Gulen (municipality)

Template:ErrorTemplate:Category handler is a municipality in the western part of Vestland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Eivindvik. Other villages in Gulen include Brekke, Byrknes, Dalsøyra, Dingja, Instefjord, Mjømna, Rutledal, and Ytre Oppedal.

The municipality of Gulen sits to the south of the Sognefjorden and it surrounds the Gulafjorden, which is considered to be the place where Norway's west-coastal Vikings met for the Gulating, a governing body. The area along the Gulafjorden called Flolid (just east of the village of Eivindvik) is now a national historic place, where an open-air theater and annual summer play commemorates the Vikings who gathered there 1000 years ago to accept Christianity.

The municipality is the 190th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Gulen is the 265th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,228. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 3.3% over the previous 10-year period.

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Gulen be closed.

General information

File:Steinkorset ved porten til Eivindvik kirke.jpg

One of the stone crosses near Eivindvik

File:Gulen.2 119.jpg

View of the lake Dingevatn

File:2010 10 20 Gulen Byrkjenes 068.jpg

View of some old boathouses near Byrknes (photo: Frode Inge Helland)

Evindvig was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The municipality of 1838 was created to be identical to the Evindvig parish (prestegjeld) that included the three sub-parishes () of Evindvig, Brekke, and Husøy. The sub-parish of Brekke (population: 898) was separated from the municipality in 1850 to form a municipality of its own, leaving a total of 3,944 residents in Evindvig. (Later, Brekke was merged with Lavik as the municipality of Lavik og Brekke. This was short-lived and Brekke later became a separate municipality once again.) In 1858, the sub-parish of Husøy (population: 1,384) was separated from Evindvig to form its own municipality called Utvær (renamed Solund in 1923). This left Evindvig with 3,018 inhabitants. On 1 July 1890, the name of Evindvig municipality was officially changed to Gulen.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Brekke (population: 782) was merged (back) with Gulen. Also on that same date, the island of Losna (population: 40) was transferred from Gulen to the neighboring municipality of Solund. After these changes, Gulen had a population of 3,250.

On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created Vestland county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) was originally named after the old Evindvig farm (Template:Langx, now spelled Eivindvik) since the first Evindvig Church was built there. The first element is derived from the male name . The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "small bay", "cove", or "inlet". In 1891, the municipal name was changed to Gulen (Template:Langx) which was the original name of the local Gulafjorden. The name is probably derived from the word which means "(strong) wind" or "gale".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 9 February 1990. The official blazon is "Azure, two Latin crosses formée argent" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of two Latin crosses that are designed as a cross formée. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The crosses represent the two stone crosses found near the village of Eivindvik that are believed to be about 1000 years old, erected there in 1023 after the Vikings who met at the Gulating gathering embraced Christianity. These are some of the oldest monuments to Christianity still existing in Norway. One of the crosses was damaged by a falling tree in 2012. The arms were designed by Even Jarl Skoglund. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

The Church of Norway has three parishes() within the municipality of Gulen. It is part of the Nordhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Gulen

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Brekke	Brekke Church	Brekke	1862
Gulen	Gulen Church	Eivindvik	1863
Mjømna	Mjømna Church	Mjømna	1901

Schools

The roughly 2,500 residents live scattered throughout the municipality and are divided into four school districts: Brekke, Eivindvik, Dalsøyra, and Byrknes.

Government

Gulen Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Gulen is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Gulen kommunestyre 2023–2027   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	7
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 2019–2023   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	9
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 2015–2019   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	9
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 2011–2015   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	2
	Progress Party	1
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	8
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 2007–2011   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 2003–2007   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	5
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 1999–2003   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	5
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 1995–1999   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	10
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 1991–1995   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	8
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Gulen kommunestyre 1987–1991   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	5
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		25

Gulen kommunestyre 1983–1987   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		25

Gulen kommunestyre 1979–1983   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	7
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	7
	Non-political common list	4
Total number of members:		25

Gulen kommunestyre 1975–1979   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	9
	Non-party common list	10
Total number of members:		25

Gulen kommunestyre 1971–1975   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	8
	Liberal Party	6
	Local List(s)	1
Total number of members:		25

Gulen kommunestyre 1967–1971   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	4
	Centre Party	9
	Liberal Party	9
Total number of members:		29

Gulen kommunestyre 1963–1967   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Centre Party	9
	Liberal Party	8
	Local List(s)	7
Total number of members:		29

Gulen heradsstyre 1959–1963   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	6
	Conservative Party	1
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	6
	Local List(s)	9
Total number of members:		29

Gulen heradsstyre 1955–1959   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	1
	Farmers' Party	8
	Liberal Party	7
	Local List(s)	6
Total number of members:		29

Gulen heradsstyre 1951–1955   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Farmers' Party	11
	Liberal Party	13
Total number of members:		32

Gulen heradsstyre 1947–1951   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Farmers' Party	8
	Liberal Party	11
	Local List(s)	8
Total number of members:		32

Gulen heradsstyre 1945–1947   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Farmers' Party	5
	Liberal Party	8
	Local List(s)	15
Total number of members:		32

Gulen heradsstyre 1937–1941*   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Farmers' Party	6
	Liberal Party	9
	Local List(s)	12
Total number of members:		32
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors (Template:Langx) of Gulen:

