Helgøya, Hedmark
Coordinates: 60°44′11″N 10°58′47″E / 60.7363°N 10.9798°E
Helgøya is an island in Mjøsa located to Ringsaker municipality in Hedmark county, Norway.
With an area of 18.3 km², Helgøya is the largest freshwater island in Norway. The island is located south of the peninsula Nes, connected by Nessundet Bridge (no) since 1957,[1] and was formerly a part of Nes municipality.
The island consists of 32 farms. The most notable of these are the old manor Hovinsholm that until 1612 had its own church. Another old farm is Eik ('oak') that has given the name of the tallest hill on the island: Eksberget. The island is generally rich on medieval traces.
Helgøya Church (Helgøya kirke) was inaugurated on 7 December 1870. The chapel was built in timber and block in the Gothic Revival style. The church has about 200 seats. The chapel was restored and partially rebuilt in the 1970s.
The name
The Norse forms of the name were Helgøy and Øyin helga, both with the meaning 'holy island'. The farm name Hovin (Norse Hofvin - later named Hovinsholm, see above) on the southern tip of the island is a compound of hof n 'pagan temple (for the Norse gods)' and vin f 'meadow'.[1]
See also
Helgøya Church
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Helgøya Church in Ringsaker
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Helgøya Church cemetery
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Monument at Helgøya church
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Henriksen, Petter, ed. (2007). "Helgøya – øy i Ringsaker kommune". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
Additional reading
- Enemo, Egil (1978) Helgøya: lokalhistoriske bruddstykker ISBN 82-990490-0-8