Volda
Encyclopedia
Volda is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Sunnmøre
region
. The administrative centre is the village of Volda. The municipality is located about 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) south of the city of Ålesund
.
). The original municipality was the same as the parish (prestegjeld
) of Volden, including the sub-parishes of Ørsta
and Dalsfjord. On 1 August 1883, the sub-parish of Ørsta
was separated from Volden to form a new municipality of its own. This left Volden with 3,485 residents. On 1 January 1893, the Ytrestølen farm in Ørsta (population: 13) was transferred to Volden.
In 1918, the name was changed from Volden to Volda. On 1 July 1924, the sub-parish of Dalsfjord was separated from Volda to become a municipality of its own. This left Volda with 4,715 residents. On 1 January 1964, the municipalities of Dalsfjord and Volda were merged back together. The new Volda municipality had 7,207 residents.
: Vǫld). The name is probably derived from an old word meaning "wave
". (Compare with the German
: Welle which means "wave".) Before 1918, the name was written Volden.
is from modern times. They were granted on 19 June 1987. The arms show a tip of a fountain pen
as a symbol for the long history of education in volda.
has four parish
es within the municipality of Volda. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Søre Sunnmøre.
en, Kilsfjorden
, and Dalsfjorden. It is also mountainous, particularly southeast of the fjords. The 1482 metres (4,862.2 ft) tall mountain Eidskyrkja
is located in the southeastern part of the municipality.
Volda is bordered by Vanylven
to the south-west/west, Herøy
and Ulstein
(only by sea) to the west, and Ørsta
to the north and east. To the south it is adjacent to Hornindal
and Eid
in Sogn og Fjordane
county.
The dominant centre, both in terms of population and administration, is the village of Volda, in the northernmost part of the municipality. Other population concentrations include Mork,(Ekset) Folkestad, Fyrde, Steinsvika, Lauvstad, Bjørkedal, and Straumshamn.
at Egset, the first rural of its kind in Norway, is said to have inspired the young Ivar Aasen
in the 19th century. Martin Ulvestad
, Norwegian–American author who published an English-Danish-Norwegian dictionary in 1895, (Engelsk-Dansk-Norsk Ordbog med fuldstændig Udtalebetegnelse) was born in Volda. The Norsk Landboeblad
newspaper was based in Volda in the 1800s. Volda landsgymnas (established 1910) was the first Norwegian secondary school outside a major city. Among the most important institutions today is the Volda University College.
Volda University College
is one of 25 university college
s in Norway. Volda University College enrolls about 3,000 students and specializes in education of teachers, animators, and journalists.
Volda also hosts a national documentary film
festival as well as an annual student festival. The festival, Den Norske Dokumentarfilmfestivalen is usually held in late April. The national ski festival X2 is also held in Volda during April every year. The Volda TI
sports club includes a Third Division association football team that competes in Volda.
As a logical consequence of the huge influx of students, as well as a county hospital, public services are by far the most dominant sector, representing almost 50% of economic life in Volda. Industry
and agriculture
are also prevalent. Bjørkedalen is noted for its tradition in building wooden boats.
is located in neighbouring Ørsta, just north of the village of Volda. The European route E39
highway passes north through the municipality on its way to Ålesund
. As noted, the municipality is criss-crossed by fjords; therefore, both Lauvstad and Folkestad are linked to the population centre Volda by ferry
. In February 2008, the underwater Eiksund Tunnel
connected the municipalities of Ulstein
, Hareid
, Herøy
, and Sande
to Ørsta and Volda. The tunnel is the deepest undersea tunnel
in the world.
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 Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre
Sunnmøre is the southernmost traditional district of the western Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. Its main city is Ålesund. The region comprises the municipalities of Giske, Hareid, Herøy, Norddal, Sande, Skodje, Haram, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein, Vanylven, Volda, Ørskog,...
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 Volda. The municipality is located about 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) south of the city of Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
.
General information
The municipality of Volden was established 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...
). The original municipality was the same as the parish (prestegjeld
Prestegjeld
A Prestegjeld is a geographic and administrative area of the Church of Norway roughly equivalent to a parish. A prestegjeld can consist of one or many congregations...
