Nordre Land
Encyclopedia
Nordre Land is a municipality
in Oppland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the traditional region
of Land
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dokka
.
The old municipality of Land
was divided into Nordre Land and Søndre Land
in 1847. The area of Torpa
was separated from Nordre Land on 1 January 1914 to become a separate municipality, but it was merged back into Nordre Land on 1 January 1962.
form of the name was just Land which means "land
". The meaning of the name Nordre Land is "(the) northern (part of) Land". The parish
and municipality of Land was divided in 1847.
is from modern times. They were granted in 1987. The arms show two gold-colored hooks for log driving
(or "brøtningshaker") on a blue background. They were designed by Dag Magne Staurheim. The municipality of Nordre Land has rich traditions within the field of log driving, which the vast number of log dams
within the area bare witness to. Tools were required for the log driving, and the local blacksmith
s made pike pole
s. Every blacksmith created his own shape or design for the poles, and one of the most famous pike poles in Nordre Land were the ones made by the blacksmith Kristian Halden. In addition to pike poles he made knives. The poles and knives were named "Hæillhakar" and "Hæillakniver" by the locals. It is the "Halden Pole" which has been the model for the municipal arms of Nordre Land.
and Gausdal
, on the northeast by Lillehammer
, on the east by Gjøvik
, on the south by Søndre Land
, on the southwest by Sør-Aurdal
, and on the west by Etnedal
.
The river Etna
flows from Etnedal and through western parts of the municipality down into the Randsfjorden
. Lake Akksjøen
is also in this area.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
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...
, 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 part of the traditional region
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 Land
Land, Norway
Land is a traditional district in Oppland, Norway consisting of the municipalities Nordre Land and Søndre Land. Land was a formannskapsdistrikt from 1837, and split into Nordre- and Søndre Land in 1847. By the time of partition Land had a population of 9,199....
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dokka
Dokka
Dokka is the administrative centre of Nordre Land municipality, in Oppland county, Norway.Highway 33 comes from the south, along the east side of Randsfjorden, Norway's fourth largest lake. The highway continues northwest to the municipality of Etnedal and to the village of Bjørgo in Nord-Aurdal...
.
The old municipality of Land
Land, Norway
Land is a traditional district in Oppland, Norway consisting of the municipalities Nordre Land and Søndre Land. Land was a formannskapsdistrikt from 1837, and split into Nordre- and Søndre Land in 1847. By the time of partition Land had a population of 9,199....
was divided into Nordre Land and Søndre Land
Søndre Land
Søndre Land is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Land. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hov....
in 1847. The area of Torpa
Torpa, Norway
Torpa is a former municipality in Oppland county, Norway.It was created by a split from Nordre Land on 1 January 1914. At that time Torpa had a population of 2,219. On 1 January 1962 Torpa was reincorporated into Nordre Land. Prior to the merger Torpa had a population of 2,620.Torpa constitutes the...
was separated from Nordre Land on 1 January 1914 to become a separate municipality, but it was merged back into Nordre Land on 1 January 1962.
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 just Land which means "land
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
". The meaning of the name Nordre Land is "(the) northern (part of) Land". The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
and municipality of Land was divided in 1847.
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 in 1987. The arms show two gold-colored hooks for log driving
Log driving
Log driving is a means of log transport which makes use of a river's current to move floating tree trunks downstream to sawmills and pulp mills.It was the main transportation method of the early logging industry in Europe and North America...
(or "brøtningshaker") on a blue background. They were designed by Dag Magne Staurheim. The municipality of Nordre Land has rich traditions within the field of log driving, which the vast number of log dams
Splash dam
A splash dam was a temporary wooden dam used to raise the water level in streams to float logs downstream to sawmills. By impounding water and allowing it to be released on the log drive's schedule, these dams allowed many more logs to be brought to market than the natural flow of the creek allowed...
within the area bare witness to. Tools were required for the log driving, and the local blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
s made pike pole
Pike pole
Pike poles are long poles usually 4-12 feet in length used by firefighters to search for fires hidden behind the sheetrock in the walls and ceiling. These days they are made out of fiberglass with metal hooks on the end, and are used to pull items from an area of intense heat and flame, and...
s. Every blacksmith created his own shape or design for the poles, and one of the most famous pike poles in Nordre Land were the ones made by the blacksmith Kristian Halden. In addition to pike poles he made knives. The poles and knives were named "Hæillhakar" and "Hæillakniver" by the locals. It is the "Halden Pole" which has been the model for the municipal arms of Nordre Land.
Geography
Nordre Land is bordered on the north by the municipalities of Nord-AurdalNord-Aurdal
Nord-Aurdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Fagernes....
and Gausdal
Gausdal
Gausdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Segalstad bru...
, on the northeast by Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, on the east by Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
, on the south by Søndre Land
Søndre Land
Søndre Land is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Land. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hov....
, on the southwest by Sør-Aurdal
Sør-Aurdal
Sør-Aurdal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bagn....
, and on the west by Etnedal
Etnedal
Etnedal is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bruflat....
.
The river Etna
Etna (river)
Etna river flows through Etnedal and Nordre Land municipality in Oppland, Norway.It flows into Randsfjorden....
flows from Etnedal and through western parts of the municipality down into the Randsfjorden
Randsfjorden
Randsfjorden is Norway's fourth largest lake with an area of . Its volume is estimated at just over , and its greatest depth is . The lake is above sea level....
. Lake Akksjøen
Akksjøen
Akksjøen is a lake in the municipality of Nordre Land in Oppland county, Norway....
is also in this area.
Attractions
- The rock carvings at MøllerstufossenRock carvings at MøllerstufossenThe Rock carvings at Møllerstufossen in Nord-Sinni in Nordre Land municipality in Oppland county of Norway comprise several carvings of moose and one other animal. The site covers about 20 m². The largest figure measures about 90 cm across...
are more than 6,000 years old. There are 11 carvings of mooseMooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, and also two that are more difficult to interpret. Sometime in the stone ageStone AgeThe Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
this must have been an important place.
- The Lands MuseumLands MuseumLands Museum is the cultural and natural history centre for Nordre and Søndre Land municipalities of Oppland county. The museum lies at the northern end of Norway’s fourth largest lake, Randsfjorden, and is near the Dokka Delta nature reserve....
is located in DokkaDokkaDokka is the administrative centre of Nordre Land municipality, in Oppland county, Norway.Highway 33 comes from the south, along the east side of Randsfjorden, Norway's fourth largest lake. The highway continues northwest to the municipality of Etnedal and to the village of Bjørgo in Nord-Aurdal...
. About thirty buildings are reassembled in the area. In the main building from the Thomle farm there are rococoRococoRococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
paintings on the walls by Peder Aadnes dating from about 1750.
Notable residents
- Anna Georgine Rogstad (1845–1938), was the first woman elected to the Storting.
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...