Østre Toten
Encyclopedia
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
.
form of the name was Þótn. The meaning is unknown (maybe "the pleasant district"). The meaning of the name Østre Toten is "(the) eastern (part of) Toten". (The parish Toten was divided in 1825.)
is from modern times. They were granted on 27 March 1987. The arms show a yellow-colored potato
plant on a green background. The green color symbolizes the importance of agriculture
, and the potato in particular, for the municipality.
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.
The municipality of Østre Toten was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The former municipality of Kolbu
was merged with Østre Toten on 1 January 1964.
, to the north by Gjøvik
in Oppland county, as well as by Hurdal
and Eidsvoll
in neighboring Akershus county. The highest peak is Torsæterkampen with a height of 841 metres (2,759.2 ft).
Although some residences are widely spread, most people live in the villages of Skreia
, Kapp
, Kolbu
, Lensbygda
, or Lena
.
s. This is reflected in the municipality's coat-of-arms, which displays a potato plant.
The Kims factory (which produces potato chip
s) is located at Skreia and was invented there.
and the rock carvings
at Glemmestad near Kapp
, now displayed in the Toten Museum.
with Østre Toten: - Jammerbugt
, Region Nordjylland
, Denmark
- Kesälahti
, Itä-Suomi
, Finland
- Rättvik
, Dalarna County
, Sweden
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 Lena
Lena, Norway
Lena is the administrative centre of Østre Toten municipality, Norway.Lena is the trading center for the municipality and is surrounded by mostly farmland. Its population is 1,092. Located here are five schools and Toten folk high school. Lena is a quite small place even for Norway...
.
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 Þótn. The meaning is unknown (maybe "the pleasant district"). The meaning of the name Østre Toten is "(the) eastern (part of) Toten". (The parish 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 27 March 1987. The arms show a yellow-colored potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
plant on a green background. The green color symbolizes the importance of 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...
, and the potato in particular, for the municipality.
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 (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.
The municipality of Østre Toten was established 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 former municipality 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....
was merged with Østre Toten on 1 January 1964.
Geography
Østre Toten is bordered to the west by Vestre TotenVestre Toten
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.-Name:...
, to the north by 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...
in Oppland county, as well as by Hurdal
Hurdal
Hurdal is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hurdal....
and Eidsvoll
Eidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
in neighboring Akershus county. The highest peak is Torsæterkampen with a height of 841 metres (2,759.2 ft).
Although some residences are widely spread, most people live in the villages of Skreia
Skreia
Skreia is a village in the municipality of Østre Toten, Norway. Its population is 1,300.-Famous people:*Alv Gjestvang, speed skater*Inger Lise Rypdal, singer*Maj Britt Andersen, singer...
, Kapp
Kapp, Norway
Kapp is a village in the municipality of Østre Toten, Norway. Its population is 1,855....
, 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....
, Lensbygda
Lensbygda
Lensbygda is a village in the municipality of Østre Toten, Norway. Its population is 547.-External links:*...
, or Lena
Lena, Norway
Lena is the administrative centre of Østre Toten municipality, Norway.Lena is the trading center for the municipality and is surrounded by mostly farmland. Its population is 1,092. Located here are five schools and Toten folk high school. Lena is a quite small place even for Norway...
.
Economy
Østre Toten is one of the Oppland's most productive farming municipalities. Østre Toten is Norway's largest producers of potatoes and onionOnion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s. This is reflected in the municipality's coat-of-arms, which displays a potato plant.
The Kims factory (which produces potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
s) is located at Skreia and was invented there.
Attractions
Among the town's most notable landmarks are the Hoff stone churchHoff stone church
Hoff stone church is a stone church outside Lena, Østre Toten municipality, Oppland county, Norway.-History:Hoff stone church was built around the 11th century. Hoff church is similar in construction to the old cathedrals at Hamar, Nikolai Church in Gran, Old Aker Church, and Ringsaker Church...
and the rock carvings
Petroglyph
Petroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
at Glemmestad near Kapp
Kapp, Norway
Kapp is a village in the municipality of Østre Toten, Norway. Its population is 1,855....
, now displayed in the Toten Museum.
Notable residents
- May-Britt Anderssen, musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
- Peder BalkePeder BalkePeder Balke was a Norwegian painter. He was known for portraying the nature of Norway in a positive manner and influenced a dramatic and romantic view of Norwegian landscape.-Biography:...
, artistArtistAn artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only... - Eduard Boeckmann, ophthalmologist and physician
- Halvdan Svarte GudrødssonHalfdan the BlackHalfdan the Black was a ninth-century king of Vestfold. He belonged to the House of Yngling and was the father of Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway.-Biography:...
, VikingVikingThe 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...
king, father of the first King of Norway Harald I and founder of the House of Yngling - Roger RuudRoger RuudRoger Ruud is a former Norwegian ski jumper who represented Lensbygda SK. He won the 1982 New Year's competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and finished second overall in the Four Hills Tournament that same year. He won the Holmenkollen ski jump competition in 1981.Ruud was Norwegian champion in...
, ski jumperSki jumpingSki jumping is a sport in which skiers go down a take-off ramp, jump and attempt to land as far as possible down the hill below. In addition to the length of the jump, judges give points for style. The skis used for ski jumping are wide and long... - Inger Lise RypdalInger Lise RypdalInger Lise Rypdal is a Norwegian singer and actress in many different genres: pop, rock, theater, film, and musical.-History:Inger Lise Rypdal has been an artist since 1968...
, musician - Margit SandemoMargit SandemoMargit Sandemo is a Norwegian-Swedish historical fantasy author. She has been the best-selling author in the Nordic Countries since the 1980s, when her novel series of 47 books, The Legend of the Ice People, was published...
, author - Eldar VåganEldar VåganEldar Vågan is best known as the song-writer and guitarist in Vazelina Bilopphøggers. Vågan is also a published illustrator and has acted in many Norwegian films and television productions.-Baiage:...
, musician
Sister cities
The following cities are twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Østre Toten: - Jammerbugt
Jammerbugt municipality
Jammerbugt is a municipality in North Denmark Region in Denmark. It covers an area of 863 km² and a total population of 38,957 ....
, Region Nordjylland
Region Nordjylland
North Denmark Region or North Jutland Region is an administrative region of Denmark established on January 1, 2007 as part of the 2007 Danish Municipal Reform, which replaced the traditional counties with five larger regions. At the same time, smaller municipalities were merged into larger...
, 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...
- Kesälahti
Kesälahti
Kesälahti is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich is water. The population density is....
, Itä-Suomi
Eastern Finland
Eastern Finland was a province of Finland from 1997 to 2010. It bordered the provinces of Oulu, Western Finland and Southern Finland. It also bordered Russia.- History :...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Rättvik
Rättvik Municipality
Rättvik Municipality is a municipality in Dalarna County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the town of Rättvik.In 1963 the municipality was reunited with Boda, which had been detached from it in 1875, and in 1974 Ore was added, thus forming the present municipality.- Geography :Rättvik...
, Dalarna County
Dalarna County
Dalarna County is a county or län in middle Sweden. It borders the counties of Jämtland, Gävleborg, Västmanland, Örebro and Värmland. It is also bordered by the Norwegian counties of Hedmark and Sør-Trøndelag in the west...
, 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....
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...