Surnadal
Encyclopedia
is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Nordmøre
region
. The administrative centre is the village of Skei
. Other villages include Todalsøra
, Surnadalsøra
, Sylte
, Glærem
, Stangvik
, and Åsskard
.
A mild climate and rich soil make Surnadal well suited for agriculture. The local economy is based on agriculture
, forestry
and industrial production, in addition to services.
). In 1858, the eastern district of Rindal
was separated from Surnadal to form a separate municipality. This left Surnadal with 3,105 residents. On 1 January 1877, part of Stangvik
(population: 50) was transferred to Surnadal. In 1879, part of Surnadal (population: 83) was transferred to Stangvik. On 1 January 1886, the Møklegjerdet farm (population: 29), just west of Glærem
, was transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. On 1 January 1897, the Sjøflot farm (population: 27) was also transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. On 1 January 1965, Åsskard
and most of Stangvik
were merged into Surnadal. The newly enlarged municipality had a population of 5,934.
form of the name was Súrnardalr. The first element is the genitive case
of the river name Surna and the last element is dalr which means "valley
" or "dale". The meaning of the river name is unknown. Before 1918, the name was written Surendalen.
has five parishes within the municipality of Surnadal. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Indre Nordmøre.
, Stangvik
, and Øvre Surnadal. The municipality is bordered by the mountain range Trollheimen
and the municipality Sunndal
to the south, the neighboring municipality Rindal
to the east, the municipality Halsa
to the north and fjords to the west, including the Trongfjord
and Hamnesfjord
.
The landscape is a combination of forest
s, fjord
s, and mountain
s. The highest mountain peak is Snota
at 1668 metres (5,472.4 ft) above sea level. Other mountains include Vassnebba
, Indre Sula
and Ytre Sula
, Neådalssnota
, and Trollhetta
. The river Surna runs through the valley from the east to the west, and forms a large delta
where it enters the fjord near Surnadalsøra
and Skei
. This river is rich on salmon
, which attract tourists from the rest of the country and abroad. The lakes Foldsjøen
and Gråsjøen
lie along the border with Rindal
in the east.
, and a highway to the city of Trondheim
to the east.
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
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 Nordmøre
Nordmøre
Nordmøre is a traditional district in the Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. The area comprises the northern third of the county including the municipalities of Kristiansund, Averøy, Tingvoll, Surnadal, Rindal, Aure, Halsa, Eide, Sunndal, Gjemnes, and Smøla...
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 is the village of Skei
Skei, Møre og Romsdal
Skei is a village and the administrative center of the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at near the end of the Surnadalsfjorden along the river Surna...
. Other villages include Todalsøra
Todalsøra
Todalsøra is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at the end of the Todalsfjorden. The mountain Vassnebba lies just to the west and the mountains Indre Sula and Ytre Sula lie just to the north. The village is located about south of...
, Surnadalsøra
Surnadalsøra
Surnadalsøra is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Surnadalsfjorden, near the mouth of the river Surna. It is located just south of the village of Sylte and Skei....
, Sylte
Sylte, Surnadal
Sylte is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The farming village is located at the end of the Surnadalsfjorden at the mouth of the river Surna. It is about southeast of the village of Glærem, about north of Surnadalsøra, and about northeast of the...
, Glærem
Glærem
Glærem is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the north shore of the Surnadalsfjorden, about northwest of Sylte and about northwest of Skei and Surnadalsøra. The village has a population of 257....
, Stangvik
Stangvik
Stangvik is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjord in the present-day municipality of Surnadal, about southwest of Surnadalsøra and Skei...
, and Åsskard
Åsskard
Åsskard is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village Åsskard is located in the western part of Surnadal, about northwest of Sylte. The former municipality included the area around the Åsskardfjord and north of the Hamnesfjord....
.
A mild climate and rich soil make Surnadal well suited for agriculture. The local economy is based on 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...
, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and industrial production, in addition to services.
General information
Surnadal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
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...