) of Volden, including the sub-parishes of Ørsta
Ørsta
is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region of Western Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ørsta...
and Dalsfjord. On 1 August 1883, the sub-parish of Ørsta
Ørsta
is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region of Western Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ørsta...
was separated from Volden to form a new municipality of its own. This left Volden with 3,485 residents. On 1 January 1893, the Ytrestølen farm in Ørsta (population: 13) was transferred to Volden.
In 1918, the name was changed from Volden to Volda. On 1 July 1924, the sub-parish of Dalsfjord was separated from Volda to become a municipality of its own. This left Volda with 4,715 residents. On 1 January 1964, the municipalities of Dalsfjord and Volda were merged back together. The new Volda municipality had 7,207 residents.
Name
The municipality is named after the Voldsfjorden (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....
: Vǫld). The name is probably derived from an old word meaning "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...
". (Compare with the German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
: Welle which means "wave".) Before 1918, the name was written Volden.
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 19 June 1987. The arms show a tip of a fountain pen
Fountain pen
A fountain pen is a nib pen that, unlike its predecessor the dip pen, contains an internal reservoir of water-based liquid ink. The pen draws ink from the reservoir through a feed to the nib and deposits it on paper via a combination of gravity and capillary action...
as a symbol for the long history of education in volda.
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 four parish
Parish
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...
es within the municipality of Volda. 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 Søre Sunnmøre.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austefjord | Austefjord kyrkje | 1773 | Austefjord Austefjord The Austefjord is a fjord arm of the Voldsfjord that lies in the municipality of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord lies about north of the mountain Eidskyrkja in the northeastern part of the municipality. The Austefjord and the Kilsfjord join together to form the... |
| Dalsfjord | Dalsfjord kyrkje | 1910 | Dalsfjord |
| Kilsfjord | Kilsfjord kyrkje | 1974 | Kilsfjord Kilsfjord, Møre og Romsdal Kilsfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located along the highway in the central part of the municipality. The Kilsfjord joins the Austefjord to form the Voldsfjord. It is located about east of the Dalsfjorden.-References:... |
| Volda | Volda kyrkje | 1932 | Volda |
Geography
Volda's main geographical feature is the Voldsfjord which branches off into the AustefjordAustefjord
The Austefjord is a fjord arm of the Voldsfjord that lies in the municipality of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord lies about north of the mountain Eidskyrkja in the northeastern part of the municipality. The Austefjord and the Kilsfjord join together to form the...
en, Kilsfjorden
Kilsfjord, Møre og Romsdal
Kilsfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located along the highway in the central part of the municipality. The Kilsfjord joins the Austefjord to form the Voldsfjord. It is located about east of the Dalsfjorden.-References:...
, and Dalsfjorden. It is also mountainous, particularly southeast of the fjords. The 1482 metres (4,862.2 ft) tall mountain Eidskyrkja
Eidskyrkja
Eidskyrkja is a mountain in the municipality of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The mountain is located about south of the Austefjord in Volda and about northwest of Grodås in Hornindal....
is located in the southeastern part of the municipality.
Volda is bordered by Vanylven
Vanylven
Vanylven is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is Fiskåbygd. Other villages include Syvde, Rovdane, and Myklebost.-General information:...
to the south-west/west, Herøy
Herøy, Møre og Romsdal
Herøy is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the town of Fosnavåg on the island of Bergsøya. The industrial area of Eggesbønes is located south of Fosnavåg on the same island...
and Ulstein
Ulstein
Ulstein is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The commercial and administrative centre of Ulstein is Ulsteinvik, population 5,251 . The municipality occupies the western half of the island of Hareidlandet, as well as about 30 or more smaller...
(only by sea) to the west, and Ørsta
Ørsta
is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region of Western Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ørsta...
to the north and east. To the south it is adjacent to Hornindal
Hornindal
Hornindal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Grodås.Hornindal was separated from Eid in 1867...
and Eid
Eid, Norway
Eid is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Nordfjordeid is the administrative center of the municipality. Other larger villages are Mogrenda, Stårheim, Haugen, Kjølsdalen, Heggjabygda, and LoteEid is...
in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county.
The dominant centre, both in terms of population and administration, is the village of Volda, in the northernmost part of the municipality. Other population concentrations include Mork,(Ekset) Folkestad, Fyrde, Steinsvika, Lauvstad, Bjørkedal, and Straumshamn.
