Nord-Aurdal
Encyclopedia
Nord-Aurdal is a municipality
in Oppland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional region
of Valdres
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fagernes
.
The parish
of Nordre Aurdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The area of Nordre Etnedal was transferred from Nord-Aurdal to the neighboring municipality of Etnedal
on 1 January 1894.
The municipality is served by Fagernes Airport, Leirin
. In Nord-Aurdal, there is an alpine skiing
center called Valdres Alpinsenter.
form of the name was Aurardalr. The first element is the genitive case
of an old river name Aur (now called Bøaelva) and the last element is dalr which means "valley
" or "dale". The old river name is derived from aurr which means "gravel
". The name was changed from Nordre- to Nord- Aurdal in the early 20th century. Both nordre and nord mean "north", so the name Nord-Aurdal means "(the) northern (part of) Aurdal". (The parish of Aurdal was divided in 1805.)
is from modern times. They were granted by royal degree on 20 December 1985. The arms show three blue flowers of the species Gentiana nivalis (or Snow Gentian) on a yellow background. The flowers, which are locally known as "the blue eyes of Christ", grow abundantly in the area. Three flowers were chosen to represent the three main settlements of the municipality: Aurdal, Fagernes, and Leira. This type of flower only opens in sunlight and heat, so it was chosen to symbolize being open and positive.
municipality, east of Etnedal
and Gausdal
municipalities, and south of Øystre Slidre
and Vestre Slidre
municipalities in Oppland county. To the west, it is bordered by Hemsedal
and Gol
in Buskerud
county. Nord-Aurdal is 52.4 kilometres (32.6 mi) on the north-south axis and 43.3 kilometres (26.9 mi) on the east-west axis.
The municipality lies in the western side of Oppland
county. Although Fagernes
is the administrative center of Nord-Aurdal, the village of Aurdal
was the administrative center for the former municipality of Aurdal. Nord-Aurdal is part of the traditional district
of Valdres
in the central part of southern Norway, situated between the valleys of Gudbrandsdal
and Hallingdal
.
The highest point in Nord-Aurdal is the Duptjernkampen at 1325 metres (4,347.1 ft). About 50% of the land is above 900 metres (2,952.8 ft). The Tisleifjorden
and Aurdalsfjorden are large inland lakes that are located in Nord-Aurdal.
is located just outside Fagernes and has large collections of old houses, textiles, and music instruments.
with Nord-Aurdal: - Kouvola
, Etelä-Suomi
, Finland
- Lidköping
, Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
- Skanderborg
, Region Midtjylland
, Denmark
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
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 traditional 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,...
of Valdres
Valdres
Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.Administratively, Valdres belongs to Oppland. It consists of the municipalities Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, Vang and Etnedal. The main town in the region is...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fagernes
Fagernes
is the largest settlement in the valley of Valdres, Norway, with a population of 1,801. Fagernes is the administrative centre of the municipality of Nord-Aurdal.See video from the Fagernes Town : *...
.
The parish
Parish
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...
of Nordre Aurdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). The area of Nordre Etnedal was transferred from Nord-Aurdal to the neighboring municipality of Etnedal
Etnedal
Etnedal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bruflat....
on 1 January 1894.
The municipality is served by Fagernes Airport, Leirin
Fagernes Airport, Leirin
Fagernes Airport, Leirin serves Fagernes and the surrounding valleys of Valdres, Hallingdal and Gudbrandsdal in Southern Norway, from Oslo. Opened in 1987, it is owned and operated by state-owned Avinor. The airport is above sea level, and has a runway...
. In Nord-Aurdal, there is an alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
center called Valdres Alpinsenter.
Name
The 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....
form of the name was Aurardalr. The first element is the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of an old river name Aur (now called Bøaelva) and the last element is dalr which means "valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
" or "dale". The old river name is derived from aurr which means "gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
". The name was changed from Nordre- to Nord- Aurdal in the early 20th century. Both nordre and nord mean "north", so the name Nord-Aurdal means "(the) northern (part of) Aurdal". (The parish of Aurdal was divided in 1805.)
