Sortland
Encyclopedia
is a town and municipality
in Nordland
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Vesterålen
traditional region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland. With some houses painted blue, Sortland is sometimes referred to as "the blue city".
Sortland was separated from the municipality of Hadsel
in 1841. The area of Godfjorden was transferred from Kvæfjord
(and Troms
county) to Sortland (and Nordland
county) on January 1st 2000.
Sortland is located on Langøya
island and is the largest town and commercial centre in Vesterålen
. Sortland is located close to the Sortland Bridge
, connecting Langøya to Hinnøya
by road. The Norwegian Coast Guard
has its northern base in this town (Kystvaktskvadron Nord).
) is named after the old Sortland farm (Old Norse
: Svortuland), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case
of a river name Svorta and the last element is land which means "land" or "farm
". The river name is derived from svartr which meands "black" and so the meaning is "the black/dark one".
is from modern times. They were granted on 15 March 1985. The arms show a gate
, symbolizing Sortland as the gateway to the Vesterålen region with its many lakes. The arms were based on the seal used by the municipality since the 1960s, which also showed a (natural) gate in a landscape. The blue colour symbolises the blue sea.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in 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...
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 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'...
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,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sortland. In 1997, the municipality decided to declare township for Sortland. With some houses painted blue, Sortland is sometimes referred to as "the blue city".
Hadsel
Hadsel is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Vesterålen traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Stokmarknes, and the other village on the island of Hadseløya is Melbu. Hadsel was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
in 1841. The area of Godfjorden was transferred from Kvæfjord
Kvæfjord
Kvæfjord is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the Hålogaland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Borkenes....
(and Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
county) to Sortland (and 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...
county) on January 1st 2000.
Sortland is located on Langøya
Langøya
Langøya is the third largest island of Norway , with an area of . The island is a part of Vesterålen, and is situated in Nordland county, just west of Hinnøya. The Sortlandssundet divides the two islands. It includes the municipality of Bø, and parts of the municipalities of Øksnes, Sortland and...
island and is the largest town and commercial centre in 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'...
. Sortland is located close to the Sortland Bridge
Sortland Bridge
Sortland Bridge is a cantilever road bridge that crosses Sortlandssundet between Strand on Hinnøya and the town of Sortland on Langøya in Nordland county, Norway. The bridge is 948 metres long, the main span is 150 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 30 metres. The bridge has 21...
, connecting Langøya to Hinnøya
Hinnøya
-Geography and environment:Covering an area of , it is the fourth-largest island in the country, and the largest off the mainland. The western part of the island is in the Vesterålen district, while the southwestern part is in Lofoten. As of 2006, it had a population of 31,851, of which the only...
by road. The Norwegian Coast Guard
Norwegian Coast Guard
The Norwegian Coast Guard, or Kystvakten in Norwegian, is a military force and part of the Royal Norwegian Navy, but has separate vessels, many of which are purpose-built. All coast guard vessels have the prefix KV. Four of these vessels are capable of embarking one or more helicopters...
has its northern base in this town (Kystvaktskvadron Nord).
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 Sortland farm (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....
: Svortuland), since the first church was built there. 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 a river name Svorta and the last element is land which means "land" or "farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
". The river name is derived from svartr which meands "black" and so the meaning is "the black/dark one".
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 arms show a gate
Gate
A gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or a moderately sized opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port...
, symbolizing Sortland as the gateway to the Vesterålen region with its many lakes. The arms were based on the seal used by the municipality since the 1960s, which also showed a (natural) gate in a landscape. The blue colour symbolises the blue sea.
Notable residents
- The famous authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, Lars Saabye ChristensenLars Saabye ChristensenLars Saabye Christensen, born 21 September 1953 in Oslo, is a Norwegian author.Saabye Christensen was raised in the Skillebekk neighbourhood of Oslo, but lived for many years in Sortland in northern Norway; both places play a major role in his work...
, receiver of The Nordic Council's Literature PrizeThe Nordic Council's Literature PrizeThe Nordic Council Literature Prize is awarded for a work of literature written in one of the languages of the Nordic countries, that meets "high literary and artistic standards". Established in 1962, the prize is awarded every year, and is worth 350,000 Danish kroner...
, has lived in Sortland for parts of his life.
External links
- Information from Sortland Municipality
- Vesterålen Tourist information
- Forfjorddalen nature reserve (the oldest pine trees in Norway)