Culture
Volda is primarily known for strong cultural heritage and academic traditions. A private libraryLibrary
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
at Egset, the first rural of its kind in Norway, is said to have inspired the young Ivar Aasen
Ivar Aasen
Ivar Andreas Aasen was a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, playwright and poet.-Background:...
in the 19th century. Martin Ulvestad
Martin Ulvestad
Martin Ulvestad was an American historian and author whose writings focused on Norwegian-American immigration. Ulvestad was a pioneer in documenting the early history of the first Norwegian settlers in America.-Biography:...
, Norwegian–American author who published an English-Danish-Norwegian dictionary in 1895, (Engelsk-Dansk-Norsk Ordbog med fuldstændig Udtalebetegnelse) was born in Volda. The Norsk Landboeblad
Norsk Landboeblad
Norsk Landboeblad was a Norwegian newspaper. It was published and printed from 1810 to 1817 by Sivert Aarflot in Volda in Romsdalen county, Norway. It had a circulation of 600, a considerable number at that time. This paper can be regarded as a predecessor to the modern-time newspaper Synste Møre....
newspaper was based in Volda in the 1800s. Volda landsgymnas (established 1910) was the first Norwegian secondary school outside a major city. Among the most important institutions today is the Volda University College.
Volda University College
Volda University College
Volda University College is a høgskole, a Norwegian state institution of higher education, in the village of Volda in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It was established on 1 August 1994, when the Møre og Romsdal regional college and the Volda Teachers College were merged together...
is one of 25 university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
s in Norway. Volda University College enrolls about 3,000 students and specializes in education of teachers, animators, and journalists.
Volda also hosts a national documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
festival as well as an annual student festival. The festival, Den Norske Dokumentarfilmfestivalen is usually held in late April. The national ski festival X2 is also held in Volda during April every year. The Volda TI
Volda TI
Volda Turn- og Idrottslag is a Norwegian sports club from Volda, Møre og Romsdal. It currently has sections for association football and "general sports"....
sports club includes a Third Division association football team that competes in Volda.
As a logical consequence of the huge influx of students, as well as a county hospital, public services are by far the most dominant sector, representing almost 50% of economic life in Volda. 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,...
and 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...
are also prevalent. Bjørkedalen is noted for its tradition in building wooden boats.
Transportation
The Ørsta-Volda Airport, HovdenØrsta-Volda Airport, Hovden
Ørsta-Volda Airport, Hovden is a regional airport serving the municipalities of Ørsta and Volda, as well as the rest of southern Sunnmøre in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The airport served 91,827 passengers in 2009. It is operated by Avinor.-Service:...
is located in neighbouring Ørsta, just north of the village of Volda. The European route E39
European route E39
E 39 is the designation of a 1330 km long north-south road in Norway and Denmark, running from Klett just south of Trondheim to Aalborg, via Orkanger, Vinjeøra, Halsa ... Straumsnes, Krifast, Batnfjordsøra, Molde ... Vestnes, Skodje, Ålesund ... Volda ... Nordfjordeid ... Sandane, Førde,...
highway passes north through the municipality on its way to Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
. As noted, the municipality is criss-crossed by fjords; therefore, both Lauvstad and Folkestad are linked to the population centre Volda by ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. In February 2008, the underwater Eiksund Tunnel
Eiksund Tunnel
The Eiksund tunnel is an undersea tunnel between the municipalities of Ørsta and Ulstein in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The Eiksund Bridge joins Hareidlandet island and the village of Eiksund with the nearby island Eika. The Eiksund Tunnel begins at the south end of the bridge and connects...
connected the municipalities of Ulstein
Ulstein
Ulstein is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The commercial and administrative centre of Ulstein is Ulsteinvik, population 5,251 . The municipality occupies the western half of the island of Hareidlandet, as well as about 30 or more smaller...
, Hareid
Hareid
Hareid is a village and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Hareid...
, Herøy
Herøy, Møre og Romsdal
Herøy is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the town of Fosnavåg on the island of Bergsøya. The industrial area of Eggesbønes is located south of Fosnavåg on the same island...
, and Sande
Sande, Møre og Romsdal
Sande is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Larsnes on the island of Gurskøya.-General information:...
to Ørsta and Volda. The tunnel is the deepest undersea tunnel
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
in the world.
External links
- Official website
- Website about Volda
- Weather forecast for Volda
- 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...