Aurland
Encyclopedia
Aurland is a municipality in the county
of Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. It is located in the traditional district
of Sogn
. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen
. Other villages include Bakka
, Flåm
, Undredal
, and Gudvangen
.
). The original municipality was identical to the Aurland parish
(prestegjeld
) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Aurlandsvangen
, Flåm
, and Undredal
. In 1859, the sub-parish of Nærøy was created by separating it from the sub-parish of Undredal.
words aurr (which means "gravel
") plus land (which means "land" or "district").
is of modern origin. They were granted on 22 May 1987. The arms depict a goat
's head. A goat was considered an appropriate symbol for the municipality since the area is famed for its production of goat cheese and goat farming.
has four churches within the municipality of Aurland. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Indre Sogn
.
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services
, senior citizen
services, unemployment
and other social services
, zoning
, economic development
, and municipal road
s. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor
.
breakdown is as follows:
(ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Olav Johan Ellingsen of the Centre Party
(Senterpartiet) was elected mayor for the 2007–2011 term.
and fishing
until they gradually started farming
about 2,000 years ago. Agriculture is still important with the rich valley floors and abundant mountain pastures. As in all of western Norway, the area was overpopulated in the middle 19th century, and cotters
were forced to clear land far up the mountainsides. This difficulty led to emigration
and in the 20 year period after 1845, 1,050 people moved out of the community—most of them moving to America
.
Tourism
came to the community as early as the middle of the 19th century, in the form of sport fishing
and hunting
. Tourists from England were dominant during this time and one can still find English
names for mountaintops, hunting cabins, and fishing holes.
Later, a different type of tourist came to the region. These tourists came to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. These tourists created a need for jobs in the form of transport
ation and lodging. Three or four ships would anchor in the Nærøyfjord
at a time which created the need for scores of horse drawn carriage
s to take the tourists up to Stalheim hotel.
in the south-eastern part of Sogn og Fjordane
county, along the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord
. These are fingers of the world's longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjord
.
Aurland is bordered by two municipalities in Sogn og Fjordane
county: (Lærdal
to the north-east and Vik
to the west), two municipalities in Hordaland
county (Voss
to the south-west and Ulvik
to the south) and one municipality in Buskerud
county (Hol
to the south-east).
Most of the area is composed of fjord
s and mountains with small populated areas concentrated in the lower river valleys at Aurland, Nærøy
, Undredal
, Flåm
, and Vassbygdi.
Wild and beautiful nature dominate the community from the fjord
s to mountaintops that are 1200 to 1800 m (3,937 to 5,905.5 ) above sea level
. There are two permanent glacier
s in Aurland: Storskavlen and Blåskavlen.
with mild winters at the lower levels, early springs, and warm summers. A yearly average of 470 millimetres (18.5 in) of precipitation
make Aurland one of the driest areas in Norway. In comparison, Bergen
has 2500 millimetres (98.4 in) of precipitation per year.
Aurland has rich and varied flora
, which is more typical of eastern rather than western Norway. The mountain plant life is especially rich since the bedrock contains calcium
rich deposits of phyllite
.
in Aurland is the Precambrian
rock which thrusts through younger layers in the north-eastern part of the municipality. Above the bedrock we find, in varying thickness, a layer of phyllite
. The third layer is massive out-thrust rocks, called the Jotundekket. The rocks in this covering are magmatic, formed a little below the Earth's crust.
Part of the scenery took its shape 9,000 years ago, at the end of the ice age
. The ice's advance was either halted or continued, according to the climatic conditions, and moraine
ridges and gravel terraces were deposited along the glacier front. They are still visible today south of the Flåm
church.
On the western side of the Aurlandsfjord, there is rock that was pushed up into mountain ranges several million years ago. The fjord itself was gouged out of an earlier valley. Aurlandsvangen
is typical of the lower areas, lying on an old river delta
—the land is very flat and fertile. The mountainsides are steep causing frequent rock slides and avalanche
s.
