Åndalsnes
Encyclopedia
is a town in the municipality
of Rauma
in Møre og Romsdal
county, Norway
. Åndalsnes is the administrative center of Rauma. The 2.34 square kilometres (578.2 acre) town has a population (2009) of 2,207. The village of Isfjorden lies about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to the east, Veblungsnes
lies just to the west across the Rauma River
, and Innfjorden
lies about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the southwest via European Route E136
.
Åndalsnes has an association football club, Åndalsnes Idrettsforening. The town's newspaper, Åndalsnes Avis, had a circulation of 4,125 in 2007. The harbour is called "NATO kaia" or NATO harbour, and is visited every year by cruise ships, including Costa Marina
, MS Thomson Celebration
, Costa Victoria
, and Costa Atlantica
—the biggest ship that currently comes to Åndalsnes.
near where the Isfjorden
begins. It is located at the mouth of the Rauma River
, one the first Norwegian rivers to host English fly fishermen
in the nineteenth century. The river's salmon
population is currently undergoing restoration after seeing strong declines in the 1980s following an infestation with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris
. As many other infested rivers, the Rauma River is experiencing an increase in the population of sea trout. The river flows through the Romsdal
valley, which features some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire country. Trollveggen (the Troll Wall) one of the cliff formations in the valley, has a vertical drop of over 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft). It was an early launch site for European BASE jumpers
. The railroad Raumabanen terminates at Åndalsnes, with bus connections to Molde
and Ålesund
.
invasion of Norway
in April 1940, British troops landed in Åndalsnes as a part of a pincer movement
to take the mid-Norwegian city Trondheim
. The northern arm of the attack
was based in Namsos
. Lacking control of the air, the forces at Åndalsnes were withdrawn in early May 1940. It was also the site of the Battle of Åndalsnes
.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
of Rauma
Rauma, Norway
Rauma is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre is the village of Åndalsnes. Other villages include Vågstranda, Voll, Innfjorden, Veblungsnes, Verma, Isfjorden, Eidsbygda, Rødven, Åfarnes, and Mittet...
in Møre og Romsdal
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, 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...
. Åndalsnes is the administrative center of Rauma. The 2.34 square kilometres (578.2 acre) town has a population (2009) of 2,207. The village of Isfjorden lies about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to the east, Veblungsnes
Veblungsnes
Veblungsnes is a village located along the Romsdalsfjord just across the Rauma River from the town of Åndalsnes in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The highway runs through the village on its way from Åndalsnes southwest to Innfjorden. Veblungsnes is home to the...
lies just to the west across the Rauma River
Rauma River
Rauma is a river in the Møre og Romsdal and Oppland counties in Norway. It runs for from the lake Lesjaskogsvatnet in the municipality of Lesja to the town of Åndalsnes in the municipality of Rauma. The river was once famous for its salmon-fishing, but since an infection with Gyrodactylus...
, and Innfjorden
Innfjorden
Innfjorden is a village in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is situated about southwest of Åndalsnes and southeast of Voll along the European Route E136...
lies about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the southwest via European Route E136
European route E136
European route E 136 is a European highway which goes from Ålesund up through the Romsdal valley and crossing into the upper Gudbrandsdal valley to end at Dombås...
.
Åndalsnes has an association football club, Åndalsnes Idrettsforening. The town's newspaper, Åndalsnes Avis, had a circulation of 4,125 in 2007. The harbour is called "NATO kaia" or NATO harbour, and is visited every year by cruise ships, including Costa Marina
Costa Marina
MS Costa Marina is a cruise ship owned and operated by the Italy-based Costa Cruises. She was built in 1969 by the Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland as the container ship MS Axel Johnson for the Sweden-based Rederi AB Nordstjernan...
, MS Thomson Celebration
MS Thomson Celebration
MS Thomson Celebration is a cruise ship owned by Holland America Line, under long-term charter to the United Kingdom-based Thomson Cruises. She was built in 1984 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St...
