Meråker
Encyclopedia
Meråker is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Stjørdalen
region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda
which is about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) west of Storlien
in Sweden
and 46 kilometres (28.6 mi) east of Stjørdalshalsen
in Stjørdal
. Other villages in Meråker include Gudåa, Kopperå
, and Stordalen
.
The municipality markets itself as a recreational area. The main areas of employment are in industry
and agriculture
. The municipality is noted for its characteristic dialect
.
was divided into two: Hegra
and Meråker. Meråker had an initial population of 1,861. The municipality has not changed since then.
) is named after the old Meråker farm (spelled "Mørakre" around 1430), since the first church was built there. The meaning of the first element is uncertain (maybe merr which means "mare
" or mýrr which means "bog
" or "marsh
") and the last element is akr which means "field
" or "acre
".
is from modern times; they were granted on 28 September 1990. Traditionally, mining
has played a major role in the area and has been of great economic importance for Meråker. Thus a silver mining cart
on a red background as a symbol for the municipality was an obvious decision. The cart depicted in the arms, however, is officially described as a cart, not a mining cart.
has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Meråker. It is part of the Stjørdal deanery
and the Diocese of Nidaros
.
factory was opened at Kopperå
, later this factor was rebuilt as a silicon
smelter. The smelter was in operation until June 2006. Its main product was microsilica which is used as an additive to cement
.
county. To the north is the municipality of Verdal
, to the west is Stjørdal
, to the south is Selbu
and Tydal
(both in Sør-Trøndelag
county), and to the east is Sweden
.
There are three major lakes in Meråker: Feren
, Fjergen
, and Funnsjøen
. The river Stjørdalselva
runs through the municipality towards the Trondheimsfjord
. The river Rotla
begins in the southern part of Meråker. The mountain Fongen
sits on the southern border with Tydal
and Selbu
.
highway runs east to west through the municipality connecting to Trondheim Airport, Værnes
about 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) to the west. The Meråker Line railway follows the E14 through the municipality also, with stops at Kopperå Station
, Meråker Station
, and Gudå Station
.
Nord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
county
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...
, 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 part of the Stjørdalen
Stjørdalen
Stjørdalen is a valley and a traditional district in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It makes up the southern part of the Inntrøndelag region....
region
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,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda
Midtbygda, Nord-Trøndelag
Midtbygda is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is also the administrative center of the municipality. The village has a population of 936. The population density is ....
which is about 20 kilometres (12.4 mi) west of Storlien
Storlien
Storlien is a village and ski resort in the Åre municipality, in Jämtland, Sweden, a kilometre from the Swedish-Norwegian border.The village has only 78 permanent inhabitants. The work opportunities are based on tourism and shopping. Most tourists are Norwegians or Swedes. Shopping tourists arrive...
in 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....
and 46 kilometres (28.6 mi) east of Stjørdalshalsen
Stjørdalshalsen
Stjørdalshalsen is a town and the administrative centre of the municipality of Stjørdal in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located between the rivers Stjørdalselva and Gråelva, and their mouth into the Trondheimsfjord.The town has a population of 10,779. The population density of the town is...
in Stjørdal
Stjørdal
is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Stjørdal, also called Stjørdalshalsen...
. Other villages in Meråker include Gudåa, Kopperå
Kopperå
Kopperå is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village lies about east of the municipal center of Midtbygda and about west of the Swedish border. The Meråker Line railway runs through the village and stops at the Kopperå Station...
, and Stordalen
Stordalen, Nord-Trøndelag
Stordalen is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the Dalådalen valley about southeast of the municipal center of Midtbygda. It is the location of Stordalen Chapel....
.
The municipality markets itself as a recreational area. The main areas of employment are in 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,...
and agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. The municipality is noted for its characteristic dialect
Norwegian dialects
The Norwegian dialects are commonly divided into 4 main groups, North Norwegian , Trøndelag Norwegian , West Norwegian , and East Norwegian...
.
General information
The municipality of Meråker was established on 1 January 1874 when the old municipality of Øvre StjørdalØvre Stjørdal
Øvre Stjørdal is a former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It encompassed the present-day municipality of Meråker as well as part of the present-day municipality of Stjørdal.-History:...
was divided into two: Hegra
Hegra
Hegra is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The former municipality encompassed most of the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Stjørdal....
and Meråker. Meråker had an initial population of 1,861. The municipality has not changed since then.