The lakes Nyhellervatnet
and Fretheimsdalsvatnet
are located in Aurland.
were added to UNESCO
's World Heritage Site
list in 2005. The two fjords are situated 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) from each other and they are separated by the Jostedalsbreen
glacier. The World Heritage Site possesses a unique combination of glacial landforms at the same time as each area is characterised by its own outstanding beauty. The Nærøyfjord
areas in this site stretch through the municipalities of Aurland, Lærdal
, Vik
, and Voss
.
valley is a well known hiking trail in Norway
with its fabulous nature and contrasting countryside. The valley is rich in history and packed with culture. One can take the hike in several stages: From Geiteryggen where the path starts, it is a four hour hike to Steinbergdalen. There are beautiful views of mountain peaks, snow glaciers, and lakes. In Steinbergdalen you will find Steinbergdalen mountain lodge which opened in 1895.
is a masterpiece in engineering which is one of the most exciting railway journeys in the world. This journey from Flåm
to Myrdal
is twelve miles long (19 km), a descent of 866 metres (2,841.2 ft). It has 20 tunnels with a total length of almost 6 kilometres (3.7 mi). 80% of the Flåm railway has a gradient of 55%. To cope with the enormous change in height over such a short stretch, the track runs partly through tunnels which spiral in and out of the mountainside. The gradient is quite exceptional for a normal railway and the carriages are fitted with five different brake systems, any one of which is sufficient to stop the train.
is a simple, small one-nave
church that was built around 1150. It is located in the village of Undredal
. It is one of the oldest preserved stave church
es in Norway
.
and Middle Ages
. The church is built in the early Gothic style influenced by English architecture. A document written in 1714 tells us that the English merchants used to stay in Aurland during long periods to buy different articles and they are supposed to have taken part in the building of the church. Most likely they were have been the master builders.
In 1725, the Danish-Norwegian
government in financial problems and King Frederick IV
sold the church. The church remained as private property until the late 19th century. Then the municipality bought Vangen church back for 500 kroner
.
At the last restoration in 1926, the original colors and designs were uncovered. Then the ceiling was taken away and the baldachin
over the pulpit
was brought back again. A new altarpiece
was made. The Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland
has made the stained glass
windows (two of the windows in the chancel
illustrate the Parable of the Prodigal Son
, and the one in the middle is Jesus Christ
, the Savior).
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...
of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, 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 located in the traditional district
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 Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
. Other villages include Bakka
Bakka, Sogn og Fjordane
Bakka is a tiny village in the municipality of Aurland, Norway. It is located on the western shore of the Nærøyfjord, about north of Gudvangen and the highway . The village is home to the Bakka Church. In 2000, the Bakka Tunnel was constructed on the road from Gudvangen to Bakka.-Name:The name...
, Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
, Undredal
Undredal
Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord...
, and Gudvangen
Gudvangen
Gudvangen is a village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is a popular tourist destination and is located at the end of the Nærøyfjord where the Nærøydalselvi river empties into the fjord. The highway passes by the village...
.
General information
Aurland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
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 original municipality was identical to the Aurland parish
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
(prestegjeld
Prestegjeld
A Prestegjeld is a geographic and administrative area of the Church of Norway roughly equivalent to a parish. A prestegjeld can consist of one or many congregations...
) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
, Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
, and Undredal
Undredal
Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord...
. In 1859, the sub-parish of Nærøy was created by separating it from the sub-parish of Undredal.
Name
The name Aurland derives from 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....
words aurr (which means "gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
") plus land (which means "land" or "district").
Coat-of-arms
Aurland's 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 of modern origin. They were granted on 22 May 1987. The arms depict a goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
's head. A goat was considered an appropriate symbol for the municipality since the area is famed for its production of goat cheese and goat farming.
- (See also the coat-of-arms for VinjeVinjeVinje is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Åmot.-Name:...
.)
