Vestre Toten
Encyclopedia
Vestre Toten is a municipality
in Oppland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional region
of Toten
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Raufoss
.
word Þótn. The meaning of Toten is unknown (maybe "the pleasant district"). The meaning of the name Vestre Toten is "(the) western (part of) Toten". (The parish of Toten was divided in 1825.)
is from modern times. They were granted on 3 May 1991. The arms show two silver knives on a green background. They are a typical type of knife
from the area (the special "Toten-knives"). It symbolizes the long tradition of wood carving
. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn.
s, Halfdan Hvitbeinn
(Whiteleg) was the first Yngling
in Norway. He conquered Romerike
, part of Hedmark
, part of Vestfold
, and Toten
. He was killed in Toten around the year 740.
In 1021, according to saga, King Olaf
(reigned 1015-1028) converted Toten to Christianity
. Also, King Håkon IV
(reigned 1217–1263) came to Toten around the year 1226 to settle local unrest.
Christian II
(1481-1559) was a Danish monarch and King of Denmark
, Norway
(1513-1523), and Sweden
(1520-1521), under the Kalmar Union
. Prior to becoming king, Duke Christian was sent to Norway in 1506 by John II (also called Hans), King of Norway (1483 – 1513) to take charge of the kingdom. In 1507, he became aware of a revolt in Hedmark. In early 1508, he took a force there, routing the rebellion. He then rowed across lake Mjøsa
to Toten, capturing residents, imprisoning them in the vaulted cellar of the rectory
in Østre Toten and torturing them there. As a result, he determined that Bishop Karl of Hamar
had been behind the rebellion. With Bishop Karl as his captive, he was able to suppress the unrest.
Toten was a part of Akershus
county until 1756, when it was reassigned to Oppland county. Lauritz Weideman, Corporal Peder Balke, and Nels Dyhren from Toten attended the 1814 constitutional convention
at Eidsvold.
Vestre Toten was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The areas of Kolbu
and Eina
were separated from Vestre Toten on 1 January 1908. Eina was, however, merged back into the municipality of Vestre Toten on 1 January 1964 (and Kolbu was merged into Østre Toten at this time also).
The municipal center is Raufoss
. Other smaller towns in the municipality include Eina
, Reinsvoll
, and Bøverbru
.
Vestre Toten borders on Østre Toten
to the east, Gjøvik
to the north, Gran
to the south and Søndre Land
to the west.
The highest point is Lauvhøgda with a height of 722 metres (2,368.8 ft). The Hunnselva river begins in the Einavatnet
lake and ends in the Mjøsa
at Gjøvik.
and industry
are important. Raufoss Aluminum is a major employer in the community. The Gjøvikbanen train line passes through the community.
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 Toten
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Oppland county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten, Vestre Toten, and Gjøvik.Toten was a petty kingdom in the early Viking Ages, with Halfdan Hvitbeinn as the most notable king....
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Raufoss
Raufoss
Raufoss is the municipal centre of Vestre Toten, a municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway, 10 kilomenters south of the larger town Gjøvik. It has approximately 6,000 inhabitants. The largest employer is what was earlier Raufoss Ammunitions factory, now split into several sub companies...
.
Name
The name comes from 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....
word Þótn. The meaning of Toten is unknown (maybe "the pleasant district"). The meaning of the name Vestre Toten is "(the) western (part of) Toten". (The parish of Toten was divided in 1825.)
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 3 May 1991. The arms show two silver knives on a green background. They are a typical type of knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
from the area (the special "Toten-knives"). It symbolizes the long tradition of wood carving
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn.
History
According to the sagaSaga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
s, Halfdan Hvitbeinn
Halfdan Hvitbeinn
Halfdan Whiteshanks was a mythical petty king in Norway, described in the Ynglinga saga. The following description is based on the account in Ynglinga saga, written in the 1220s by Snorri Sturluson. The historicity of the kings described in that saga is generally not accepted by modern...
(Whiteleg) was the first Yngling
Yngling
The Ynglings were the oldest known Scandinavian dynasty. It can refer to the clans of the Scylfings , the semi-legendary royal Swedish clan during the Age of Migrations, with kings such as Eadgils, Onela and Ohthere...
in Norway. He conquered Romerike
Romerike
Romerike is a traditional district located north-east of Oslo, in what is today south-eastern Norway. It consists of the Akershus municipalities Fet, Lørenskog, Nittedal, Rælingen, Skedsmo, Sørum and Aurskog-Høland in the southern end , and Ullensaker, Gjerdrum, Nannestad, Nes, Eidsvoll and Hurdal...