Name
The municipality (originally the parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
) is named after the old Meråker farm (spelled "Mørakre" around 1430), since the first church was built there. The meaning of the first element is uncertain (maybe merr which means "mare
Mare
Female horses are called mares.Mare is the Latin word for "sea".The word may also refer to:-People:* Ahmed Marzooq, also known as Mare, a footballer and Secretary General of Maldives Olympic Committee* Mare Winningham, American actress and singer...
" or mýrr which means "bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
" or "marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
") and the last element is akr which means "field
Field (agriculture)
In agriculture, the word field refers generally to an area of land enclosed or otherwise and used for agricultural purposes such as:* Cultivating crops* Usage as a paddock or, generally, an enclosure of livestock...
" or "acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
".
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; they were granted on 28 September 1990. Traditionally, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
has played a major role in the area and has been of great economic importance for Meråker. Thus a silver mining cart
Minecart
The minecart or mine cart is a transportation tool for moving ore and materials in the process of mining. Minecarts are seldom used in modern operations. Shaped like large, rectangular buckets, minecarts ride on steel tracks and are pushed or pulled by men, animals, or engines. Minecarts range...
on a red background as a symbol for the municipality was an obvious decision. The cart depicted in the arms, however, is officially described as a cart, not a mining cart.
- See also: Coat-of-arms of Evje og HornnesEvje og HornnesEvje og Hornnes is a municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Setesdal. Evje og Hornnes was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1960 after the merger of the two older municipalities of Evje and Hornnes....
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 one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Meråker. It is part of the Stjørdal 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 :...
and the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Location of the Church | Year Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meråker | Meråker Church Meråker Church Meråker Church is a parish church in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Meråker. The church was built of wood in 1874 and it has a capacity of 300 people. The church is part of the Meråker parish in the Stjørdal deanery in the Diocese... |
Meråker | 1874 |
| Kopperå Chapel Kopperå Chapel Kopperå Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Kopperå. The 150-seat church was built of stone in 1936. The church is part of the Meråker parish in the Stjørdal deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.... |
Kopperå Kopperå Kopperå is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village lies about east of the municipal center of Midtbygda and about west of the Swedish border. The Meråker Line railway runs through the village and stops at the Kopperå Station... |
1936 | |
| Stordalen Chapel Stordalen Chapel Stordalen Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Stordalen. The 100-seat wooden church was built in 1863. The church is part of the Meråker parish in the Stjørdal deanery in the Diocese of Nidaros.... |
Stordalen Stordalen, Nord-Trøndelag Stordalen is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the Dalådalen valley about southeast of the municipal center of Midtbygda. It is the location of Stordalen Chapel.... |
1863 |
Meråker Smelter
In 1898 a carbideCarbide
In chemistry, a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element. Carbides can be generally classified by chemical bonding type as follows: salt-like, covalent compounds, interstitial compounds, and "intermediate" transition metal carbides...
factory was opened at Kopperå
Kopperå
Kopperå is a village in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village lies about east of the municipal center of Midtbygda and about west of the Swedish border. The Meråker Line railway runs through the village and stops at the Kopperå Station...
, later this factor was rebuilt as a silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
smelter. The smelter was in operation until June 2006. Its main product was microsilica which is used as an additive to cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
.
Geography
Meråker is a landlocked municipality in the southern part of Nord-TrøndelagNord-Trøndelag
is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and...
county. To the north is the municipality of Verdal
Verdal
Verdal is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Innherad region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Verdalsøra...
, to the west is Stjørdal
Stjørdal
is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Stjørdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Stjørdal, also called Stjørdalshalsen...
, to the south is Selbu
Selbu
Selbu is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Mebonden. Other villages in Selbu include Flora, Fossan, Hyttbakken, Innbygda, Selbustrand, Tømra, and Vikvarvet.-General information:...
and Tydal
Tydal
Tydal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås. Other villages include Østby, Gressli, Aunet, and Stugudalen. There is a school and a kindergarten in Tydal....
(both in Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
county), and to the east is 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....
.
There are three major lakes in Meråker: Feren
Feren
Feren is a lake in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. A small part of the lake extends into the municipalities of Stjørdal, Levanger, and Verdal at the northwestern end of the lake. The lake lies about north of the municipal center of Midtbygda, about north of the...
, Fjergen
Fjergen
Fjergen is a lake in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake has a hydropower dam on the southern end which flows out into the Kåpperåa river which is part of the Stjørdalselva river system....