Churches
The Church of NorwayChurch of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
has four churches within the municipality of Aurland. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
and the Rural Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
(Prosti) of Indre Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
.
| Parish (Prestegjeld) | Sub-Parish (Sogn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurland Parish | Flåm | Flåm kyrkje | 1667 | Flåm Flåm Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway... |
| Nærøy | Bakka kyrkje | 1859 | Bakka Bakka, Sogn og Fjordane Bakka is a tiny village in the municipality of Aurland, Norway. It is located on the western shore of the Nærøyfjord, about north of Gudvangen and the highway . The village is home to the Bakka Church. In 2000, the Bakka Tunnel was constructed on the road from Gudvangen to Bakka.-Name:The name... |
|
| Undredal | Undredal stavkyrkje Undredal stave church Undredal Stave Church is a stave church in the village of Undredal, Aurland municipality, Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway.... |
1147 | Undredal Undredal Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord... |
|
| Vangen | Vangen kyrkje | 1202 | Aurlandsvangen Aurlandsvangen Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few... |
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Aurland, are responsible for primary educationPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, senior citizen
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
services, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and other social services
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
, economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, and municipal road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
.
Municipal council
The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Aurland is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to every four years. For 2007–2011, the partyPolitical party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
breakdown is as follows:
Mayor
The mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
(ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Olav Johan Ellingsen of the Centre Party
Centre Party (Norway)
The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...
(Senterpartiet) was elected mayor for the 2007–2011 term.
History
The earliest inhabitants lived by huntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
until they gradually started farming
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...
about 2,000 years ago. Agriculture is still important with the rich valley floors and abundant mountain pastures. As in all of western Norway, the area was overpopulated in the middle 19th century, and cotters
Cotter (farmer)
See also Canadian band The Cottars.Cotter, cottier or cottar is the Scots term for a peasant farmer formerly in the Scottish highlands. Cotters occupied cottages and cultivated small plots of land...
were forced to clear land far up the mountainsides. This difficulty led to emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
and in the 20 year period after 1845, 1,050 people moved out of the community—most of them moving to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
came to the community as early as the middle of the 19th century, in the form of sport fishing
Recreational fishing
Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing, is fishing for pleasure or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is fishing for profit, or subsistence fishing, which is fishing for survival....
and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. Tourists from England were dominant during this time and one can still find English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
names for mountaintops, hunting cabins, and fishing holes.
Later, a different type of tourist came to the region. These tourists came to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. These tourists created a need for jobs in the form of transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
ation and lodging. Three or four ships would anchor in the Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
at a time which created the need for scores of horse drawn carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s to take the tourists up to Stalheim hotel.
Geography
Aurland lies 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) from the west coast of NorwayNorway
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...
in the south-eastern part of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county, along the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
. These are fingers of the world's longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjord
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world. Located in Sogn og Fjordane county, it stretches inland to the small village of Skjolden...
.
Aurland is bordered by two municipalities in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
county: (Lærdal
Lærdal
Lærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
to the north-east and Vik
Vik
Vik is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Vik is the village of Vikøyri.-General information:...
to the west), two municipalities in Hordaland
Hordaland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
county (Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
to the south-west and Ulvik
Ulvik
Ulvik is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to 1,800 metres above sea level, and borders the municipalities of Granvin, Eidfjord, Ullensvang, Voss, Aurland, and Hol. It takes around two hours to drive from Bergen to Ulvik. The nearest...
to the south) and one municipality in Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
county (Hol
Hol
Hol is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway.-Administrative history:The area of Hol was separated from the municipality of Ål in 1877 to become a separate municipality. In 1937 a part of neighboring Uvdal with 220 inhabitants was moved to Hol municipality. The area of Dagali was transferred...
to the south-east).
Most of the area is composed of fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s and mountains with small populated areas concentrated in the lower river valleys at Aurland, Nærøy
Nærøy
Nærøy is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. Nærøy is part of the Namdalen region. Norway's smallest town, Kolvereid, is the administration centre of the municipality...
