Sør-Aurdal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sør-Aurdal kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Oppland | ||
| District | Valdres | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-0540 | ||
| Administrative centre | Bagn | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2003) | Knut Torgersen (Ap) | ||
| Area (Nr. 93 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 1,109 km² (428.2 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 1,071 km² (413.5 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 3,251 | ||
| - Density | 3/km² (7.8/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | -8.4 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 260 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Neutral | ||
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| Website: www.sor-aurdal.kommune.no | |||
Sør-Aurdal is a municipality in the county of Oppland, Norway.
Sør-Aurdal was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The area of Bruflat was transferred from Sør-Aurdal to Etnedal January 1, 1894.
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[edit] The name
The name Sør-Aurdal means '(the) southern (part of) Aurdal'. (The parish of Aurdal was divided in 1805.)
See > Nord-Aurdal
[edit] Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1990). It shows a Middle Age reliquary (still standing in Hedal stave church).
[edit] Geography
Sør-Aurdal is bordered on the north by Nord-Aurdal and Etnedal, on the northeast by Nordre Land, on the east by Søndre Land, on the south by Ringerike and Flå, and on the west by Nes and Gol.
Sør-Aurdal is part of the traditional district of Valdres in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.
[edit] History
Reinli stave church (built 1190 - 1250) is the third church on the same location in Reinli. A new tower was added in 1685 and the building was reconditioned by the Society for Preservation of Ancient Buildings in 1885. Olaf Haraldsson traveled through Valdres in 1023, and also visited Reinli. It is assumed there was a pagan temple at the same location before the first church, some time before 1000.
Hedal stave church was built after 1160 and in 1699 rebuilt and changed. An old legend says the valley was abandoned during the black death and the church later discovered by a bear hunter. A hide is hanging in the church, although now there is only a small part left as visitors have cut away pieces over the years.
[edit] What to see
Bagn Bygdesamling, associated with Valdres Folkemuseum is located 8 km south of Bagn. It consists of twelve log houses, and a building for permanent displays. A part of the museum is Sandviken and the farm Bagnsbergatn.
Bautahaugen Samlinger, associated with Valdres Folkemuseum is located in the middle of Hedalen. It consists of a collection of houses and items from Hedalen. Close by is Hedal stave church.
[edit] Famous residents
- Mikkjel Fønhus (1874-1973), author, most famous for his books about animals in the wilderness
- Hans Jacob Stabel, priest and member of the constitutional assembly to draft and sign the Norwegian Constitution at Eidsvoll on May 17, 1814
[edit] References
East Norway and its Frontier by Frank Noel Stagg, George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. 1956
[edit] External links
- Map of Sør-Aurdal municipality in Kulturnett.no (Norwegian)
- Mikkjel Fønhus biography from Dagbladet (Norwegian)
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