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 by royal degree on 20 December 1985. The arms show three blue flowers of the species Gentiana nivalis (or Snow Gentian) on a yellow background. The flowers, which are locally known as "the blue eyes of Christ", grow abundantly in the area. Three flowers were chosen to represent the three main settlements of the municipality: Aurdal, Fagernes, and Leira. This type of flower only opens in sunlight and heat, so it was chosen to symbolize being open and positive.
Geography
Nord-Aurdal municipality is located north of Sør-AurdalSør-Aurdal
Sør-Aurdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bagn....
municipality, east of Etnedal
Etnedal
Etnedal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bruflat....
and Gausdal
Gausdal
Gausdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Segalstad bru...
municipalities, and south of Øystre Slidre
Øystre Slidre
Øystre Slidre is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of...
and Vestre Slidre
Vestre Slidre
Vestre Slidre is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Slidre...
municipalities in Oppland county. To the west, it is bordered by Hemsedal
Hemsedal
Hemsedal is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Trøym. In 1897, Hemsedal was separated from the municipality of Gol to become a municipality of its own.Hemsedal is the...
and Gol
Gol, Norway
is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Gol. Gol was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
in Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
county. Nord-Aurdal is 52.4 kilometres (32.6 mi) on the north-south axis and 43.3 kilometres (26.9 mi) on the east-west axis.
The municipality lies in the western side of Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
county. Although Fagernes
Fagernes
is the largest settlement in the valley of Valdres, Norway, with a population of 1,801. Fagernes is the administrative centre of the municipality of Nord-Aurdal.See video from the Fagernes Town : *...
is the administrative center of Nord-Aurdal, the village of Aurdal
Aurdal
Aurdal is a village in Nord-Aurdal municipality, Norway. It is located between Bagn and Fagernes along the European route E16. Its population is 718. In recent years, there has been a cultural revolution in Aurdal..-References:...
was the administrative center for the former municipality of Aurdal. Nord-Aurdal is part of 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 Valdres
Valdres
Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.Administratively, Valdres belongs to Oppland. It consists of the municipalities Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, Vang and Etnedal. The main town in the region is...
in the central part of southern Norway, situated between the valleys of Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
and Hallingdal
Hallingdal
Hallingdal is a valley and traditional district in Buskerud county in Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.-History:Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda...
.
The highest point in Nord-Aurdal is the Duptjernkampen at 1325 metres (4,347.1 ft). About 50% of the land is above 900 metres (2,952.8 ft). The Tisleifjorden
Tisleifjorden
Tisleifjorden is a lake which lies in Nord-Aurdal municipality in Oppland county, Norway as well as Gol and Hemsedal municipalities in Buskerud county. Tisleifjorden is regulated for hydroelectric power; the height can vary up to 11 meters....
and Aurdalsfjorden are large inland lakes that are located in Nord-Aurdal.
Attractions
Valdres FolkemuseumValdres Folkemuseum
The Valdres Folkemuseum, founded 1901, is located at Storøya outside Fagernes in Nord-Aurdal, Norway.The museum is on a small ridge reaching out into Strandefjorden, with the larger buildings closest to the entrance and with smaller farm houses up on the slightly higher area reaching out into the...
is located just outside Fagernes and has large collections of old houses, textiles, and music instruments.
Notable residents
- Knut HamsunKnut HamsunKnut Hamsun was a Norwegian author, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920. He was praised by King Haakon VII of Norway as Norway's soul....
, writer, see NRK, Dagbladet, and Aftenposten - James C. M. Hanson (1864–1943), American librarian and author.
Twin towns — Sister cities
The following cities are twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Nord-Aurdal: - Kouvola
Kouvola
Kouvola is a town and municipality in southeastern Finland. It is located northeast of the capital, Helsinki.The city has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
, Etelä-Suomi
Southern Finland
Southern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Western Finland and Eastern Finland. It also bordered the Gulf of Finland and Russia.- History :...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Lidköping
Lidköping Municipality
Lidköping Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Lidköping....
, Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, 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....
- Skanderborg
Skanderborg municipality
Skanderborg Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark, just southwest of Aarhus and is a part of the Aarhus area...
, Region Midtjylland
Region Midtjylland
Central Denmark Region or Central Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger...
, 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...
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...
- Valdresen - The local newspaper in Nord-Aurdal.
- Valdres Alpinsenter