, Undredal
Undredal
Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord...
, Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
, and Vassbygdi.
Wild and beautiful nature dominate the community from the fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s to mountaintops that are 1200 to 1800 m (3,937 to 5,905.5 ) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. There are two permanent glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s in Aurland: Storskavlen and Blåskavlen.
Climate
Aurland has a typical inland climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
with mild winters at the lower levels, early springs, and warm summers. A yearly average of 470 millimetres (18.5 in) of precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
make Aurland one of the driest areas in Norway. In comparison, Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
has 2500 millimetres (98.4 in) of precipitation per year.
Vegetation
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
, which is more typical of eastern rather than western Norway. The mountain plant life is especially rich since the bedrock contains calcium
Calcium
Calcium is the chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. It has an atomic mass of 40.078 amu. Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth-most-abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust...
rich deposits of phyllite
Phyllite
Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock primarily composed of quartz, sericite mica, and chlorite; the rock represents a gradation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and mica schist. Minute crystals of graphite, sericite, or chlorite impart a silky, sometimes golden sheen to the...
.
Geology
The oldest bedrockBedrock
In stratigraphy, bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the surface of a terrestrial planet, usually the Earth. Above the bedrock is usually an area of broken and weathered unconsolidated rock in the basal subsoil...
in Aurland is the Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
rock which thrusts through younger layers in the north-eastern part of the municipality. Above the bedrock we find, in varying thickness, a layer of phyllite
Phyllite
Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock primarily composed of quartz, sericite mica, and chlorite; the rock represents a gradation in the degree of metamorphism between slate and mica schist. Minute crystals of graphite, sericite, or chlorite impart a silky, sometimes golden sheen to the...
. The third layer is massive out-thrust rocks, called the Jotundekket. The rocks in this covering are magmatic, formed a little below the Earth's crust.
Part of the scenery took its shape 9,000 years ago, at the end of the ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. The ice's advance was either halted or continued, according to the climatic conditions, and moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
ridges and gravel terraces were deposited along the glacier front. They are still visible today south of the Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
church.
On the western side of the Aurlandsfjord, there is rock that was pushed up into mountain ranges several million years ago. The fjord itself was gouged out of an earlier valley. Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
is typical of the lower areas, lying on an old river delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
—the land is very flat and fertile. The mountainsides are steep causing frequent rock slides and avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
s.
The lakes Nyhellervatnet
Nyhellervatnet
Nyhellervatnet is a lake on the border of the municipalities of Hol and Aurland , Norway. The lake sits at an elevation of above sea level. The lake is located about southeast of Aurlandsvangen, at the end of the valley Aurlandsdalen...
and Fretheimsdalsvatnet
Fretheimsdalsvatnet
Fretheimsdalsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The lake is located at an elevation of above sea level. Fretheimsdalsvatnet is located at the end of the Låvisdalen valley, about southeast of Aurlandsvangen, about southeast of Flåm, and about ...
are located in Aurland.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
The West Norwegian Fjords of Geirangefjord and NærøyfjordNærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
were added to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
list in 2005. The two fjords are situated 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) from each other and they are separated by the Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen
Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is situated in Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Balestrand, Jølster, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a height of .Jostedalsbreen has a total area...
glacier. The World Heritage Site possesses a unique combination of glacial landforms at the same time as each area is characterised by its own outstanding beauty. The Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
areas in this site stretch through the municipalities of Aurland, Lærdal
Lærdal
Lærdal is a municipality in the southwestern part of Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri...
, Vik
Vik
Vik is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Vik is the village of Vikøyri.-General information:...
, and Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
.