• 1838–1849: Niels Griis Alstrup Dahl
• 1850–1851: Rognald Pederson Haugland
• 1852–1853: Niels Alstrup
• 1854–1855: Rognald Pederson Haugland
• 1856–1857: Nathanael Sunde Ross
• 1858–1877: Rognald Pederson Haugland
• 1878–1879: Mikal L. Vadsø
• 1880–1881: Otto L. Midthun
• 1882–1885: Mikal L. Vadsø
• 1886–1889: Gjert J. Grinde
• 1890–1910: Anders Hantveit
• 1911–1931: Hans K. Rutledal
• 1932–1941: Henrik H. Tveit
• 1945–1945: Henrik H. Tveit
• 1946–1946: Søren Randal
• 1947–1963: Ludvik J. Kjellevold
• 1964–1967: Søren Randal
• 1968–1971: John L. Kjellevold
• 1971–1975: Harald Takle (V)
• 1976–1978: Ola Byrknes (Sp)
• 1978-1983: Olav Solheim (Ap)
• 1983-1999: Ola Byrknes (Ap)
• 1999-2011: Trude Brosvik (KrF)
• 2011–2023: Hallvard S. Oppedal (Sp)
• 2023-present: May-Lynn Osland (Ap)

Geography

File:Eidsfjorden i Gulen.jpg

View of the Eidsfjorden

File:Rutle.5.jpg

View of the Rutle area in northern Gulen (photo: Bjarne Thune)

Gulen has an area of about including about 1500 small islands, islets, and skerries. The largest of the islands are Byrknesøyna, Hiserøyna, Mjømna, and Sandøyna. The mainland is characterized by small valleys and large mountains crossing the landscape. The lake Dingevatn is one of Norway's deepest lakes.

Gulen is bounded on the north by the Sognefjorden and the Sognesjøen, and to the south by the Fensfjorden with the North Sea to the west of the municipality. Gulen is bordered by the municipalities of Solund and Hyllestad to the north (across the Sognefjorden), by Høyanger to the east, and by Austrheim (across the Fensfjorden), Lindås, and Masfjorden to the south.

The area is a geological region that contains a relatively low nutrition content ground, which characterizes the types of flora. The moors, which are frequently covered with wild purple heather, are the dominating picture of the area. Due to the large quantity of rain in the area, there are many types of moss and lichen in Gulen. Most of the land in Gulen is very mountainous and inhospitable.

Land use in Gulen

Land type	Percent
Agricultural	4%
Forest	19%
Water	3%
Other	74%

Climate

Gulen has a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification), also known as a marine west coast climate. Gulen is among the wettest areas of Norway, with almost of annual precipitaiton, and on average 202 days annually with precipitation, mostly as rain. Wettest season is autumn and winter, and December the wettest month. The average date for the last overnight freeze (low below ) in spring is 19 April and average date for first freeze in autumn is 31 October giving a frost-free season of 194 days (1981-2010 average). The Takle weather station started recording in June 1950.

Economy

Historically, Gulen's economy has been centered around farming and fishing. More recently, Gulen has become important because of its close proximity to the Mongstad industrial area which includes many oil refineries operated by Statoil, Shell Oil, and other oil companies. Other factories and industries in Gulen include Wergeland-Halsvik, Baker Oil Tools, Johnny Birkeland Transport, and Vest Tank. There are many other small businesses located in Gulen today.

Attractions

Tusenårsstedet Gulatinget

File:Tusenaarsstaden Gulatinget.jpg

Tusenårsstedet Gulatinget

The Gulating was a legislative assembly which met regularly for a period of at least five hundred years in Gulen on the shores of the Gulafjorden. In 1300, the assembly was moved to Bergen. The members of the assembly represented the farmers of Western Norway. This was where important political issues were discussed and decisions were made. The old assembly was also used as a law court for both civil and criminal cases. The Gulating was thus related to the representative institutions of today such as the municipal council and the Norwegian Parliament, Storting.

A sculpture park was built in Flolid in Gulen in order to commemorate the Gulating legislative assembly. Norwegian sculptor Bård Breivik was responsible for the artistic elements which were opened by the public during August 2005. The park is a work of art in its own right that is used as the setting for outdoor dance and musical performances in beautiful and unique natural surroundings.

Sellevåg Wooden Shoe Factory

Wooden shoes were produced in Sellevåg from 1899 to 1975. The factory was powered by water in the Sellevåg Lake. The wooden shoe factory is still there with all its production equipment intact. A guided tour with demonstration can be arranged on request.

Trondheim Post-Road

The historic mail route from Bergen and Trondheim, The post-road goes through the municipalities of Fjaler, Hyllestad and Gulen. Built between 1801 and 1806, it passes over many beautiful stone bridges.

Notable people

• Ole Elias Holck (1774 in Hyllestad – 1842), a Norwegian military officer and representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
• Peder Furubotn (1890 in Brekke – 1975), a Norwegian cabinetmaker, politician, and resistance member
• Fredrik Lange-Nielsen (1891 in Eivindvik – 1980), a mathematician and insurance company manager

External links

• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway Template:In lang
• Gulatinget: Tusenårsstaden i Sogn og Fjordane Template:In lang
• Gulen Kommune Template:In lang