Oppdal
Encyclopedia
is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Dovre
region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppdal. Other villages in the municipality include Lønset
, Vognillan
, Fagerhaug
, and Holan
. The Oppdal Airport, Fagerhaug
is located in the northeastern part of the municipality.
The village of Oppdal is located at the intersection of the European route E6
and Norwegian National Road 70
in the Drivdalen
valley. The Oppdal Station
on the Dovrebanen
railway also is in the village. Oppdal Church
is located just west of the village. The 3.8 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) village has a population (2009) of 3,924. The population density
of the village is 1033 PD/km2.
Oppdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). The municipal boundaries have not changed since then.
) is named after the old Oppdal farm, since that is where the church was located. The Old Norse
form of the name was Uppdalr. The first element is upp which means "upper" and the last element is dalr which means "valley
" or "dale". Historically, the name was also spelled Opdal.
is from modern times. They were granted on 19 February 1982. The arms represent a junction, since Oppdal is a major centre of commerce and transportation. Three important roads going to Trondheim
, Dombås
, and Sunndalsøra
cross here, and historically the area was used for gatherings, because of this fact.
has three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Oppdal. It is part of the Deanery
(prosti) of Gauldal and the Diocese of Nidaros
.
Oppdal is an alpine community with roots back to the Norwegian Iron Age
. Its location seems predicated on its being at a crossroads for traffic from Trondheim
, the Dovrefjell
mountain range, and Sunndal
on the west coast. This is reflected in the three rays in the coat-of-arms.
Oppdal was first settled some time before 600 CE
. By then there were about 50 farms in the area, and this number grew by about 20 more in the Viking Era. There are remnants of over 700 pagan
grave mound
s from the time at Vang, in which jewelry and other pieces from the British Isles
were found. This indicates that the area was relatively affluent and participated in the Viking trade. Much of the affluence was likely derived from the availability of game, both in the area and from nearby mountain ranges. Several game traps can still be seen in mountains around Oppdal, particularly ditches for reindeer
, and there have been more than 80 finds of at least two different types of arrow
heads in the area.
Archeological finds in Oppdal indicate that there were less pronounced economic disparities in Oppdal than elsewhere in Norway. Communal efforts to hold off famine and share burdens appear to have been common through several centuries.
During the Christian era, pagan shrines and gravemounds were replaced by churches and chapels. Five rural churches were built in Oppdal at the time, in Vang, Ålbu, Lønset, Lo, and Nordskogen. The Oppdal Church
, built to replace an earlier stavkirke in 1653, stands to this day.
Oppdal was a stop for pilgrims on their way to the St. Olav
shrine at the Nidaros Cathedral
in Trondheim
during the Middle Ages
. As a result of the heavy stream of pilgrims who followed the Pilgrim´s Route prior to the Reformation
, King Eystein
erected mountain stations where the pilgrims could find food and shelter. Kongsvoll
, located on the Driva
River along the route where pilgrims passed from the Gudbrandsdal
valley into Oppdal was one of these stations, and is still an inn today. Drivstua, further north, was another.
Oppdal was particularly affected by the Black Plague, which led to abandonment of a number of farms. With a worsening of the climate, 170 years later the community hadn't recovered, and there were only 35 farms and 350 people left. Only one church at Vang was still in use. As late as in 1742, people in Oppdal died of hunger.
In the early 17th century, Oppdal's fortunes turned and population grew. By 1665, 2,200 people lived in Oppdal, and a new church was built at Vang, the Oppdal Church
, which stands to this day. The Lønset Chapel
and Fagerhaug Chapel
have been re-established, and Oppdal houses several other religious communities. Since the 18th century, the inhabitants of Oppdal have made significant investments in education, leading to the establishment of several small rural schools and recently a high school.
In the 19th century, increased fertility and reduced mortality led to population growth that could not be sustained by agricultural resources. Many became tenant farmer
s, and eventually a large proportion of people from Oppdal emigrated to the United States. The population decreased until 1910, when the railroad
from Oslo
to Trondheim via Dovre
(the Dovrebanen
line) created employment and opened the area for tourism
. In 1952, the first ski lift opened, and with further expansions Oppdal now offers one of Norway's largest downhill network.
Oppdal is bordered by one municipality in Sør-Trøndelag (Rennebu
to the northeast), three municipalities in Møre og Romsdal
county (Surnadal
on the north and Rindal
and Sunndal
to the west), two municipalities in Hedmark
county (Tynset
on the east and Folldal
on the south), and one municipality in Oppland
county (Dovre
to the south).
