiilHåkon Steinar GiilHåkon Steinar Giil is a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party.He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Sogn og Fjordane in 1993, but was not re-elected in 1997. Instead he served in the position of deputy representative during the term 1997–2001.Giil served as mayor of Hyllestad...
(born 1943) — politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former mayor of Hyllestad (1987–1993)