Kvinesdal
Encyclopedia
Kvinesdal is a municipality
in the county
of Vest-Agder
, Norway
.
Kvinesdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). Feda
was separated from Kvinesdal on 1 January 1900 but again merged with Kvinesdal on 1 January 1963. Fjotland
was also merged with Kvinesdal on that date. (Fjotland was in addition a part of Kvinesdal in the period 1841-1858.)
Kvinesdal is an elongated mountain-to-coast municipality, reaching saltwater at the head of the Fedafjord, which provides access to the North Sea
in the south. Further north, the landscape is cut in narrow valleys with small villages scattered around. There are also abandoned mines at Knaben
, which remains an immensely popular ski resort
. Due to Kvinesdal resembling the geography of the nation as a whole, it is often referred to as "Little Norway".
Kvinesdal belongs to a central area in the Norwegian south from which a lot of people emigrated to North America
, particularly the United States
, from the 1850s until the 1950s. It is noted for being an "American village" (Norwegian
: Amerika-bygd) due a high number of American citizens residing in the municipality. These are typically either Norwegians who moved to the States, obtained US Citizenship and later moved back to Norway
, or the descendants of Norwegians who themselves have never acquired Norwegian citizenship
.
form of the name was Hvínisdalr. The first element is the genitive case
of the fjord
name Hvínir (now Fedafjorden) and the last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale". The name of the fjord is derived from the river name Hvín (now Kvina), and that name is derived from the verb hvína which means "squeal". During the period from 1900–1917, the municipality was named Liknes.
is from modern times. They were granted on 15 March 1985. The figure symbolizes the meeting of the two rivers Kvina and Litleåna.
and Sirdal
municipalities. To the east, it is bordered by Åseral
and Hægebostad
. To the south, it is bordered by Lyngdal
, and it is bordered by Farsund
in the east and south. A small segment if the northern boundary borders Bygland
municipality in Aust-Agder
county.
The river Kvina is known for its salmon
, and salmon fishing is a popular activity.
Two valleys meet in Kvinesdal's center: Vesterdalen (the Western Valley) through which flows the river Kvina and Austerdalen (the Eastern Valley) through which flows the river Litleåna to join the Kvina.
. Every year the municipality hosts a special festival remembering the days when local people emigrated to the new world.
. Among them were the Skald
Tjodolv the Frode. Frode means one with great knowledge of the history of ancestors. He composed a historic poem for his king Harold Fairhair
. His work was later combined into the Heimskringla
when it was recorded by Snorri Sturluson
.
In northern Kvinesdal, along the high plateau (at 550 m above sea level) records show that the Salmeli Farm dates back at least to the year 1300. During the Black Death
years of 1350 the farm became deserted, but was back as a working farm again by 1647. It is now a historic site.
The bailiff Stig Bagge, who was granted local leadership from 1536-42 by Christian III of Denmark
, was an energetic man when he lived at his ancestral home of Eikeland in Kvinesdal. According to the reports of Peder Claussøn Friis
, he executed refractory peasants so willingly that the district thought it was to excess; he was the district's bogeyman
for many years thereafter. When the bailiff in Nedenes was killed in his bed and rebels came in an unsuccessful attempt to capture and execute Stig, he collected his men and brutally stifled the revolt. Stig himself died by being drawn and quartered by the Dutch
when he was caught in piracy or espionage off their coast at Walcheren
.
is an important part of the economy for Kvinesdal. The local hotel called the "Kvinesdal Guest House" has had a famous guest: Roald Dahl
.
The Guest House features a 20 room hotel offering full accommodations, long and short term rates, and a friendly atmosphere in a classic Victorian setting.
Tinfos
is an important local employer that provides work to about 200 persons.
, a world-renowned Christian
charismatic evangelist and the founder of Troens Bevis Verdens Evangelisering (Evidence of Faith World Evangelisation). The organization has its headquarters in Kvinesdal, called Sarons Dal (The Valley of Saron
), with a giant mess hall, offices, music studio, TV-studio, a small congregation called Kirken i Dalen (The Church in the Valley), a theological seminary, camping sites and swimming pools.
One of Southern Norway’s greatest artists, Kristian Marcelius Førland (1891–1978), lived and painted in Kvinesdal. His home is now a museum. Førland was a gifted and skillful portrait painter and a prominent landscape painter.
Ludvig Hunsbedt, a famous rallycross driver also lives in Kvinesdal. He started locally as a driver in the amateur class called "bilcross" in 1978. In 1993 he became the European champion and in 1997 he went to the pro-class. He has been at the startline of 223 European championship races and won 23 of these. In 2003 he resigned as a rallycross driver and he's currently owning a car dealership in Kvinesdal specializing on Volvo and Renault cars.
He also for many years where the manager of a gas station and a "road rescue service", also in Kvinesdal.
