Eidfjord
Encyclopedia
Eidfjord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland
, Norway
. Eidfjord was separated from Ulvik
May 1, 1891. (Eidfjord was merged with Ullensvang
from January 1, 1964 to January 1, 1977.)
Eidfjord has two townships, Eidfjord and Øvre Eidfjord. Eidfjord is the municipality center situated by Eidfjorden, and is a major cruise harbour. Eidfjord has several tourist sites, like the Sima Power Plant built into the mountain itself, the waterfall Vøringsfossen with a free fall of 182 m and large parts of Europe's largest mountain plateau, Hardangervidda
. Here is also the Hardangervidda Natursenter
.
Eiðafjörðr). The first element is the genitive case of the name of the farm Eiðar, the old church site. The second element is fjord
. The name of the farm is the plural form of eið which means "land between two waters" (in this case: the fjord
and the lake of Eidfjordvatnet
).
is from modern times. They were granted on 13 July 1984. The arms show a reindeer
antler
, as the first known settlers in the area were reindeer hunters. The reindeer has been of importance for the population here for many centuries. The antler also symbolizes the rivers that run from the mountain into the fjord.
) from 1125 to 1630. The reason for this was that the regions of Hallingdal
and Valdres
belonged to the bishop of Stavanger - and the easiest way to reach them was by sailing up the Hardangerfjord
to Eidfjord, and then go over the mountains. (See diocese of Stavanger
and diocese of Bergen.)
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...
, 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...
. Eidfjord was separated from 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...
May 1, 1891. (Eidfjord was merged with Ullensvang
Ullensvang
Ullensvang is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre is the village of Kinsarvik....
from January 1, 1964 to January 1, 1977.)
Eidfjord has two townships, Eidfjord and Øvre Eidfjord. Eidfjord is the municipality center situated by Eidfjorden, and is a major cruise harbour. Eidfjord has several tourist sites, like the Sima Power Plant built into the mountain itself, the waterfall Vøringsfossen with a free fall of 182 m and large parts of Europe's largest mountain plateau, Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a...
. Here is also the Hardangervidda Natursenter
Hardangervidda Natursenter
The Hardangervidda Natursenter is a museum and visitor center of the Hardangervidda National Park in Norway. It is located in Eidfjord, Hordaland.-External links:* * *...
.
Name
The municipality is named after Eidfjorden (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....
Eiðafjörðr). The first element is the genitive case of the name of the farm Eiðar, the old church site. The second element is 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...
. The name of the farm is the plural form of eið which means "land between two waters" (in this case: 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...
and the lake of Eidfjordvatnet
Eidfjordvatnet
Eidfjordvatnet is a moraine-dammed lake in the municipality of Eidfjord in Hordaland county, Norway....
).
Coat-of-arms
The 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 from modern times. They were granted on 13 July 1984. The arms show a reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
antler
Antler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
, as the first known settlers in the area were reindeer hunters. The reindeer has been of importance for the population here for many centuries. The antler also symbolizes the rivers that run from the mountain into the fjord.
History
The parish of Eidfjord was very special as it belonged to the bishop of Stavanger (and not the bishop of Bergen as all the other parishes of HordalandHordaland
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...
) from 1125 to 1630. The reason for this was that the regions of Hallingdal
Hallingdal
Hallingdal is a valley and traditional district in Buskerud county in Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Flå, Nes, Gol, Hemsedal, Ål and Hol.-History:Ancient routes went to Vestlandet through Valdres and Hallingdal and down Røldal to Odda...
and Valdres
Valdres
Valdres is a traditional district in central, southern Norway, situated between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal.Administratively, Valdres belongs to Oppland. It consists of the municipalities Nord-Aurdal, Sør-Aurdal, Øystre Slidre, Vestre Slidre, Vang and Etnedal. The main town in the region is...
belonged to the bishop of Stavanger - and the easiest way to reach them was by sailing up the Hardangerfjord
Hardangerfjord
With a length of , the Hardangerfjord in the county of Hordaland in Norway is the third largest fjord in the world and the second largest in Norway. The surrounding district is called Hardanger....
to Eidfjord, and then go over the mountains. (See diocese of Stavanger
Diocese of Stavanger
Stavanger is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers Rogaland. The cathedral city is Stavanger, and the bishop since 2009 is Erling Johan Pettersen.-History:...
and diocese of Bergen.)
See also
- Fossli Provincial ParkFossli Provincial ParkFossli Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located on Stirling Arm of Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island. The 52-hectare park, west of Port Alberni, is accessible by water or private logging road...
, British Columbia, Canada (named after a village in Eidfjord)