). In 1858, the eastern district of Rindal
Rindal
Rindal is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Rindal. Rindal is the only landlocked municipality in Møre og Romsdal county. The lakes Foldsjøen and Gråsjøen lie along the border with Surnadal to the...
was separated from Surnadal to form a separate municipality. This left Surnadal with 3,105 residents. On 1 January 1877, part of Stangvik
Stangvik
Stangvik is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjord in the present-day municipality of Surnadal, about southwest of Surnadalsøra and Skei...
(population: 50) was transferred to Surnadal. In 1879, part of Surnadal (population: 83) was transferred to Stangvik. On 1 January 1886, the Møklegjerdet farm (population: 29), just west of Glærem
Glærem
Glærem is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the north shore of the Surnadalsfjorden, about northwest of Sylte and about northwest of Skei and Surnadalsøra. The village has a population of 257....
, was transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. On 1 January 1897, the Sjøflot farm (population: 27) was also transferred from Stangvik to Surnadal. On 1 January 1965, Åsskard
Åsskard
Åsskard is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village Åsskard is located in the western part of Surnadal, about northwest of Sylte. The former municipality included the area around the Åsskardfjord and north of the Hamnesfjord....
and most of Stangvik
Stangvik
Stangvik is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjord in the present-day municipality of Surnadal, about southwest of Surnadalsøra and Skei...
were merged into Surnadal. The newly enlarged municipality had a population of 5,934.
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 Súrnardalr. 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 the river name Surna 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 meaning of the river name is unknown. Before 1918, the name was written Surendalen.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1989). The silver lines represent the many rivers in the municipality.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 five parishes within the municipality of Surnadal. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
Diocese of Møre
The Diocese of Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop and cathedral are located in the county administrative center of Molde...
and the Rural 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 :...
(Prosti) of Indre Nordmøre.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mo | Mo kyrkje | 1728 | Mo |
| Stangvik | Stangvik kyrkje | 1896 | Stangvik Stangvik Stangvik is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjord in the present-day municipality of Surnadal, about southwest of Surnadalsøra and Skei... |
| Todalen | Todalen kyrkje | 1861 | Todalsøra Todalsøra Todalsøra is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at the end of the Todalsfjorden. The mountain Vassnebba lies just to the west and the mountains Indre Sula and Ytre Sula lie just to the north. The village is located about south of... |
| Øye og Ranes | Ranes kyrkje | 1869 | Ranes |
| Øye kyrkje | 1871 | Skei Skei, Møre og Romsdal Skei is a village and the administrative center of the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at near the end of the Surnadalsfjorden along the river Surna... |
|
| Åsskard | Åsskard kyrkje | 1876 | Åsskard Åsskard Åsskard is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village Åsskard is located in the western part of Surnadal, about northwest of Sylte. The former municipality included the area around the Åsskardfjord and north of the Hamnesfjord.... |
Geography
The municipality is made up by the main valley of Surnadal and many smaller valleys and villages, such as Bæverfjord, Bæverdalen, Bøfjorden, Østbødalen, TodalsøraTodalsøra
Todalsøra is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at the end of the Todalsfjorden. The mountain Vassnebba lies just to the west and the mountains Indre Sula and Ytre Sula lie just to the north. The village is located about south of...
, Stangvik
Stangvik
Stangvik is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Stangvikfjord in the present-day municipality of Surnadal, about southwest of Surnadalsøra and Skei...
, and Øvre Surnadal. The municipality is bordered by the mountain range Trollheimen
Trollheimen
Trollheimen is a mountain range in Møre og Romsdal and Sør-Trøndelag counties in central Norway. The mountain range is part of the Scandinavian Mountains.- Etymology :...
and the municipality Sunndal
Sunndal
is a municipality in the Nordmøre region located in the northeast part of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Sunndalsøra. Other villages include Jordalsgrenda, Øksendalsøra, Grøa, Hoelsand, Ålvund, and Gjøra.With an area of it is the...
to the south, the neighboring municipality Rindal
Rindal
Rindal is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Rindal. Rindal is the only landlocked municipality in Møre og Romsdal county. The lakes Foldsjøen and Gråsjøen lie along the border with Surnadal to the...
to the east, the municipality Halsa
Halsa
Halsa is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre of Halsa is the village of Liabøen. Other villages in the municipality include Halsanaustan, Valsøyfjord, Engan, Hjellnes, and Valsøybotnen.-General information:Halsa was...
to the north and fjords to the west, including the Trongfjord
Trongfjord
The Trongfjorden is a fjord between the municipalities of Surnadal and Tingvoll in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The fjord is approximately long and is a continuation of the Halsafjord on the north end near Torjulvågen in Tingvoll. On the south end, the fjord branches off into several other...
and Hamnesfjord
Hamnesfjord
Hamnesfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord begins at the mouth of the Bøvra river at the village of Bæverfjord, near Åsskard, about northwest of Sylte, Skei, and Surnadalsøra....
