Søgne
Encyclopedia
Søgne is a municipality
in Vest-Agder
county
, Norway
. Søgne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). Greipstad
was separated from Søgne on 1 July 1913.
It is a coastal municipality, with a long stretch of coastline to the south. To the east, it borders the municipality of Kristiansand
, to the north and north-east Marnardal
and Songdalen
, and to the west Mandal.
As opposed to the other municipalities of Vest-Agder, Søgne has not gone through a municipal merger in recent times. On the contrary, Greipstad was separated from Søgne in 1913 (and in 1964 merged with Finsland
into Songdalen
. The population of Søgne was 10 509 as of 1 January 2010.
Sygna), since the first church was built there. The farm is named after the river Sygna (now Søgneelva) and the name of the river is derived from the verb súga which means "suck".
is from modern times. They were granted on 24 May 1985. The arms show two typical road signs (varder
), made of stones, which in historical times were used to mark the paths and tracks. Two of the largest of these signs are found in the municipality, and were already mentioned in the early 17th century. According to legend, they were already built by King Olaf II of Norway
(Heilag-Olav), in the 11th century.
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...
. Søgne was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
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...
). 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:...
was separated from Søgne on 1 July 1913.
It is a coastal municipality, with a long stretch of coastline to the south. To the east, it borders the municipality of Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-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...
, to the north and north-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....
and Songdalen
Songdalen
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...
, and to the west Mandal.
As opposed to the other municipalities of Vest-Agder, Søgne has not gone through a municipal merger in recent times. On the contrary, Greipstad was separated from Søgne in 1913 (and in 1964 merged with 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:...
into Songdalen
Songdalen
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...
. The population of Søgne was 10 509 as of 1 January 2010.
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Søgne farm (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....
Sygna), since the first church was built there. The farm is named after the river Sygna (now Søgneelva) and the name of the river is derived from the verb súga which means "suck".
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 24 May 1985. The arms show two typical road signs (varder
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
), made of stones, which in historical times were used to mark the paths and tracks. Two of the largest of these signs are found in the municipality, and were already mentioned in the early 17th century. According to legend, they were already built by King Olaf II of Norway
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...
(Heilag-Olav), in the 11th century.
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...
- Søgneguiden - Visitor information
- Welcome to Søgne - Tourist information
- Budstikka - Local newspaper
- Søgne municipal website
- Sørforumet - Forum