Gulsvik
Encyclopedia
Gulsvik is a village in Flå
, Buskerud
, Norway
.
The name Gulsvik is connected to the original farm of Gulsvik. The Gulsvik farm was known from the middle ages
, when the owners were among the most prominent people in lower Hallingdal
. Gulsvik is reckoned to be an old Norwegian folkland
, which never came directly under the crown. The name Gulsvik is believed to derive from Gudulv (Godwulf
), shortened to Gul, the name of the bay of Godwulf, a natural bay in the area.
In the late middle ages, the owners of Gulsvik farm were noblemen in allegiance to the king of Norway. The old Gulsvik clan
is said to be one of the most widespread families in lower Buskerud, descending from a Birkebeiner
soldier in the service of King Sverre. Dating from 1430, the farm became divided, as time passed into upper, middle and lower Gulsvik (Gulsvik nordre, Gulsvik mellom and Gulsvik søndre).
This area is called Gulsvik Farthing (Gulsvikfjerdingen) and contains a number of farms. The wider area south of Gulsvik was settled just as early, and the proper name of the area is Southern Flå Municipality, reckoned from the border of Krødsherad
up to the end of Lake Krøderen
(Innsjøen Krøderen). The Gulsvik Farthing is to the north, close up to Hallingdal gate, an entrance into the valley of Hallingdal. Bergensbanen
railway terminated at Gulsvik Station from 1908 until the line was completed in 1909. Located at the top of Lake Krøderen, Gulsvik was a key port on the lake. When the ferry
over Lake Krøderen was established, Gulsvik became the natural port on the northern side, with accommodations for tourism
.
Hallingporten is a 65 m long tunnel on Norwegian National Road 7 (Riksvei 7) just north of Gulsvik. The tunnel has a distinctive shape. The reason for this is that the current road tunnel has been added where there was previously a tog tunnel. The Hallingporten upper level is thus the old tog tunnel. There were skirmishes here in April 1940 during the Fighting in Hallingdal
.
Flå
Flå is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Flå. The municipality of Flå was established when it was separated from the municipality of Nes on 1 January 1905...
, 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:...
, 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...
.
The name Gulsvik is connected to the original farm of Gulsvik. The Gulsvik farm was known from the 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...
, when the owners were among the most prominent people in lower 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...
. Gulsvik is reckoned to be an old Norwegian folkland
Folkland
The Folklands are the name for the original Swedish provinces of Tiundaland, Attundaland, Fjärdhundraland, and Roden which in the 1296 united to form the province of Uppland. They were originally united by electing a common king who administered the sacrifices at Uppsala and who was the commander...
, which never came directly under the crown. The name Gulsvik is believed to derive from Gudulv (Godwulf
Godwulf
Godwulf or Guðúlfr is a figure from Germanic mythology. In the two surviving sources mentioning the figure he is associated with divine genealogies.-Historia Britonum:...
), shortened to Gul, the name of the bay of Godwulf, a natural bay in the area.
In the late middle ages, the owners of Gulsvik farm were noblemen in allegiance to the king of Norway. The old Gulsvik clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
is said to be one of the most widespread families in lower Buskerud, descending from a Birkebeiner
Birkebeiner
The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender to the Norwegian throne, Eystein Meyla...
soldier in the service of King Sverre. Dating from 1430, the farm became divided, as time passed into upper, middle and lower Gulsvik (Gulsvik nordre, Gulsvik mellom and Gulsvik søndre).
This area is called Gulsvik Farthing (Gulsvikfjerdingen) and contains a number of farms. The wider area south of Gulsvik was settled just as early, and the proper name of the area is Southern Flå Municipality, reckoned from the border of Krødsherad
Krødsherad
Krødsherad is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Noresund. The municipality of Krødsherad was established when it was separated from the municipality of Sigdal on 1 January 1901.-Name:The Old Norse form of the name was...
up to the end of Lake Krøderen
Krøderen (lake)
Krøderen, sometimes called Krøderfjorden, is a lake in Buskerud, Norway.The lake stretches about north from the village of Krøderen in Krødsherad on it southern end and reaches north to the village of Gulsvik in Flå municipality in the valley of Hallingdal. The lake has a surface area of 42.88...
(Innsjøen Krøderen). The Gulsvik Farthing is to the north, close up to Hallingdal gate, an entrance into the valley of Hallingdal. Bergensbanen
Bergensbanen
The Bergen Line , also called the Bergen Railway, is a standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, where the passenger trains go, a distance of...
railway terminated at Gulsvik Station from 1908 until the line was completed in 1909. Located at the top of Lake Krøderen, Gulsvik was a key port on the lake. When the ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
over Lake Krøderen was established, Gulsvik became the natural port on the northern side, with accommodations for 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...
.
Hallingporten is a 65 m long tunnel on Norwegian National Road 7 (Riksvei 7) just north of Gulsvik. The tunnel has a distinctive shape. The reason for this is that the current road tunnel has been added where there was previously a tog tunnel. The Hallingporten upper level is thus the old tog tunnel. There were skirmishes here in April 1940 during the Fighting in Hallingdal
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
.