Spangereid
Encyclopedia
Spangereid is a village and a former municipality
in Vest-Agder
county
in Norway
. It is located in the southern part of the present-day municipality of Lindesnes
, and it is home to the new Spangereid Canal which crosses the Spangereid isthmus
.
The area is one of Norway
's richest archaeological sites. The abundant remnants from the Bronze Age
and Viking
era show the Spangereid was a very important place at that time. Spangereid is strategically connected at the Lindesnes
peninsula, Norway's southernmost point, where the east coast meets the west coast. Today the village is a popular tourist destination for Norwegians and Europeans alike.
) was named after the Old Norse
word Spangarheiði. The first element comes from the Old Norse word spǫng which means a "small piece of land" and the last element is eið which is identical with the word for "isthmus
", since the church is located on an isthmus which connects the Lindesnes peninsula
to the mainland.
. The initial population of the new municipality was 1,734. On 1 January 1963, the Gitlevåg area (population: 103) of Spangereid was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Lyngdal
. On 1 January 1964, Spangereid (population: 899) was merged together with Sør-Audnedal
and Vigmostad
to form the new municipality of Lindesnes
.
Former municipalities of Norway
This is a list of former municipalities of Norway, i.e. municipalities that no longer exist.When the local council system was introduced in Norway in 1837-38, the country had 392 municipalities. In 1958 the number had grown to a total of 744 rural municipalities, 64 city municipalities as well as a...
in Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
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...
in 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 southern part of the present-day municipality of Lindesnes
Lindesnes
Lindesnes is a municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. Lindesnes was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of the older municipalities of Spangereid, Sør-Audnedal, and Vigmostad....
, and it is home to the new Spangereid Canal which crosses the Spangereid isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
.
The area is one 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...
's richest archaeological sites. The abundant remnants from the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
and 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...
era show the Spangereid was a very important place at that time. Spangereid is strategically connected at the Lindesnes
Lindesnes
Lindesnes is a municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. Lindesnes was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of the older municipalities of Spangereid, Sør-Audnedal, and Vigmostad....
peninsula, Norway's southernmost point, where the east coast meets the west coast. Today the village is a popular tourist destination for Norwegians and Europeans alike.
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...
) was named after the 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....
word Spangarheiði. The first element comes from the Old Norse word spǫng which means a "small piece of land" and the last element is eið which is identical with the word for "isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
", since the church is located on an isthmus which connects the Lindesnes peninsula
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
to the mainland.
History
The municipality of Spangereid was established on 1 January 1899 when it was separated from the municipality of Sør-UndalSør-Audnedal
Sør-Audnedal is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the central part of the present-day municipality of Lindesnes.-Name:...
. The initial population of the new municipality was 1,734. On 1 January 1963, the Gitlevåg area (population: 103) of Spangereid was transferred to the neighboring municipality of Lyngdal
Lyngdal
is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Lyngdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Austad and Kvås were separated from Lyngdal on 1 January 1909 but they were again merged with Lyngdal on 1 January 1964, together with the area of Spangereid west of Lenesfjorden.It is a...
. On 1 January 1964, Spangereid (population: 899) was merged together with Sør-Audnedal
Sør-Audnedal
Sør-Audnedal is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the central part of the present-day municipality of Lindesnes.-Name:...
and Vigmostad
Vigmostad
Vigmostad is a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located along the Audna river in the Audnedalen valley in the present-day municipality of Lindesnes.-Name:...
to form the new municipality of Lindesnes
Lindesnes
Lindesnes is a municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. Lindesnes was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 after the merger of the older municipalities of Spangereid, Sør-Audnedal, and Vigmostad....
.