, part of Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
, part of Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
, and Toten
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Oppland county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten, Vestre Toten, and Gjøvik.Toten was a petty kingdom in the early Viking Ages, with Halfdan Hvitbeinn as the most notable king....
. He was killed in Toten around the year 740.
In 1021, according to saga, King Olaf
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
(reigned 1015-1028) converted Toten 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...
. Also, King Håkon IV
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
(reigned 1217–1263) came to Toten around the year 1226 to settle local unrest.
Christian II
Christian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
(1481-1559) was a Danish monarch and King of 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...
, 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...
(1513-1523), and 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....
(1520-1521), under the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
. Prior to becoming king, Duke Christian was sent to Norway in 1506 by John II (also called Hans), King of Norway (1483 – 1513) to take charge of the kingdom. In 1507, he became aware of a revolt in Hedmark. In early 1508, he took a force there, routing the rebellion. He then rowed across lake Mjøsa
Mjøsa
Mjøsa is Norway's largest lake, as well as one of the deepest lakes in Norway and in Europe as a whole, after Hornindalsvatnet. It is located in the southern part of Norway, about 100 km north of Oslo...
to Toten, capturing residents, imprisoning them in the vaulted cellar of the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
in Østre Toten and torturing them there. As a result, he determined that Bishop Karl of Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
had been behind the rebellion. With Bishop Karl as his captive, he was able to suppress the unrest.
Toten was a part of Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
county until 1756, when it was reassigned to Oppland county. Lauritz Weideman, Corporal Peder Balke, and Nels Dyhren from Toten attended the 1814 constitutional convention
Riksforsamlingen
Norwegian Constituent Assembly is the name given to the 1814 Constitutional Assembly at Eidsvoll in Norway, that voted the Norwegian Constitution and formalised the dissolution of the union with Denmark...
at Eidsvold.
Vestre Toten 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 areas of Kolbu
Kolbu
Kolbu is a village in Østre Toten municipality, Oppland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Toten. Kolbu is situated about six kilometers southwest of the municipal center of Lena....
and Eina
Eina
Eina is a village in Vestre Toten municipality, Oppland, Norway. The population is 677. The village is one of the destinations on the railroad track Gjøvikbanen, between Jaren and Raufoss....
were separated from Vestre Toten on 1 January 1908. Eina was, however, merged back into the municipality of Vestre Toten on 1 January 1964 (and Kolbu was merged into Østre Toten at this time also).
Geography
Raufoss
Raufoss is the municipal centre of Vestre Toten, a municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway, 10 kilomenters south of the larger town Gjøvik. It has approximately 6,000 inhabitants. The largest employer is what was earlier Raufoss Ammunitions factory, now split into several sub companies...
. Other smaller towns in the municipality include Eina
Eina
Eina is a village in Vestre Toten municipality, Oppland, Norway. The population is 677. The village is one of the destinations on the railroad track Gjøvikbanen, between Jaren and Raufoss....
, Reinsvoll
Reinsvoll
Reinsvoll is a village in Vestre Toten municipality, Norway. Its population is in the region of 1,119. It is located between Eina and Raufoss, and has a train station on Gjøvikbanen Reinsvoll has been mentioned as early as in 1600 in books. Today it has some stores, a fuel station along with a...
, and Bøverbru
Bøverbru
Bøverbru is a village in Vestre Toten municipality, Norway. Its population is 691. It is located between Reinsvoll and Kolbu.-References:...
.
Vestre Toten borders on Østre Toten
Østre Toten
Østre Toten is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lena.-Name:...
to the east, Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
to the north, Gran
Gran, Norway
is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hadeland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Jaren. There is also a village of Gran located within the municipality....
to the south and Søndre Land
Søndre Land
Søndre Land is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Land. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hov....
to the west.
The highest point is Lauvhøgda with a height of 722 metres (2,368.8 ft). The Hunnselva river begins in the Einavatnet
Einavatnet
Einavatnet is a lake which lies in Vestre Toten municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It has an area of 13.52 km² and is 39.54 km around. It lies at an elevation of 398 m above sea level.-Name:...
lake and ends in the Mjøsa
Mjøsa
Mjøsa is Norway's largest lake, as well as one of the deepest lakes in Norway and in Europe as a whole, after Hornindalsvatnet. It is located in the southern part of Norway, about 100 km north of Oslo...
at Gjøvik.
Economy
FarmingAgriculture
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...
and industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
are important. Raufoss Aluminum is a major employer in the community. The Gjøvikbanen train line passes through the community.
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...