Leknes
Encyclopedia
is a town and administrative centre of municipality
Vestvågøy
(10,764 inhabitants - the most populous municipality in Lofoten
and Vesterålen
) in the county
of Nordland
in North Norway. The town is situated in the geographical middle of Lofoten
, approximately 68 km west of Svolvær
and 65 km east of Å
. The town of Leknes has 2,647 inhabitants.
Leknes is the trading and shopping centre of Lofoten
, only rivalled by Svolvær
. Leknes has an airport, Leknes Airport
, for regional aircraft, with 7 daily scheduled flights to Bodø
and some daily flights to Svolvær
with the airline Widerøe
. The town has a small bus terminal which serves as a hub with bus links to the rest of Lofoten
. Leknes is a "twin town" with Gravdal, which houses the region's hospital, Lofoten Sykehus.
Leknes is one of the few towns in Lofoten
which is not based upon fisheries and which does not have its town centre by the sea. Because of this, and because of its rapid growth in recent years, it does not have the same traditional wooden architecture as most other towns in Lofoten
, and may thus not be regarded to be as picturesque as its neighbouring fishing villages. However, the natural surroundings are regarded to be among the most stunning in Norway
, with mountains, peaks, cliffs and white sandy beaches. The town's harbour Leknes Havn is one of Norway
's most important and visited harbours for cruise ships. The old school of the neighborhood Fygle has been converted into a museum.
In Leknes, the sun (midnight sun) is above the horizon from May 26 to July 17, and in winter the sun does not rise from December 9 to January 4.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
Vestvågøy
Vestvågøy
Vestvågøy is an island and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Leknes....
(10,764 inhabitants - the most populous municipality in Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
and Vesterålen
Vesterålen
Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland, Norway, just north of Lofoten.-The name:The Norse forms of the name were Vestráll and Vestrálar . The first element is vestr n west, the last element is áll m ' sound, strait'...
) 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 Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
in North Norway. The town is situated in the geographical middle of Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, approximately 68 km west of Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
and 65 km east of Å
Å, Moskenes
-Overview:Å is traditionally a fishing village, specialising in stockfish, but now also features tourism.The town contains the Lofoten Stockfish Museum and the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum....
. The town of Leknes has 2,647 inhabitants.
Leknes is the trading and shopping centre of Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, only rivalled by Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
. Leknes has an airport, Leknes Airport
Leknes Airport
Leknes Airport is a regional airport serving Leknes in Lofoten, Nordland, Norway. In 2005 Leknes Airport had 74,572 passengers. It is operated by Avinor.-Service:...
, for regional aircraft, with 7 daily scheduled flights to Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
and some daily flights to Svolvær
Svolvær
-Communications:Parts of the town is built on small islands connected by bridges. There is a regional airport near the town, Svolvær Airport, Helle, and Svolvær is a port of call for Hurtigruten. There is a ferry connection Svolvær to Skutvik in Hamarøy, and express boat connections to Bodø...
with the airline Widerøe
Widerøe
Widerøe's Flyveselskap AS, trading as Widerøe, is a regional airline in Norway and part of the SAS Group. It operates a fleet of 34 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft , serving 41 domestic and 6 international destinations...
. The town has a small bus terminal which serves as a hub with bus links to the rest of Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
. Leknes is a "twin town" with Gravdal, which houses the region's hospital, Lofoten Sykehus.
Leknes is one of the few towns in Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
which is not based upon fisheries and which does not have its town centre by the sea. Because of this, and because of its rapid growth in recent years, it does not have the same traditional wooden architecture as most other towns in Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, and may thus not be regarded to be as picturesque as its neighbouring fishing villages. However, the natural surroundings are regarded to be among the most stunning 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 mountains, peaks, cliffs and white sandy beaches. The town's harbour Leknes Havn is one of 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...
's most important and visited harbours for cruise ships. The old school of the neighborhood Fygle has been converted into a museum.
In Leknes, the sun (midnight sun) is above the horizon from May 26 to July 17, and in winter the sun does not rise from December 9 to January 4.