Vestnes
Encyclopedia
Vestnes is a village and a municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county
, Norway
, a 35 minute ferry
ride from the town of Molde
. Vestnes is part of the Romsdal
region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vestnes. Other villages in the municipality include Vikebukt
, Vik
, Øverås, Fiksdal
, Tomrefjord
, and Tresfjord
.
the fall of 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt
). On 1 January 1899, the southern district of Tresfjord
(population: 1,408) was separated from Vestnes to form its own municipality, but it was merged back into Vestnes on 1 January 1964.
) is named after the old Vestnes farm (Old Norse
: Vestnes), since the first church was built there. The first element is vestr which means "west
" and the last element is nes which means "headland
". Before 1889, the name was written Vestnæs.
is from modern times. They were granted on 11 April 1980. The arms represent the geography of the municipality: a headland between two fjord
s—the Tresfjorden
and the Tomrefjorden
.
has four parishes within the municipality of Vestnes. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
and the Rural Deanery
(Prosti) of Indre Romsdal.
. The Tresfjorden
and Tomrefjorden
branch off the Romsdalsfjord to the south. Vestnes borders Rauma
to the east, as well as Stordal
and Ørskog
to the south. Across the Moldefjord
to the north is Midsund
and Molde
.
The area is known for nature and outdoor pursuits, and has a long history in ship building and maritime crafts. The village of Vestnes (Helland) dates back to early Medieval times, and has 24 hour ferry and water taxi
service with Molde.
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
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...
, a 35 minute ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
ride from the town of Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
. Vestnes is part of the Romsdal
Romsdal
Romsdal is the name of a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named for the valley of Romsdalen, which covers part of Rauma.The...
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 Vestnes. Other villages in the municipality include Vikebukt
Vikebukt
Vikebukt is a village in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Tresfjorden, just south of where the fjord meets the Romsdalsfjorden. Vikebukt is just across the fjord from the municipal center of Vestnes. The highway passes through the...
, Vik
Vik, Vestnes
Vik is a little village in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located along the Tomrefjorden, just north of Tomra and about west-southwest of the village of Vestnes. It is part of the Tomra urban area....
, Øverås, Fiksdal
Fiksdal
Fiksdal or Fiksdalen is a village in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the west side of the Tomrefjorden, about northwest of the village of Tomra. The village has a population of 209....
, Tomrefjord
Tomrefjord
Tomra or Tomrefjord is a village located in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located just south of the village of Vik at the end of the Tomrefjorden. The village of Fiksdal lies to the northwest....
, and Tresfjord
Tresfjord
Tresfjord is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The former municipality encompassed the southern part of the present-day municipality of Vestnes. The village of Tresfjord is located at the southern end of the Tresfjorden...
.
General information
The municipality of Vestnes was established separated from VeøyVeøy
Veøy is a former municipality in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. It initially consisted of Vestnes, as well as the southern part of Molde and the northern part of Rauma. Vestnes was demerged in 1838, later the same year the municipality was established. From 1964, the municipality was split between Molde...
the fall of 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...
). On 1 January 1899, the southern district of Tresfjord
Tresfjord
Tresfjord is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The former municipality encompassed the southern part of the present-day municipality of Vestnes. The village of Tresfjord is located at the southern end of the Tresfjorden...
(population: 1,408) was separated from Vestnes to form its own municipality, but it was merged back into Vestnes on 1 January 1964.
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 Vestnes 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....
: Vestnes), since the first church was built there. The first element is vestr which means "west
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
" and the last element is nes which means "headland
Headland
A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a body of water.Headland can also refer to:*Headlands and bays*headLand, an Australian television series...
". Before 1889, the name was written Vestnæs.
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 11 April 1980. The arms represent the geography of the municipality: a headland between two fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
s—the Tresfjorden
Tresfjorden
Tresfjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord branches off of the Romsdalsfjord near the village of Vestnes, and it stretches south to the village of Tresfjord....
and the Tomrefjorden
Tomrefjorden
Tomrefjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord branches off of the Romsdalsfjord just west of the village of Vestnes, and it stretches south past the villages of Fiksdal and Vik to the village of Tomra.-References:...
.