The Band Luxus Leverpostei which is famous all over Norway.
The footballers Atle Roar Håland
, Tor Henning Hamre
and Roger Eskeland
hail from Kvinesdal.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in the county
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 Vest-Agder
Vest-Agder
In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding...
, 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...
.
Kvinesdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt
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...
). Feda
Feda
Feda former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Kvinesdal. In 2009, the village of Feda had a population of 390....
was separated from Kvinesdal on 1 January 1900 but again merged with Kvinesdal on 1 January 1963. Fjotland
Fjotland
Fjotland a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the northern part of present-day municipality of Kvinesdal.-Name:...
was also merged with Kvinesdal on that date. (Fjotland was in addition a part of Kvinesdal in the period 1841-1858.)
Kvinesdal is an elongated mountain-to-coast municipality, reaching saltwater at the head of the Fedafjord, which provides access to the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
in the south. Further north, the landscape is cut in narrow valleys with small villages scattered around. There are also abandoned mines at Knaben
Knaben
Knaben is a former mining community in the northern part of Kvinesdal municipality, Norway, and currently a popular ski resort. The settlement lies about 630 metres above sea level. The molybdenum mines were operated from 1885 to 1973. Buildings and constructions are still partly intact...
, which remains an immensely popular ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
. Due to Kvinesdal resembling the geography of the nation as a whole, it is often referred to as "Little Norway".
Kvinesdal belongs to a central area in the Norwegian south from which a lot of people emigrated to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, particularly the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from the 1850s until the 1950s. It is noted for being an "American village" (Norwegian
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
: Amerika-bygd) due a high number of American citizens residing in the municipality. These are typically either Norwegians who moved to the States, obtained US Citizenship and later moved back to 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...
, or the descendants of Norwegians who themselves have never acquired Norwegian citizenship
Norwegian nationality law
Norwegian nationality law is based on the principle of Jus sanguinis. In general, Norwegian citizenship is conferred by birth to a Norwegian parent, or by naturalisation in Norway.Norway restricts, but does not absolutely prohibit, dual citizenship....
.
Name
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....
form of the name was Hvínisdalr. The first element is the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of 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...
name Hvínir (now Fedafjorden) and the last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale". The name of the fjord is derived from the river name Hvín (now Kvina), and that name is derived from the verb hvína which means "squeal". During the period from 1900–1917, the municipality was named Liknes.
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 15 March 1985. The figure symbolizes the meeting of the two rivers Kvina and Litleåna.
Geography
To the west, Kvinesdal is bordered by FlekkefjordFlekkefjord
is a town and municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway.The town of Flekkefjord was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . The rural municipalities of Bakke, Gyland, Hidra, and Nes were merged with Flekkefjord on 1 January 1965.Flekkefjord is the westernmost town of the...
and Sirdal
Sirdal
Sirdal is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Sirdal was separated from Bakke in 1849. Sirdal was divided into Tonstad and Øvre Sirdal on 1 January 1905, but these were again merged to recreate Sirdal on 1 January 1960....
municipalities. To the east, it is bordered by Åseral
Åseral
Åseral is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. The administrative center is the village of Kyrkjebygda.The parish of Bjelland had to be divided into two formannskapsdistrikts on 1 January 1838. This is because the main part of Bjelland belonged to the county of Vest-Agder, while the annex...
and Hægebostad
Hægebostad
Hægebostad is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Hægebostad was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
. To the south, it is bordered by Lyngdal
Lyngdal
is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Lyngdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Austad and Kvås were separated from Lyngdal on 1 January 1909 but they were again merged with Lyngdal on 1 January 1964, together with the area of Spangereid west of Lenesfjorden.It is a...
, and it is bordered by Farsund
Farsund
is a town and municipality in the county of Vest-Agder, Norway.The town of Farsund was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 , although already recognized as a trading center in 1795...
in the east and south. A small segment if the northern boundary borders Bygland
Bygland
Bygland is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. The municipal center is the village of Bygland. Other villages in the municipality include Byglandsfjord, Lauvdal, and Åraksbø...
municipality in Aust-Agder
Aust-Agder
is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal....
county.
The river Kvina is known for its salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
, and salmon fishing is a popular activity.
Two valleys meet in Kvinesdal's center: Vesterdalen (the Western Valley) through which flows the river Kvina and Austerdalen (the Eastern Valley) through which flows the river Litleåna to join the Kvina.
Population
About 10% of the inhabitants of Kvinesdal are American citizens, and Kvinesdal does enjoy a special relationship with the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Every year the municipality hosts a special festival remembering the days when local people emigrated to the new world.
History
Kvinesdal was home of many prominent characters in the Saga PeriodNorse saga
The sagas are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during the voyages, about migration to Iceland and of feuds between Icelandic families...