, Costa Victoria
Costa Victoria
Costa Victoria is a Sky class cruise ship owned and operated by Costa Cruises. She debuted in 1996 and was refurbished in 2004. She was designed to reflect the spirit of Italy. Features include the panoramic Concorde Plaza, an indoor pool, the ultramodern Pompei Spa, and the seven deck Planetarium...
, and Costa Atlantica
Costa Atlantica
Costa Atlantica is a Spirit-class cruise ship owned and operated by Costa Cruises. She was built in 2000 by the Kvaerner Masa-Yards Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland....
—the biggest ship that currently comes to Åndalsnes.
Geography
Åndalsnes is located on the shores of the RomsdalsfjordRomsdalsfjord
Romsdalsfjord is the ninth longest fjord in Norway. It is long and located in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county. It flows through the municipalities of Midsund, Haram, Vestnes, Molde, Nesset, and Rauma...
near where the Isfjorden
Isfjorden (fjord in Møre og Romsdal)
Isfjorden is a branch of the Romsdalsfjord in the municipality of Rauma in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord stretches past the town of Åndalsnes and ends at the village of Isfjorden. The Isfjorden was the landing point during the Battle of Kringen in 1612.-References:...
begins. It is located at the mouth of the Rauma River
Rauma River
Rauma is a river in the Møre og Romsdal and Oppland counties in Norway. It runs for from the lake Lesjaskogsvatnet in the municipality of Lesja to the town of Åndalsnes in the municipality of Rauma. The river was once famous for its salmon-fishing, but since an infection with Gyrodactylus...
, one the first Norwegian rivers to host English fly fishermen
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
in the nineteenth century. The river's 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...
population is currently undergoing restoration after seeing strong declines in the 1980s following an infestation with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris
Gyrodactylus salaris
Gyrodactylus salaris is a small monogenean ectoparasite which mainly lives on the skin of freshwater fish, especially Atlantic salmon. This species is a leech-like parasite that has been implicated in some diminution of Atlantic salmon populations in the Norwegian fjords. Its common name is Salmon...
. As many other infested rivers, the Rauma River is experiencing an increase in the population of sea trout. The river flows through the Romsdal
Romsdal
Romsdal is the name of a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named for the valley of Romsdalen, which covers part of Rauma.The...
valley, which features some of the most spectacular scenery in the entire country. Trollveggen (the Troll Wall) one of the cliff formations in the valley, has a vertical drop of over 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft). It was an early launch site for European BASE jumpers
BASE jumping
BASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
. The railroad Raumabanen terminates at Åndalsnes, with bus connections to Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
and 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....
.
History
After the German World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
invasion of Norway
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in April 1940, British troops landed in Åndalsnes as a part of a pincer movement
Pincer movement
The pincer movement or double envelopment is a military maneuver. The flanks of the opponent are attacked simultaneously in a pinching motion after the opponent has advanced towards the center of an army which is responding by moving its outside forces to the enemy's flanks, in order to surround it...
to take the mid-Norwegian city 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...
. The northern arm of the attack
Namsos campaign
In April and early May, 1940 Namsos and its surrounding area were the scene of heavy fighting between Anglo-French, Polish and Norwegian naval and military forces on the one hand, and German military, naval and air forces on the other...
was based in Namsos
Namsos
is a town and municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Namsos. Other villages in the municipality include Bangsund, Klinga, Ramsvika, Skomsvoll, and Spillum....
. Lacking control of the air, the forces at Åndalsnes were withdrawn in early May 1940. It was also the site of the Battle of Åndalsnes
Battle of Åndalsnes
The Battle of Åndalsnes took place in Åndalsnes in Romsdal, Norway in 1940 during the Norwegian Campaign of World War II.After the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, British troops landed in Åndalsnes as part of a pincer movement to take mid-Norwegian city Trondheim...
.