Kvinesdal

Kvinesdal is a municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway. It is an elongated mountain-to-coast municipality, reaching saltwater at the head of the Fedefjord, which provides access to the North Sea in the south.

1 The name
2 Geography
3 Population
4 History
5 Economy
6 Famous residents
7 References
8 External links

[edit] The name

The Norse form of the name was Hvínisdalr. The first element is the genitive case of the fjord name Hvínir (now Fedafjorden), the last element is dalr m 'valley, dale'. The name of the fjord is derived from the rivername Hvín (now Kvina), and that name is derived from the verb hvína 'squeal'.

[edit] Geography

In the west it is bordered by Flekkefjord and Sirdal municipalities. On the east it is bordered by Åseral, Hægebostad. On the south it is bordered by Lyngdal and Farsund in the east and south. A small segment if the northern boundary borders Bygland municipality in Aust-Agder county.

The river Kvina is known for its salmon, and salmon fishing is a popular activity. The municipality has its name from the river Kvina, which runs through it. The name means 'Kvina-valley'.

Two valleys meet in Kvinesdal's center; Vesterdalen (the Western Valley) through which flows the river Kvina, and Austerdalen (the Eastern Valley) through which flows the river Litleåna to join the Kvina.

[edit] Population

10% of the inhabitants of Kvinesdal are American citizens, and Kvinesdal does enjoy a special relationship with the United States. Every year the municipality hosts a special festival remembering the days when local people immigrated to the new world.

[edit] History

Kvinesdal was home of many prominent characters in the Saga Period. Among them were the Skald Tjodolv the Frode. Frode means one with great knowledge of the history of ancestors. He composed a historic poem for his king Harold Fairhair. His work was later combined into the Heimskringla when it was recorded by Snorri Sturluson.

In northern Kvinesdal, along the high plateau (at 550 m. above sea level) records show that the Salmeli Farm dates back at least to the year 1300. During the Black Death years of 1350 the farm became deserted, but was back as a working farm again by 1647. It is now a historic site.

The bailiff Stig Bagge, who was granted local leadership from 1536-42 by Christian III of Denmark, was an energetic man when he lived at his ancestral home of Eikeland in Kvinesdal. According to the reports of Peder Clausson, he executed refractory peasants so willingly that the district thought it was to excess; he was the district's bogeyman for many years thereafter. When the bailiff in Nedenes was killed in his bed and rebels came in an unsuccessful attempt to capture and execute Stig, he collected his men and brutally stifled the revolt. Stig himself died by being drawn and quartered by the Dutch when he was caught in piracy or espionage off their coast at Walcheren.

[edit] Economy

Tourism is an important part of the economy for Kvinesdal. The local hotel called "Rafoss Hotell" has had a famous guest; Roald Dahl.

[edit] Famous residents

Kvinesdal is known for Aril Edvardsen, a world-renowned Christian (charismatic) evangelist and the founder of "Troens Bevis Verdens Evangelisering" (Evidence of Faith World Evangelisation). The organization has its headquarters in Kvinesdal, called Sarons Dal (The Valley of Saron), with a giant mess hall, offices, music studio, TV-studio, a small congregation called "Kirken i Dalen" (The Church in the Valley), a theological seminary, camping sites and swimming pools.

One of Southern Norway’s’ greatest artists, Kristian Marcelius Førland (1891-1978), lived and painted in Kvinesdal. His home is now a museum. Førland was a gifted and skilful portrait painter and a prominent landscape painter.

Ludvig Hunsbedt, a famous rallydriver also lives in Kvinesdal. He started localy as a driver in the amateur class called "bilcross" in 1978. In 1993 he became the European champion and in 1997 he went to the pro-class. He has been at the startline of 223 european champion races and won 23 of these. In 2003 he resigned as a rallydriver and he's currently owning a car dealership in Kvinesdal specializing on Volvo and Reneault cars. He also for many years where the manager of a gas station and a "road rescue service" (Viking redningstjeneste), Also in Kvinesdal.

Trond Moi, a world known chef comes from Kvinesdal. He's known all over Norway for his restaurants and goes under the name "Bølgen og Moi".

[edit] References

South Norway by Frank Noel Stagg, George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1958.
Adventure Roads in Norway by Erling Welle-Strand; Nortrabooks, 1996. ISBN 82-90103-71-9

[edit] External links

Municipalities of Vest-Agder
Audnedal \| Farsund \| Flekkefjord \| Hægebostad \| Kristiansand \| Kvinesdal \| Lindesnes \| Lyngdal \| Mandal \| Marnardal \| Sirdal \| Songdalen \| Søgne \| Vennesla \| Åseral