, and Funnsjøen
Funnsjøen
Funnsjøen is a lake in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake flows into the Funna river, a part of the Stjørdalselva river system. The lake has a hydropower dam at the southern end of the lake....
. The river Stjørdalselva
Stjørdalselva
Stjørdalselva is a long river that reaches from near the Norwegian–Swedish border down the Stjørdalen valley through the municipalities of Meråker and Stjørdal before entering the Trondheimsfjord. The mouth is located between the villages of Stjørdalshalsen and Hell just south of Trondheim...
runs through the municipality towards the Trondheimsfjord
Trondheimsfjord
The Trondheimsfjord , an inlet of the Norwegian Sea, is Norway's third longest fjord at long. It is located in the west central part of the country, and it stretches from Ørland in west to Steinkjer in north, passing the city of Trondheim on its way...
. The river Rotla
Rotla
Rotla is a long river in Trøndelag, Norway. The river begins at Roltdalstjønna in Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, just north of the mountain Fongen. It then runs through west through the Skarvan and Roltdalen National Park. The river ends when it flows into the Nea River near Stokkan in Selbu...
begins in the southern part of Meråker. The mountain Fongen
Fongen
Fongen is a mountain on the border of the municipalities of Selbu , Tydal , and Meråker in Norway...
sits on the southern border with Tydal
Tydal
Tydal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås. Other villages include Østby, Gressli, Aunet, and Stugudalen. There is a school and a kindergarten in Tydal....
and Selbu
Selbu
Selbu is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Mebonden. Other villages in Selbu include Flora, Fossan, Hyttbakken, Innbygda, Selbustrand, Tømra, and Vikvarvet.-General information:...
.
Transportation
The European route E14European route E14
European route E 14 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Trondheim, Norway and ends in Sundsvall, Sweden. The road is in length....
highway runs east to west through the municipality connecting to Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes
Trondheim Airport, Værnes is an international airport located in Stjørdal, east of Trondheim, Norway. Operated by the state-owned Avinor, it shares facilities with Værnes Air Station of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. In 2010, the airport had 3,521,734 passengers and 55,747 air movements,...
about 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) to the west. The Meråker Line railway follows the E14 through the municipality also, with stops at Kopperå Station
Kopperå Station
Kopperå Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line in the village of Kopperå in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 1 April 1899 as Kopperaasen. It was renamed Kopperåen in April 1924...
, Meråker Station
Meråker Station
Meråker Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line in the village of Midtbygda in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 17 October 1881 as Meraker, and received the current name in 1 June 1919....
, and Gudå Station
Gudå Station
Gudå Station is a railway station on the Meråker Line at the village of Gudå in the municipality of Meråker in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The station was opened on 17 October 1881 as Gudaa. It was renamed Gudaaen in 1894, and received the current name in April 1924.The station has been...
.
Notable residents
- Frode EstilFrode EstilFrode Estil is a retired Norwegian cross-country skier. He currently lives in Meråker with his wife Grete whom he married in the summer of 2001. They have two sons, Bernhard, born in August 2002, and Konrad. Estil was classical specialist and also a specialist at succeeding in World Championships...
(born 1972), cross country skierCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles... - Tor Arne HetlandTor Arne HetlandTor Arne Hetland is a professional Norwegian cross-country skier.Hetland was born in Stavanger. He now lives in Trondheim and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and...
- Helge IngstadHelge IngstadHelge Marcus Ingstad was a Norwegian explorer. After mapping some Norse settlements, Ingstad and his wife Anne Stine, an archaeologist, in 1960 found remnants of a Viking settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows in the Province of Newfoundland in Canada...
(1899–2001), authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, archeologistArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes... - Magnar LundemoMagnar LundemoMagnar Lundemo was a Norwegian cross country skier and track and field athlete. As a skier he participated in two Olympic Games and placed fourth at the 1962 World Championships. In the athletics he took several national titles, and recorded one nineteenth place at the 1962 European Championships...
(1938–1987), cross country skier - Petter NorthugPetter NorthugPetter Northug Jr. is a Norwegian cross country skier and double Olympic champion. He has 9 World Championship and Winter Olympic gold medals with 13 medals overall, and nine individual FIS Cross-Country World Cup wins with 20 podium places...
, cross country skierCross-country skiingCross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Meråker Municipality Website
- Meråker Tourism Website
- Industrial Museum at Kopperå
- Map of Cultural Sites in Meråker
- Meråker Elementary School
- Lauvlimoen Biathlon team