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 four parishes within the municipality of Vestnes. It is part of the Diocese of Møre
Diocese of Møre
The Diocese of Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop and cathedral are located in the county administrative center of Molde...
and the Rural 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 Indre Romsdal.
| Parish (Sokn) | Church Name | Year Built | Location of the Church |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vestnes | Vestnes kyrkje | 1872 | Vestnes |
| Fiksdal | Fiksdal kyrkje | 1866 | Fiksdal Fiksdal Fiksdal or Fiksdalen is a village in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the west side of the Tomrefjorden, about northwest of the village of Tomra. The village has a population of 209.... |
| Tresfjord | Tresfjord kyrkje | 1828 | Tresfjord Tresfjord Tresfjord is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The former municipality encompassed the southern part of the present-day municipality of Vestnes. The village of Tresfjord is located at the southern end of the Tresfjorden... |
| Vike | Vike kyrkje | 1970 | Vikebukt Vikebukt Vikebukt is a village in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Tresfjorden, just south of where the fjord meets the Romsdalsfjorden. Vikebukt is just across the fjord from the municipal center of Vestnes. The highway passes through the... |
Geography
Vestnes is located in an area of great natural splendour on the southern shores of the RomsdalsfjordRomsdalsfjord
Romsdalsfjord is the ninth longest fjord in Norway. It is long and located in the Romsdal district of Møre og Romsdal county. It flows through the municipalities of Midsund, Haram, Vestnes, Molde, Nesset, and Rauma...
. The Tresfjorden
Tresfjorden
Tresfjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord branches off of the Romsdalsfjord near the village of Vestnes, and it stretches south to the village of Tresfjord....
and Tomrefjorden
Tomrefjorden
Tomrefjorden is a fjord in the municipality of Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The long fjord branches off of the Romsdalsfjord just west of the village of Vestnes, and it stretches south past the villages of Fiksdal and Vik to the village of Tomra.-References:...
branch off the Romsdalsfjord to the south. Vestnes borders Rauma
Rauma, Norway
Rauma is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre is the village of Åndalsnes. Other villages include Vågstranda, Voll, Innfjorden, Veblungsnes, Verma, Isfjorden, Eidsbygda, Rødven, Åfarnes, and Mittet...
to the east, as well as Stordal
Stordal
Stordal is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Stordal. The historic farm of Ytste Skotet lies along the Storfjord in the western part of the municipality.-General information:Stordal...
and Ørskog
Ørskog
Ørskog is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Sjøholt. European Route E39 and European Route E136 runs through the municipality, connecting the towns of Ålesund and Molde.-General information:Ørskog was...
to the south. Across the Moldefjord
Moldefjord
The Moldefjord is a fjord in the municipality of Molde in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is a long branch of the Romsdalsfjord, running past the city of Molde in and east-west bound direction from Julsund to the west, north of the Molde archipelago and Bolsøya, and continuing east into the...
to the north is Midsund
Midsund
Midsund is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre is the village of Midsund on Otrøya island. The municipality consists of the islands of Otrøya, Midøya, Dryna, and the smaller Midsund is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal...
and Molde
Molde
is a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
.
The area is known for nature and outdoor pursuits, and has a long history in ship building and maritime crafts. The village of Vestnes (Helland) dates back to early Medieval times, and has 24 hour ferry and water taxi
Water taxi
A water taxi or water bus, also known as a commuter boat, is a watercraft used to provide public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or on demand to many locations, operating in a similar...
service with Molde.
Notable denizens
- Mali Furunes (1888–1968)
- Bjørn Rune GjelstenBjørn Rune GjelstenBjørn Rune Gjelsten is a Norwegian businessman and Offshore powerboat racing World Champion. He was also a joint owner of Wimbledon Football Club and involved in the controversial relocation of the team from London to Milton Keynes.Gjelsten made his powerboat racing debut in 1994 in the U.S.,...
- Bernt HulskerBernt HulskerBernt Nikolai Hulsker is a Norwegian retired footballer. He has also previously played for Vålerenga. He was born in Den Haag, and is fluent in Dutch.- Career statistics :-References:...
- Sigrun Misund (born 1955)
- Kjetil RekdalKjetil RekdalKjetil André Rekdal is a Norwegian football coach and a former footballer. He is currently managing Aalesund in Norwegian Tippeligaen. His previous tenure was at Kaiserslautern of the 2...
- Terje RypdalTerje RypdalTerje Rypdal is a Norwegian guitarist and composer. Most of his music has been released on albums of the German record label ECM. Rypdal has collaborated both as a guitarist and as a composer with other ECM artists such as Ketil Bjørnstad and David Darling...
External links
- Vestnes official web site
- 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...