Sola
Encyclopedia
Sola is a municipality
in Rogaland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the region of Jæren
. The old municipality of Håland
was divided into Sola and Madla
in 1930.
Stavanger Airport is located here. With usually ample supplies of wind
and wave
s, the Sola sand beach is a popular place for windsurfing
. Sola Municipality is situated in the Northern area of Jæren. Stavanger
, Klepp
and Sandnes
are neighbouring municipalities. In the western part of Sola, there are 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of long, sandy beaches facing the North Sea. Sola covers an area of 69 square kilometres (26.6 sq mi). The population is about 20,000. People have been living in Sola since the Stone Age.
) is named after the old Sola farm (Old Norse
: Sóli), since the first church was built there. The name is very old and the meaning is unknown, although it contains the Norse word sól which translates as Sun
, therefore it could have some link to the sun.
is from modern times. They were granted on 1982. The arms show two wave
s which symbolize all of the sandy beach
es in the municipality.
took place in the year AD 872, probably outside Ytraberget
. Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, is celebrated for having united Norway at this notable battle.
The stone crosses at Tjora date from about the year 1150. In early Christian times, these stone crosses were used as gathering points for religious ceremonies before churches were built. Sola Church Ruins is built on the ruins of a Romanesque stone church dating from about the year 1120. The stone church probably replaced an older wooden church in the area. This wooden church was possibly the one that Erling Skjalgsson
had built when he converted to Christianity
at the end of the 10th century. A fascinating story lies behind this unique church. The artist Johan Bennetter (1822–1904) used the church as a studio and lived there with his family. During World War II
, most of the church was demolished. It was later reconstructed, and the restoration was finished in 1995. In the Sola Church Ruins area, there is a monument of Erling Skjalgsson (AD 975-1028), one of Sola's most famous men. This notable Viking
leader has been given the honour of having introduced Christianity to Sola.
The Aviation History Museum gives a unique insight into Norwegian aviation history from World War II until the present day, with exhibitions displaying more than 30 historical aircraft. Stavanger Airport, Sola
is Norway's oldest airport, and it was founded in 1937. At Sola airport, the first opposed landing by paratroopers took place as German Fallschirmjägers from 1st battalion of the 1st Regiment, 7th Flieger Division
were dropped on the airfield. Sola Air Station
became an important airfield for the Germans during WWII.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Rogaland
Rogaland
is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%...
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 region of Jæren
Jæren
Jæren is a traditional district in the county of Rogaland. The others are Dalane, Ryfylke and Haugalandet.Jæren is the largest flat lowland area in Norway, stretching from the municipality of Randaberg in the north to Hå in the south. The coast is flat compared to the rest of the Norwegian coast,...
. The old municipality of Håland
Håland
Håland was a former municipality in Rogaland county, Norway.Håland is part of the traditional Norwegian district of Jæren. The clerical district of Håland had included churches located in Sola, Tananger, Tjora and Madla. The parish of Håland was established as a municipality on January 1, 1838...
was divided into Sola and Madla
Madla
-History:Madla municipality was created by a split from Håland in 1930. At that time Madla had a population of 1,091. On 1 January 1965 Madla was incorporated into Stavanger along with the majority of Hetland municipality...
in 1930.
Stavanger Airport is located here. With usually ample supplies of wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
and wave
Wave
In physics, a wave is a disturbance that travels through space and time, accompanied by the transfer of energy.Waves travel and the wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, often with no permanent displacement of the particles of the medium—that is, with little or no associated mass...
s, the Sola sand beach is a popular place for windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
. Sola Municipality is situated in the Northern area of Jæren. Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Klepp
Klepp
Klepp is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The parish of Klep was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
and Sandnes
Sandnes
is a city and municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the region of Jæren.-History:Sandnes was separated from Høyland as a municipality of its own in 1860, and gained city status the same year...
are neighbouring municipalities. In the western part of Sola, there are 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of long, sandy beaches facing the North Sea. Sola covers an area of 69 square kilometres (26.6 sq mi). The population is about 20,000. People have been living in Sola since the Stone Age.
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 Sola farm (Old Norse
Old 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....
: Sóli), since the first church was built there. The name is very old and the meaning is unknown, although it contains the Norse word sól which translates as Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, therefore it could have some link to the sun.
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 1982. The arms show two wave
Ocean surface wave
In fluid dynamics, wind waves or, more precisely, wind-generated waves are surface waves that occur on the free surface of oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and canals or even on small puddles and ponds. They usually result from the wind blowing over a vast enough stretch of fluid surface. Waves in the...
s which symbolize all of the sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es in the municipality.
History
According to Snorre Sturlason the battle of HafrsfjordBattle of Hafrsfjord
The Battle of Hafrsfjord has traditionally been regarded as the battle in which western Norway for the first time was unified under one monarch.The national monument of Haraldshaugen was raised in 1872, to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord...
took place in the year AD 872, probably outside Ytraberget
Ytraberget
Ytraberget is a peninsula in Hafrsfjord in Sola Kommune, Norway. Ytraberget is connected to Indraberget, and it divides Sørnesvågen and Grannesvågen. Harald Fairhair fought the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872 AD...
. Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, is celebrated for having united Norway at this notable battle.
The stone crosses at Tjora date from about the year 1150. In early Christian times, these stone crosses were used as gathering points for religious ceremonies before churches were built. Sola Church Ruins is built on the ruins of a Romanesque stone church dating from about the year 1120. The stone church probably replaced an older wooden church in the area. This wooden church was possibly the one that Erling Skjalgsson
Erling Skjalgsson
Erling Skjalgsson was a Norwegian political leader of the late 10th and early 11th century. He has been commonly seen as this period's foremost defender of the historic Norwegian social system...
had built when he converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
at the end of the 10th century. A fascinating story lies behind this unique church. The artist Johan Bennetter (1822–1904) used the church as a studio and lived there with his family. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, most of the church was demolished. It was later reconstructed, and the restoration was finished in 1995. In the Sola Church Ruins area, there is a monument of Erling Skjalgsson (AD 975-1028), one of Sola's most famous men. This notable Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
leader has been given the honour of having introduced Christianity to Sola.
The Aviation History Museum gives a unique insight into Norwegian aviation history from World War II until the present day, with exhibitions displaying more than 30 historical aircraft. Stavanger Airport, Sola
Stavanger Airport, Sola
Stavanger Airport, Sola is an international airport located in Sola, Norway, southwest of Stavanger. It is Norway's third-busiest airport, with both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter traffic for the offshore North Sea oil installations...
is Norway's oldest airport, and it was founded in 1937. At Sola airport, the first opposed landing by paratroopers took place as German Fallschirmjägers from 1st battalion of the 1st Regiment, 7th Flieger Division
1st Parachute Division (Germany)
The German 1st Parachute Division was a German elite military parachute-landing Division that fought during World War II. A division of paratroopers was termed a Fallschirmjäger Division...
were dropped on the airfield. Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station
Sola Air Station in Sola municipality in Norway is operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Air Wing 134 is stationed at Sola along with helicopter Squadron 330....
became an important airfield for the Germans during WWII.
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...