European route E6
passes straight through the commercial center of Oppdal going north and south, and Norwegian National Road 70
connects Oppdal to Kristiansund
in the west.
The southeastern part of Trollheimen
mountain range is located in the municipality.
The municipality covers an area equal to the entire county of Vestfold
. The administrative centre is at 545 metres (1,788.1 ft) above sea level. In 2001, its drinking water was named the best in Norway.
Most of Oppdal's area is mountainous, with large areas above the treeline. Storskrymten
at an elevation of 1985 metres (6,512.5 ft) is the highest mountain in the county. Other mountains include Blåhøa and Allmannberget. The Speilsalen
tunnel was a glacial formation near Blåhøa.
In the valleys there are creeks and rivers which are surrounded by spruce and pine woods; closer to the treeline, birch
es dominate. There are several lakes in the municipality, the most famous being Gjevilvatnet
, a particularly scenic lake with hiking and cross-country skiing trails around. The lake Fundin
is located in the southern part of the municipality.
Heather
and alpine meadows provide grazing for sheep in the summer. About 1161 square kilometres (448.3 sq mi) of the mountains has been held since time immemorial as a collective (almenning) by farmers in the area, giving them the right to hunt, fish, and rent cabins.
is harsh, even by Norwegian standards. Among other things, snakes have never made it to Oppdal, and snow
is not unusual on May 17th National Day
celebrations.
The climate is slightly continental with an average annual precipitation of only 500 millimetres (19.7 in). Even so, the winters are not extremely cold; the January average temperature is -6.5 C and July's average is 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) at an average altitude of 543 metres (1,781.5 ft).
, tourism
, and some light manufacturing. It has the largest sheep population of any municipality in Norway, with 45,000 heads of sheep put out to graze in the mountains every year. It is one of Norway's best ski resort
s and is surrounded by national parks.
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
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 Dovre
Dovre region
Dovre Region is a traditional district of Norway consisting of the municipalities of Dovre, Folldal, and Oppdal.This district is atypical in several respects: while most districts in Norway are bounded by geographical barriers such as fjords and mountain ranges, the Dovre region comprises alpine...
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,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Oppdal. Other villages in the municipality include Lønset
Lønset
Lønset is a small village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located along Norwegian National Road 70, about west of Vognillan and about west of the municipal center of Oppdal....
, Vognillan
Vognillan
Vognillan is a small village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along Norwegian National Road 70, about east of Lønset, about west of the municipal center of Oppdal, and about south of Nerskogen ....
, Fagerhaug
Fagerhaug
Fagerhaug is a village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of the village Oppdal. The village is located just south of the municipal border with Rennebu...
, and Holan
Holan
Holan is a small village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the European route E6 highway and along the river Driva. It is about south of the municipal center of Oppdal and about north of Kongsvoll....
. The Oppdal Airport, Fagerhaug
Oppdal Airport, Fagerhaug
Fagerhaug Airport is an airport serving Oppdal, in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at Fagerhaug, about northeast of the municipal center of Oppdal, along the European route E6 highway.-Facilities:...
is located in the northeastern part of the municipality.
The village of Oppdal is located at the intersection of the European route E6
European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
and Norwegian National Road 70
Norwegian National Road 70
National Road 70 is long and runs between Kristiansund and Oppdal in Norway.The road starts in downtown Kristiansund. It passes an intersection with the terminus of County Road 64, before passing past Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget. The road crosses via the Nordsund Bridge from the island of...
in the Drivdalen
Drivdalen
Drivdalen is a valley located in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The valley surrounds the river Driva. The European route E6 and the Dovrebanen railway line follow the river through much of the valley. The valley is the site of the "Old Kings' Road", Vårstigen, with...
valley. The Oppdal Station
Oppdal Station
Oppdal Station is a railway station located in downtown Oppdal in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It sits close to the European route E6 highway, just northwest of the mountain Allmannberget...
on the Dovrebanen
Dovrebanen
The Dovre Line is the main line of the Norwegian railway system between Oslo and Trondheim. The 64 km section south of Eidsvoll has been replaced by the Gardermo Line, the only high-speed line in the country. The line between Eidsvoll and Dombås is from old times the Eidsvoll–Dombås Line. The line...
railway also is in the village. Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at Vang, near Norwegian National Road 70, just west of the village of Oppdal. The church was built in 1651 and seats about 600 people. It was consecrated on 12 March 1651 by Bishop Erik...
is located just west of the village. The 3.8 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) village has a population (2009) of 3,924. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of the village is 1033 PD/km2.
