Solum is a former municipality in Telemark

Telemark

is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...

 county, Norway.

The parish of Solum was established as a municipality January 1, 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...

). According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 3,557. Solum is located west of the city Skien

Skien

' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....

, and encompassed districts such as Nenset, Tollnes, Flakvarp, Skotfoss

Skotfoss

Skotfoss is a village in Skien municipality, Norway. It is located near the outlet of the lake Norsjø.From 1837 Skotfoss was administratively a part of Solum municipality. Solum became a part of Skien municipality on 1 January 1964. The village have a population of 1,800 people. The sports team...

 og Klyve. On 1 July 1916 an area with 1,042 inhabitants was moved to Skien, and on 1 July 1920 an area with 1,614 inhabitants was moved to Porsgrunn

Porsgrunn

is a town and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Porsgrunn....

.

On 1 January 1964 the rest of Solum was incorporated into Skien, along with Gjerpen

Gjerpen

Gjerpen is a former township which is now part of the municipality of Skien, in Telemark county, Norway.-Location:The parish of Gjerpen was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 4,381. Gjerpen was located east of the city...

 and Valebø

Valebø

Valebø is a village in the municipality of Skien, Norway. It is located on the eastern shore of Norsjø. On the opposite side of the lake lies Ulefoss....

 district. Prior to the merger Solum had a population of 13,706.

The name

The municipality (originally the parish) was named after the farm Solum (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....

 Sólheimar), since the first church was built there. The first element is sól f '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...

' (here in the sense 'sunny'), the last element is the plural form of heimr.