Songdalen
Encyclopedia
Songdalen is a municipality
in Vest-Agder
county
, Norway
. Songdalen was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 through the merger of the former municipalities of Finsland
, Greipstad
and a small part of Øvrebø
. The administrative center is the village of Nodeland
. The central market area is located at Brennåsen.
form of the name is uncertain. The first element is related to the river name Sygna (see Søgne
), but the exact form and meaning is unknown. The last element is the finite form of dal which means "valley
" or "dale".
is from modern times. They were granted on 20 December 1985. The arms show three oak
leaves, each for one of the three former municipalities of Greipstad
, Finsland
, and Øvrebø
, which now form the municipality of Songdalen. The oak was chosen, as the area is heavily forested.
(See also coat-of-arms of Eigersund
, Nedre Eiker
, Tingvoll
and Øvre Eiker
)
and Vennesla
in the east, Marnardal
in the west, and Søgne
in the south. A suburb of Kristiansand, Songdalen's administrative centre Nodeland
is a short 10-minute drive from the city centre.
The landscape of the municipality is heavily shaped by the last ice age
. The Songdalselva is a river
flowing through the valley of the southern part of the municipality. The river passes through a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) long, 100 metres (328.1 ft) deep scenic narrow gorge (Juve) at Underåsen. It is recognized for fishing
, canoe
ing and other recreation opportunities.
In the southern part Songdalen's altitude is close to sea level, but increases up to a maximum of 414 meters above sea level in the northern part. The climate
changes correspondingly, from coastal in the southern part to a more inland type climate in the northern part.
The forest
s are mixed deciduous
and evergreen
(heavily forested with oak and pine
), with the ratio of pine woods increasing towards the north of the municipality. Elk
and beaver
are common in the area.
and Greipstad
municipalities, along with Eikeland in Øvrebø
, were merged into Songdalen municipality.
Greipstad is mentioned in written sources as early as 1344. Through the Middle Ages
records indicate that Greipstad, a small farm community with 34 farms, was continuously inhabited. Greipstad became an independent municipality in 1913; split off from the municipality of Søgne
.
Finsland, which lies further from the coast, has few preserved written records, but records have indications of farms there in the year 1000.
An eight-kilometers long section of the old Vestlandske Hovedvei (Westland Highway) passes through the municipality from Farvannet to Kvislevann. The highway
was built in the 1790s and the section exists today in much the same way as it did for ordinary traffic in 1881.
The fortification
s at Rossevann were built in 1916/17 for the Stavanger
Battalion
. The municipality also has visible evidence of World War II
fortifications.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in 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...
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...
. Songdalen was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 through the merger of the former municipalities of Finsland
Finsland
Finsland is a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
, Greipstad
Greipstad
Greipstad is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the southeastern part of the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
and a small part of Øvrebø
Øvrebø
Øvrebø is a rural district, a village, and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Vennesla, situated about north-northwest of Kristiansand....
. The administrative center is the village of Nodeland
Nodeland
Nodeland is the administrative centre of Songdalen municipality, Norway. Its population is 1,834. The distance from the city of Kristiansand is about 10 km....
. The central market area is located at Brennåsen.
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 is uncertain. The first element is related to the river name Sygna (see Søgne
Søgne
Søgne is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Søgne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Greipstad was separated from Søgne on 1 July 1913....
), but the exact form and meaning is unknown. The last element is the finite form of dal 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".
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 20 December 1985. The arms show three oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
leaves, each for one of the three former municipalities of Greipstad
Greipstad
Greipstad is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the southeastern part of the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
, Finsland
Finsland
Finsland is a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
, and Øvrebø
Øvrebø
Øvrebø is a rural district, a village, and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Vennesla, situated about north-northwest of Kristiansand....
, which now form the municipality of Songdalen. The oak was chosen, as the area is heavily forested.