Aurlandsdalen Valley
The AurlandsdalenAurlandsdalen
Aurlandsdalen is a glacially-formed Norwegian valley, about 40 km in length , situated in Aurland municipality in the inner Sogn. One of the best-known tourist tracks in Norway follows the valley from Geiteryggen just across the border of Hol municipality and north east to Aurlandsvangen at...
valley is a well known hiking trail in 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...
with its fabulous nature and contrasting countryside. The valley is rich in history and packed with culture. One can take the hike in several stages: From Geiteryggen where the path starts, it is a four hour hike to Steinbergdalen. There are beautiful views of mountain peaks, snow glaciers, and lakes. In Steinbergdalen you will find Steinbergdalen mountain lodge which opened in 1895.
Flåmsbana Railway
The Flåm RailwayFlåmsbana
The Flåm Line is a long railway between Myrdal and Flåm in Aurland, Norway. As a branch line of the Bergen Line, it runs through Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjord. The line's elevation difference is . The line has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge. It has a maximum...
is a masterpiece in engineering which is one of the most exciting railway journeys in the world. This journey from Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
to Myrdal
Myrdal
Myrdal is a surname, and may refer to:* Alva Myrdal , Swedish diplomat, politician and writer* Gunnar Myrdal , Swedish economist and politician* Jan Myrdal , Swedish author, leftist-political writer and columnist...
is twelve miles long (19 km), a descent of 866 metres (2,841.2 ft). It has 20 tunnels with a total length of almost 6 kilometres (3.7 mi). 80% of the Flåm railway has a gradient of 55%. To cope with the enormous change in height over such a short stretch, the track runs partly through tunnels which spiral in and out of the mountainside. The gradient is quite exceptional for a normal railway and the carriages are fitted with five different brake systems, any one of which is sufficient to stop the train.
Undredal Stavkyrkje
The Undredal stave churchUndredal stave church
Undredal Stave Church is a stave church in the village of Undredal, Aurland municipality, Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway....
is a simple, small one-nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
church that was built around 1150. It is located in the village of Undredal
Undredal
Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord...
. It is one of the oldest preserved stave church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
es in 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...
.
Vangen Kyrkje
The Vangen Church was built in 1202. It was built by an ancient family who lived in Aurland in the Viking AgeViking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
and Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The church is built in the early Gothic style influenced by English architecture. A document written in 1714 tells us that the English merchants used to stay in Aurland during long periods to buy different articles and they are supposed to have taken part in the building of the church. Most likely they were have been the master builders.
In 1725, the Danish-Norwegian
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
government in financial problems and King Frederick IV
Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
sold the church. The church remained as private property until the late 19th century. Then the municipality bought Vangen church back for 500 kroner
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
.
At the last restoration in 1926, the original colors and designs were uncovered. Then the ceiling was taken away and the baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
over the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
was brought back again. A new altarpiece
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
was made. The Norwegian artist Emanuel Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland
Emanuel Vigeland was a multitalented Norwegian artist. He is most known for a variety of decorations of Scandinavian churches and for Tomba Emmanuelle, his mausoleum at Slemdal in Oslo.-Background:...
has made the stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows (two of the windows in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
illustrate the Parable of the Prodigal Son
Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Prodigal Son, also known as the Lost Son and the Prodigal Father, is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to the Gospel of Luke a father extravagantly gives his sons their inheritance before he dies...
, and the one in the middle is Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, the Savior).
Sightseeing
- KjelfossenKjelfossenKjelfossen is one of the highest waterfalls in Norway. The falls are located near the village of Gudvangen in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county. With a total fall height of , the waterfall is listed as the 18th tallest waterfall in the world. The tallest single drop is...
is located near the village of Gudvangen - Kjosfossen can be seen from the FlåmsbanaFlåmsbanaThe Flåm Line is a long railway between Myrdal and Flåm in Aurland, Norway. As a branch line of the Bergen Line, it runs through Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjord. The line's elevation difference is . The line has ten stations, twenty tunnels and one bridge. It has a maximum...
railway - The Stegastein viewpoint was constructed in 2006 with a spectacular view of the surrounding fjords and valleys.
- Erlend Horvei is a troll that have been spotted in klokkagarden. His characteristic "hauhau" grawl can be heard several kilometers away.