General information
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...
). The municipal boundaries have not changed since then.
Name
The municipality (originally the parishParish
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...
) is named after the old Oppdal farm, since that is where the church was located. The Old Norse
Old 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 Uppdalr. The first element is upp which means "upper" and the last element is dalr which means "valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
" or "dale". Historically, the name was also spelled Opdal.
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 19 February 1982. The arms represent a junction, since Oppdal is a major centre of commerce and transportation. Three important roads going to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Dombås
Dombås
The village of lies in the Dovre municipality and serves as an administrative center in the upper Gudbrandsdal, Norway. It lies at an important junction of roads: south leading to the current capital of Norway, Oslo, west via Lesja leading to Åndalsnes on the sea and north to the old capital,...
, and Sunndalsøra
Sunndalsøra
is a village and the administrative centre of the municipality of Sunndal in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located at the mouth of the river Driva at the beginning of the Sunndalsfjord. It is about west of Hoelsand, southeast of Øksendalsøra, and about west of Grøa. The village has a...
cross here, and historically the area was used for gatherings, because of this fact.
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 three parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Oppdal. It is part of the 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 Gauldal and the Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of Nidaros
Nidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fagerhaug | Fagerhaug kapell Fagerhaug Chapel Fagerhaug Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The church is located in Fagerhaug, about northeast of the municipal center of Oppdal.... |
1921 | Fagerhaug Fagerhaug Fagerhaug is a village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located along the European route E6 highway, about northeast of the village Oppdal. The village is located just south of the municipal border with Rennebu... |
| Lønset | Lønset kapell Lønset Chapel Lønset Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Lønset, along the Norwegian National Road 70. The red, octagonal, wooden building was built in 1863 and it was consecrated on 26 August 1863.There was previously a... |
1863 | Lønset Lønset Lønset is a small village in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village is located along Norwegian National Road 70, about west of Vognillan and about west of the municipal center of Oppdal.... |
| Oppdal | Oppdal kirke Oppdal Church Oppdal Church is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at Vang, near Norwegian National Road 70, just west of the village of Oppdal. The church was built in 1651 and seats about 600 people. It was consecrated on 12 March 1651 by Bishop Erik... |
1651 | Oppdal |
History
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Its location seems predicated on its being at a crossroads for traffic from Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, the Dovrefjell
Dovrefjell
Dovrefjell is a mountain range in central Norway that forms a natural barrier between Eastern Norway and Trøndelag, the area around Trondheim. As a result, it has been heavily trafficked during and probably preceding historical times...
mountain range, and Sunndal
Sunndal
is a municipality in the Nordmøre region located in the northeast part of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Sunndalsøra. Other villages include Jordalsgrenda, Øksendalsøra, Grøa, Hoelsand, Ålvund, and Gjøra.With an area of it is the...
on the west coast. This is reflected in the three rays in the coat-of-arms.
Oppdal was first settled some time before 600 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
. By then there were about 50 farms in the area, and this number grew by about 20 more in the Viking Era. There are remnants of over 700 pagan
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
grave mound
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
s from the time at Vang, in which jewelry and other pieces from the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
were found. This indicates that the area was relatively affluent and participated in the Viking trade. Much of the affluence was likely derived from the availability of game, both in the area and from nearby mountain ranges. Several game traps can still be seen in mountains around Oppdal, particularly ditches for reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, and there have been more than 80 finds of at least two different types of arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
heads in the area.
Archeological finds in Oppdal indicate that there were less pronounced economic disparities in Oppdal than elsewhere in Norway. Communal efforts to hold off famine and share burdens appear to have been common through several centuries.
During the Christian era, pagan shrines and gravemounds were replaced by churches and chapels. Five rural churches were built in Oppdal at the time, in Vang, Ålbu, Lønset, Lo, and Nordskogen. The Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at Vang, near Norwegian National Road 70, just west of the village of Oppdal. The church was built in 1651 and seats about 600 people. It was consecrated on 12 March 1651 by Bishop Erik...
, built to replace an earlier stavkirke in 1653, stands to this day.
Oppdal was a stop for pilgrims on their way to the St. Olav
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
shrine at the Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
during 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...
