Fjaler
Encyclopedia
Fjaler is a municipality in the county
of Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. It is located in the traditional district
of Sunnfjord
. The administrative centre is the village of Dale
. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke
and Espedal
.
It was the birth place of famous Norwegian poet Jakob Sande
. The Red Cross Nordic United World College
at Haugland, one of the twelve United World Colleges
of the world is also located here, as well as the Åsnes ski
factory, the Nordic Art Centre at Dalsåsen and the Dale/Jarl shoe
factory
. There is a car ferry from Dale to Eikenes in Askvoll
municipality, and buses depart to Førde
, Rysjedalsvika, Hyllestad
, and the west of Fjaler. Førde Airport, Bringeland
is 28 kilometres to the east, with flights to Oslo
and Bergen
.
). The original municipality was identical to the Ytre Holmedal parish
(prestegjeld
) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Holmedal, Dale
, and Fjaler. In 1912, the name Ytre Holmedal was changed to Fjaler.
On 1 January 1990, some changes were made to the boundaries between Fjaler, Gaular
, and Askvoll
. Fure, Folkestad, and Våge (population: 482) in Askvoll was transferred to Fjaler. Vårdal, Holmedal, Rivedal, and a part of Hestad (population: 731) in Fjaler was transferred to Askvoll. The parts of Hestad that didn't go to Askvoll (population: 90) were transferred to Gaular.
Fjalir) originally belonged to the fjord
(now Dalsfjorden
). The name is probably the plural form of fjöl which means 'board'. The old name was revived in 1913, before then the name of the municipality was Ytre Holmedal.
is from modern times (1991). It shows two bridges since there are a lot of old, historic bridges in the municipality.
has four churches within the municipality of Fjaler. It is part of the Diocese of Bjørgvin
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Sunnfjord
.
(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. Arve Helle of the Labour Party
(Det Norske Arbeiderpartiet) was re-elected mayor for the 2007-2011 term.
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 Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
. The administrative centre is the village of Dale
Dale, Sogn og Fjordane
Dale or Dale i Sunnfjord is the administrative centre of the municipality of Fjaler in Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Dalsfjorden in the northern part of Fjaler, about northeast of the village of Flekke.The population of Dale is 980, and the...
. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke
Flekke
Flekke is a village in the municipality of Fjaler in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located about south of the municipal center of Dale. The village is situated at the end of the Flekkefjorden, an arm of the Dalsfjorden...
and Espedal
Espedal
Espedal is a place in Fjaler, Norway.Espedal may also refer to:*Espedal Øvre, a village in Forsand, Norway-People with the surname:*Ronny Espedal, Norwegian footballer*Kristian Espedal or Gaahl, Norwegian black metal vocalist*Alf Espedal, SOE agent...
.
It was the birth place of famous Norwegian poet Jakob Sande
Jakob Sande
Jakob Sande was a Norwegian writer, poet and folk singer from Dale in Sunnfjord. His parents were Andreas Sande and Ragna Margrete . He married Solveig Ytterlid in 1942 and they had a daughter, Siri, in 1943....
. The Red Cross Nordic United World College
Red Cross Nordic United World College
The Red Cross Nordic United World College , founded in 1995, is the ninth member of the family of United World Colleges. Patrons of the college and the movement include Nelson Mandela, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan and Queen Sonja of Norway...
at Haugland, one of the twelve United World Colleges
United World Colleges
UWC is an education movement comprising thirteen international schools and colleges, national committees in over 130 countries and a series of short educational programmes. The UWC movement aims to make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future...
of the world is also located here, as well as the Åsnes ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
factory, the Nordic Art Centre at Dalsåsen and the Dale/Jarl shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. There is a car ferry from Dale to Eikenes in Askvoll
Askvoll
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll....
municipality, and buses depart to Førde
Førde
Førde is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative center is the town of Førde which in 2010 had 12,035 inhabitants. The historic village of Bruland is located just east of the town of Førde...
, Rysjedalsvika, Hyllestad
Hyllestad
Hyllestad is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of Hyllestad is the village of Hyllestad....
, and the west of Fjaler. Førde Airport, Bringeland
Førde Airport, Bringeland
Førde Airport, Bringeland is located in the municipality of Gaular in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The airport is at Bringelandsåsen, about east of the end of the Dalsfjorden at an elevation of above sea level....
is 28 kilometres to the east, with flights to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and 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 , ....
.
General information
Ytre Holmedal 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 Ytre Holmedal 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 Holmedal, Dale
Dale, Sogn og Fjordane
Dale or Dale i Sunnfjord is the administrative centre of the municipality of Fjaler in Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Dalsfjorden in the northern part of Fjaler, about northeast of the village of Flekke.The population of Dale is 980, and the...
, and Fjaler. In 1912, the name Ytre Holmedal was changed to Fjaler.
On 1 January 1990, some changes were made to the boundaries between Fjaler, Gaular
Gaular
Gaular is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Sande...
, and Askvoll
Askvoll
is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Askvoll....
. Fure, Folkestad, and Våge (population: 482) in Askvoll was transferred to Fjaler. Vårdal, Holmedal, Rivedal, and a part of Hestad (population: 731) in Fjaler was transferred to Askvoll. The parts of Hestad that didn't go to Askvoll (population: 90) were transferred to Gaular.
Name
The name (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....
Fjalir) originally belonged to 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...
(now Dalsfjorden
Dalsfjorden (Sunnfjord)
Dalsfjorden is a fjord in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located between the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, and Gaular. The fjord is about long and it is generally about wide....
). The name is probably the plural form of fjöl which means 'board'. The old name was revived in 1913, before then the name of the municipality was Ytre Holmedal.
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 (1991). It shows two bridges since there are a lot of old, historic bridges in the municipality.
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 Fjaler. 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 Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
.
| Parish (Prestegjeld) | Sub-Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fjaler Parish | Fjaler | Dale kyrkje | 1864 | Dale Dale, Sogn og Fjordane Dale or Dale i Sunnfjord is the administrative centre of the municipality of Fjaler in Sogn og Fjordane County, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Dalsfjorden in the northern part of Fjaler, about northeast of the village of Flekke.The population of Dale is 980, and the... |
| Folkestad bedehuskapell | 1913 | Våge | ||
| Guddal kyrkje | 1870 | Guddal | ||
| Hellevik bedehuskapell | 1978 | Hellevik |
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Fjaler, 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 Fjaler is made up of 23 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. Arve Helle of the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
(Det Norske Arbeiderpartiet) was re-elected mayor for the 2007-2011 term.