Vennesla
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| Vennesla kommune | |||
| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | Norway | ||
| County | Vest-Agder | ||
| Municipality ID | NO-1014 | ||
| Administrative centre | Vennesla | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor (2003) | Torhild Bransdal (KrF) | ||
| Area (Nr. 244 in Norway) | |||
| - Total | 384 km² (148.3 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 362 km² (139.8 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2004) | |||
| - Total | 12,356 | ||
| - Density | 34/km² (88.1/sq mi) | ||
| - Change (10 years) | 5.1 % | ||
| - Rank in Norway | 89 | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Official language form | Neutral | ||
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| Website: www.vennesla.kommune.no | |||
Vennesla is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway.
Vennesla was separated from Øvrebø 1861. Øvrebø and Hægeland were merged with Vennesla January 1, 1964.
It lies about 17 kilometers north of Kristiansand - and it is the third-largest municipality of the county.
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[edit] The name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Vennesla (Norse Vendilslá), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of vendill m 'small twig' (maybe used as a name of an arm of Venneslafjorden), the last element is lá f 'swamp'.
[edit] Geography
Vennesla is bordered in the west by the municipalities of Marnardal and Songdalen, in the east by Birkenes, and Iveland. In the northeast by Evje og Hornnes, and in the south by Kristiansand.
[edit] Economy
Vennesla has mainly been considered an industrial small town, with Hunsfos ASA, a paper factory, as the cornerstone of the community. During recent decades, however, the number of employees has drastically declined from around 1,200 in the 1970s, to 200 in 2005 and 120 in 2007
[edit] Vikeland hovedgård
There is a mansion in Vennesla, Vikeland hovedgård, which is said to be haunted by a ghost known as "the Blue Lady" (den Blå Dama). Mari, the Blue Lady, was a worker on the farm located there, and fell in love with the farm owner's son. They were not allowed to marry, so it is said Mari committed suicide by hanging herself in the "blue room", hence the title "the Blue Lady". Today, when weddings are held in the mansion, the owners of the property allow the Blue Lady's ghost to join the wedding festivities by setting an extra place for her at the table.
[edit] Vindbjart Football club
The local team in Vennesla is Vindbjart. They are currently playing in 2. division, and got their stadium at Moseidmoen.
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