. As a result of the heavy stream of pilgrims who followed the Pilgrim´s Route prior to the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, King Eystein
Eystein I of Norway
Eystein I Magnusson was king of Norway from 1103 to 1123.-Biography:Eystein became king, together with his brothers Sigurd and Olaf, when his father Magnus Barefoot died in 1103...
erected mountain stations where the pilgrims could find food and shelter. Kongsvoll
Kongsvoll
Kongsvoll lies along the Pilgrim´s Route or Old Kings' Road between Oslo and Trondheim in Norway. The shelter is located in the Drivdalen valley in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county....
, located on the Driva
Driva
The Driva river runs through Sør-Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal counties in Norway. The headwaters lie in the Dovrefjell mountains in the south, from where it flows northward, downward through the valley Drivdalen in the municipality of Oppdal. In Oppdal it turns westward down the Sunndalen valley...
River along the route where pilgrims passed from the Gudbrandsdal
Gudbrandsdal
The Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal...
valley into Oppdal was one of these stations, and is still an inn today. Drivstua, further north, was another.
Oppdal was particularly affected by the Black Plague, which led to abandonment of a number of farms. With a worsening of the climate, 170 years later the community hadn't recovered, and there were only 35 farms and 350 people left. Only one church at Vang was still in use. As late as in 1742, people in Oppdal died of hunger.
In the early 17th century, Oppdal's fortunes turned and population grew. By 1665, 2,200 people lived in Oppdal, and a new church was built at Vang, the Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church
Oppdal Church is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located at Vang, near Norwegian National Road 70, just west of the village of Oppdal. The church was built in 1651 and seats about 600 people. It was consecrated on 12 March 1651 by Bishop Erik...
, which stands to this day. The Lønset Chapel
Lønset Chapel
Lønset Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Lønset, along the Norwegian National Road 70. The red, octagonal, wooden building was built in 1863 and it was consecrated on 26 August 1863.There was previously a...
and Fagerhaug Chapel
Fagerhaug Chapel
Fagerhaug Chapel is a parish church in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The church is located in Fagerhaug, about northeast of the municipal center of Oppdal....
have been re-established, and Oppdal houses several other religious communities. Since the 18th century, the inhabitants of Oppdal have made significant investments in education, leading to the establishment of several small rural schools and recently a high school.
In the 19th century, increased fertility and reduced mortality led to population growth that could not be sustained by agricultural resources. Many became tenant farmer
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
s, and eventually a large proportion of people from Oppdal emigrated to the United States. The population decreased until 1910, when the railroad
Rail transport in Norway
The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges....
from 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...
to Trondheim via Dovre
Dovre
Dovre is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Dovre. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dovre....
(the Dovrebanen
Dovrebanen
The Dovre Line is the main line of the Norwegian railway system between Oslo and Trondheim. The 64 km section south of Eidsvoll has been replaced by the Gardermo Line, the only high-speed line in the country. The line between Eidsvoll and Dombås is from old times the Eidsvoll–Dombås Line. The line...
line) created employment and opened the area 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...
. In 1952, the first ski lift opened, and with further expansions Oppdal now offers one of Norway's largest downhill network.
Geography
Rennebu
Rennebu is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Orkdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Berkåk, located along European route E6...
to the northeast), three municipalities in Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county (Surnadal
Surnadal
is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Skei. Other villages include Todalsøra, Surnadalsøra, Sylte, Glærem, Stangvik, and Åsskard....
on the north and Rindal
Rindal
Rindal is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Rindal. Rindal is the only landlocked municipality in Møre og Romsdal county. The lakes Foldsjøen and Gråsjøen lie along the border with Surnadal to the...
and Sunndal
Sunndal
is a municipality in the Nordmøre region located in the northeast part of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Sunndalsøra. Other villages include Jordalsgrenda, Øksendalsøra, Grøa, Hoelsand, Ålvund, and Gjøra.With an area of it is the...
to the west), two municipalities in Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
county (Tynset
Tynset
Tynset is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tynset.-Name:...
on the east and Folldal
Folldal
Folldal is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Dovre. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Folldal. The new municipality of Folldal was separated from Alvdal in 1914.-Name:...
on the south), and one municipality 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 (Dovre
Dovre
Dovre is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Dovre. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dovre....
to the south).