. Among them were the Skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
Tjodolv the Frode. Frode means one with great knowledge of the history of ancestors. He composed a historic poem for his king Harold Fairhair
Harald I of Norway
Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , , son of Halfdan the Black, was the first king of Norway.-Background:Little is known of the historical Harald...
. His work was later combined into the Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
when it was recorded by Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
.
In northern Kvinesdal, along the high plateau (at 550 m above sea level) records show that the Salmeli Farm dates back at least to the year 1300. During the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
years of 1350 the farm became deserted, but was back as a working farm again by 1647. It is now a historic site.
The bailiff Stig Bagge, who was granted local leadership from 1536-42 by Christian III of Denmark
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
, was an energetic man when he lived at his ancestral home of Eikeland in Kvinesdal. According to the reports of Peder Claussøn Friis
Peder Claussøn Friis
Peder Claussøn Friis was a Norwegian author.By his translations of the old sagas he rendered great service to the history of Norway; indeed, one saga is extant only in his translation. In his Description of Norway and Adjacent Islands is to be found historical material of value...
, he executed refractory peasants so willingly that the district thought it was to excess; he was the district's bogeyman
Bogeyman
A bogeyman is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into compliant behaviour...
for many years thereafter. When the bailiff in Nedenes was killed in his bed and rebels came in an unsuccessful attempt to capture and execute Stig, he collected his men and brutally stifled the revolt. Stig himself died by being drawn and quartered by the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
when he was caught in piracy or espionage off their coast at Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
.
Economy
TourismTourism
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...
is an important part of the economy for Kvinesdal. The local hotel called the "Kvinesdal Guest House" has had a famous guest: Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
.
The Guest House features a 20 room hotel offering full accommodations, long and short term rates, and a friendly atmosphere in a classic Victorian setting.
Tinfos
Tinfos
Tinfos is a private Norwegian holding company. Its roots dates back to 1875, and has today the head office in Oslo, Norway. The firm is one of the oldest companies in its field of activity in Europe. Its main products are silicomanganese, High Purity Pig Iron and titanium dioxide. The company is...
is an important local employer that provides work to about 200 persons.
Famous residents
Kvinesdal is known for Aril EdvardsenAril Edvardsen
Aril Snorre Edvardsen was a Norwegian evangelical preacher and missionary, considered one of the most influential Christian figures of all time from Scandinavia....
, a world-renowned Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
charismatic evangelist and the founder of Troens Bevis Verdens Evangelisering (Evidence of Faith World Evangelisation). The organization has its headquarters in Kvinesdal, called Sarons Dal (The Valley of Saron
Saron
Saron may mean:* Saron, Western Cape, a town in South Africa* Saron a village of Santa Maria de Cayón Municipalitie.* Saron, a mythical king who gave his name to the Saronic Gulf* A Biblical name also written as Sharon...
), with a giant mess hall, offices, music studio, TV-studio, a small congregation called Kirken i Dalen (The Church in the Valley), a theological seminary, camping sites and swimming pools.
One of Southern Norway’s greatest artists, Kristian Marcelius Førland (1891–1978), lived and painted in Kvinesdal. His home is now a museum. Førland was a gifted and skillful portrait painter and a prominent landscape painter.
Ludvig Hunsbedt, a famous rallycross driver also lives in Kvinesdal. He started locally as a driver in the amateur class called "bilcross" in 1978. In 1993 he became the European champion and in 1997 he went to the pro-class. He has been at the startline of 223 European championship races and won 23 of these. In 2003 he resigned as a rallycross driver and he's currently owning a car dealership in Kvinesdal specializing on Volvo and Renault cars.
He also for many years where the manager of a gas station and a "road rescue service", also in Kvinesdal.
The Band Luxus Leverpostei which is famous all over Norway.
The footballers Atle Roar Håland
Atle Roar Håland
Atle Roar Håland is a Norwegian football centreback, currently playing for Aarhus Gymnastikforening in Denmark.-Club career:...
, Tor Henning Hamre
Tor Henning Hamre
Tor Henning Hamre is a former Norwegian football striker. He retired at age 28 in 2006, due to lack of motivation.-Estonian andventure:...
and Roger Eskeland
Roger Eskeland
Roger Eskeland is a Norwegian football goalkeeper who currently plays for Norwegian team Bryne FK. He joined the team in 1994, having played for lower league clubs Feda IL and Kvinesdal IL. He played for Bryne in the Norwegian Premier League, and has also played for the Norwegian under-21...
hail from Kvinesdal.
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...
- Kvinesdal Guest House and Hotel
- Official website of Kvinesdal
- Webcam from Kvinesdal
- Turist Information
- Kvinesdal Golf Club
- Kvinesdal Rock Festival
- Kvinesdaladressen - din egen @kvinesedal.co addresse!