(See also coat-of-arms of Eigersund
Eigersund
Eigersund is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. Egersund landdisstrikt was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Augne was separated from Eigersund in 1839. Helleland and the town of Egersund were merged with Eigersund on 1 January 1965.-Location:Eigersund extends from the...
, Nedre Eiker
Nedre Eiker
Nedre Eiker is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Eiker. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Mjøndalen. The old municipality of Eiker was divided into Nedre Eiker and Øvre Eiker on 1 July 1885.-Name:The Old Norse form of...
, Tingvoll
Tingvoll
Tingvoll is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Tingvoll. Other villages include Meisingset, Kvisvik, and Torjulvågen.-General information:...
and Øvre Eiker
Øvre Eiker
Øvre Eiker is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Eiker. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hokksund. The old municipality of Eiker was divided into Øvre Eiker and Nedre Eiker on 1 July 1885.-Name:The Old Norse form of...
)
Geography
Songdalen is an inland municipality, bordering on the municipalities of KristiansandKristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
and Vennesla
Vennesla
Vennesla is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Vennesla was separated from Øvrebø in 1861. Øvrebø and Hægeland were merged with Vennesla again on 1 January 1964...
in the east, Marnardal
Marnardal
Marnardal is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Marnardal was created as a new municipality on 1 January 1964 through the merger of the former municipalities of Bjelland, Laudal, and Øyslebø....
in the west, and Søgne
Søgne
Søgne is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Søgne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Greipstad was separated from Søgne on 1 July 1913....
in the south. A suburb of Kristiansand, Songdalen's administrative centre Nodeland
Nodeland
Nodeland is the administrative centre of Songdalen municipality, Norway. Its population is 1,834. The distance from the city of Kristiansand is about 10 km....
is a short 10-minute drive from the city centre.
The landscape of the municipality is heavily shaped by the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. The Songdalselva is a river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
flowing through the valley of the southern part of the municipality. The river passes through a 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) long, 100 metres (328.1 ft) deep scenic narrow gorge (Juve) at Underåsen. It is recognized for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
ing and other recreation opportunities.
In the southern part Songdalen's altitude is close to sea level, but increases up to a maximum of 414 meters above sea level in the northern part. The climate
Climate
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...
changes correspondingly, from coastal in the southern part to a more inland type climate in the northern part.
The forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s are mixed deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
and evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
(heavily forested with oak and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
), with the ratio of pine woods increasing towards the north of the municipality. Elk
Moose
The 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 beaver
European Beaver
The Eurasian beaver or European beaver is a species of beaver, which was once widespread in Eurasia, where it was hunted to near extinction both for fur and for castoreum, a secretion of its scent gland believed to have medicinal properties...
are common in the area.
History
In 1964, FinslandFinsland
Finsland is a village and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
and Greipstad
Greipstad
Greipstad is a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the southeastern part of the present-day municipality of Songdalen.-Name:...
municipalities, along with Eikeland in Øvrebø
Øvrebø
Øvrebø is a rural district, a village, and a former municipality in Vest-Agder county in Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Vennesla, situated about north-northwest of Kristiansand....
, were merged into Songdalen municipality.
Greipstad is mentioned in written sources as early as 1344. Through 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...
records indicate that Greipstad, a small farm community with 34 farms, was continuously inhabited. Greipstad became an independent municipality in 1913; split off from the municipality of Søgne
Søgne
Søgne is a municipality in Vest-Agder county, Norway. Søgne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Greipstad was separated from Søgne on 1 July 1913....
.
Finsland, which lies further from the coast, has few preserved written records, but records have indications of farms there in the year 1000.
An eight-kilometers long section of the old Vestlandske Hovedvei (Westland Highway) passes through the municipality from Farvannet to Kvislevann. The highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
was built in the 1790s and the section exists today in much the same way as it did for ordinary traffic in 1881.
The fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
s at Rossevann were built in 1916/17 for the Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. The municipality also has visible evidence of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fortifications.
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...
- Welcome to Songdalen - Tourist information