European route E6
European route E6
European route E 6 is the designation for the main north-south road in Norway, and the west coast of Sweden, running from the southern tip of Sweden, at Trelleborg, into Norway and through almost all of the country north to Finnmark. The route ends close to the Norwegian border with Russia...
passes straight through the commercial center of Oppdal going north and south, and Norwegian National Road 70
Norwegian National Road 70
National Road 70 is long and runs between Kristiansund and Oppdal in Norway.The road starts in downtown Kristiansund. It passes an intersection with the terminus of County Road 64, before passing past Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget. The road crosses via the Nordsund Bridge from the island of...
connects Oppdal to Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
in the west.
The southeastern part of Trollheimen
Trollheimen
Trollheimen is a mountain range in Møre og Romsdal and Sør-Trøndelag counties in central Norway. The mountain range is part of the Scandinavian Mountains.- Etymology :...
mountain range is located in the municipality.
The municipality covers an area equal to the entire county of Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
. The administrative centre is at 545 metres (1,788.1 ft) above sea level. In 2001, its drinking water was named the best in Norway.
Most of Oppdal's area is mountainous, with large areas above the treeline. Storskrymten
Storskrymten
Storskrymten is a mountain in Norway. The top of the mountain is a tripoint for three counties and three municipalities: Oppdal , Sunndal , and Lesja . It is the highest mountain in Sør-Trøndelag county. Less than east of Storskrymten is the mountain Litlskrymten which means "the little Skrymt"...
at an elevation of 1985 metres (6,512.5 ft) is the highest mountain in the county. Other mountains include Blåhøa and Allmannberget. The Speilsalen
Speilsalen
Speilsalen was a natural glacial formation caused by a river underneath a glacier in the Trollheimen mountains in the municipality of Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was located at the northeast base of the mountain Blåhøa....
tunnel was a glacial formation near Blåhøa.
In the valleys there are creeks and rivers which are surrounded by spruce and pine woods; closer to the treeline, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
es dominate. There are several lakes in the municipality, the most famous being Gjevilvatnet
Gjevilvatnet
Gjevillvatnet is a lake in the municipality Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway. It is located in the Trollheimen mountain range, about south of the mountain Blåhøa and about northwest of Vognillan....
, a particularly scenic lake with hiking and cross-country skiing trails around. The lake Fundin
Fundin (lake)
Fundin is a lake in the municipalities of Folldal in Hedmark county and Oppdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The lake has a dam at the south end of it, holding back the water for hydroelectric power production, before letting it flow into the Einunna river....
is located in the southern part of the municipality.
Heather
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
and alpine meadows provide grazing for sheep in the summer. About 1161 square kilometres (448.3 sq mi) of the mountains has been held since time immemorial as a collective (almenning) by farmers in the area, giving them the right to hunt, fish, and rent cabins.
Climate
The climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
is harsh, even by Norwegian standards. Among other things, snakes have never made it to Oppdal, and snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
is not unusual on May 17th National Day
Norwegian Constitution Day
Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday observed on May 17 each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai or syttande mai , Nasjonaldagen or Grunnlovsdagen , although the latter is less frequent.- Historical...
celebrations.
The climate is slightly continental with an average annual precipitation of only 500 millimetres (19.7 in). Even so, the winters are not extremely cold; the January average temperature is -6.5 C and July's average is 11.5 °C (52.7 °F) at an average altitude of 543 metres (1,781.5 ft).
Economy
The main industries in Oppdal today are agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, 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...
, and some light manufacturing. It has the largest sheep population of any municipality in Norway, with 45,000 heads of sheep put out to graze in the mountains every year. It is one of Norway's best 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...
s and is surrounded by national parks.
Notable residents
- The writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Inge KrokannInge KrokannInge Krokann was a Norwegian writer. Because his writing is so strongly tied in the use of dialect and idiosyncratic nynorsk, his works are largely inaccessible and arguably untranslatable.His work was characterized by:...
was born in Oppdal, and the area is central to his work. - The composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
Harald SætherHarald SætherHarald Sæther , is a Norwegian composer with a diploma from Grieg Academy . He is member of the Norwegian Society of Composers and New Music Composers Group where he was chairman from 2009 to 2011.-Education:...
was born and lives in Oppdal. - Einar Ingvald Haugen; (1906–1994) was a Norwegian American linguist, author and Professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison and Harvard University. Haugen was born in Sioux City, Iowa to Norwegians from Oppdal.
External links
- Oppdal weather and snow report
- 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...