.
The landscape is a combination of forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s, and mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s. The highest mountain peak is Snota
Snota
Snota is a prominent mountain in the Trollheimen mountain range in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is also the highest mountain in the municipality of Surnadal...
at 1668 metres (5,472.4 ft) above sea level. Other mountains include Vassnebba
Vassnebba
Vassnebba or Grånebba is a mountain on the border of the municipalities of Sunndal and Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies on the western border of the Trollheimen mountain range, just southwest of the Todalsfjorden and the village of Todalsøra and southeast of the village of Ålvund...
, Indre Sula
Indre Sula
Indre Sula is a mountain in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Trollheimen mountain range, and it lies just north of Todalsøra and the Todalsfjorden....
and Ytre Sula
Ytre Sula
Ytre Sula is a mountain in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It lies just north of Todalsøra and the Todalsfjorden....
, Neådalssnota
Neådalssnota
Neådalssnota is a mountain in the center of the Trollheimen mountain range. It lies in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The mountain Snota lies just to the north, just next to the lake Gråsjøen....
, and Trollhetta
Trollhetta
Trollhøtta or Trollhetta is a mountain in the border of the municipalities of Surnadal and Rindal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Trollheimen mountain range, just east of the lake Gråsjøen and the mountains Snota and Neådalssnota....
. The river Surna runs through the valley from the east to the west, and forms a large delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
where it enters the fjord near Surnadalsøra
Surnadalsøra
Surnadalsøra is a village in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Surnadalsfjorden, near the mouth of the river Surna. It is located just south of the village of Sylte and Skei....
and Skei
Skei, Møre og Romsdal
Skei is a village and the administrative center of the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located at near the end of the Surnadalsfjorden along the river Surna...
. This river is rich on salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, which attract tourists from the rest of the country and abroad. The lakes Foldsjøen
Foldsjøen
Foldsjøen is a lake/reservoir in the municipalities of Surnadal and Rindal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The lake is dammed and the water is used in the Trollheim power station. Slightly more elevated and directly to the south, is the lake Gråsjøen which is also behind a hydro-power dam....
and Gråsjøen
Gråsjøen
Gråsjøen is a lake/reservoir in the municipality of Surnadal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The lake is located in the northern part of the Trollheimen mountain range. The lake is dammed and the water is used in the Gråsjø power station. The water flows out of the lake and into the lake...
lie along the border with Rindal
Rindal
Rindal is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Rindal. Rindal is the only landlocked municipality in Møre og Romsdal county. The lakes Foldsjøen and Gråsjøen lie along the border with Surnadal to the...
in the east.
Transportation
Transportation services include ferries to the southwest and the northwest, which lead to the coastal areas of Møre og RomsdalMøre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
, and a highway to the city of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
to the east.
Notable residents
- Hans HyldbakkHans HyldbakkHans Hyldbakk was a Norwegian poet.He was born and died in Surnadal. As a writer he is best known for the song Vårsøg. His poetry debut came in 1929 with Harpespel, and his last issue was 1998's Lauvfall....
, a nationally recognized author of poetry and local history. Surnadal is noted for strong traditions in the field of poetryPoetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and folkloreFolkloreFolklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
. - Rune GjeldnesRune GjeldnesRune Gjeldnes is a Norwegian adventurer. He completed his military education in 1992, where he met fellow adventurer-to-be Torry Larsen, also of Møre og Romsdal. Gjeldnes served in the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Command until 1997.-Expeditions:Together with Torry Larsen, Rune Gjeldnes...
, explorer
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...