Lærdal

Lærdal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the south side of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Lærdalsøyri. The old Filefjell Kongevegen road passes through Lærdal on its way to Valdres and later to Oslo.

The municipality is the 71st largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway (with over half of this area consisting of mountains). Lærdal is the 273rd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,129. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 2.2% over the previous 10-year period.

The Lærdal river valley is long, running from Hemsedal Municipality (Høgeloft mountain) and the Filefjell mountains in the east to the Sognefjorden in the west. About half of the municipal residents live in the main village of Lærdalsøyri; the rest in the small villages in the surrounding valleys such as Borgund, Ljøsne, Tønjum, Erdal, Vindedalen, Frønningen, and Strendene. The Old Lærdalsøyri village has 161 protected buildings. Some of the houses there date back to the mid-18th century. On the night of 18–19 January 2014, a major fire destroyed at least 30 buildings.

General information

File:Borgundstavkirke.jpg

Borgund stave church

Lærdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). In the 19th century, the name was sometimes spelled Leerdahl or Leirdal. The municipality of 1838 was created to be identical to the Lærdal parish (prestegjeld) that included the sub-parishes () of Borgund, Tønjum, Hauge, and Aardal. In 1863, the northeastern sub-parish of Aardal (population: 1,791) was separated from Lærdal to form a separate municipality. In 1864, the eastern sub-parish of Borgund (population: 963) was separated from Lærdal to form its own municipality. This left Lærdal with 2,777 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, Lærdal (population: 1,755) was merged with Borgund Municipality (population: 492) and the Muggeteigen, Luggenes, and Bergmål farms (population: 11) along the Sognefjorden from Årdal Municipality. After the merger, Lærdal had a total of 2,258. On 1 January 1992, the Frønningen area (population: 32) of Leikanger Municipality was transferred to Lærdal municipality.

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) is named after the old village of Lærdal (Template:Langx). The first element is the genitive case of the old name of the local river . The meaning of the river name is unknown. The last element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "valley" or "dale".

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 18 December 1987. The official blazon is "Gules, two dragon heads bendwise Or" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is two dragon heads aligned diagonally. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The dragon heads are based on the wooden dragons seen on the gables of the historic Borgund Stave Church that was built around 1150 in Lærdal. The arms were designed by Inge Rotevatn. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

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

Churches in Lærdal

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Borgund	Borgund Church	Borgund	1868
	Borgund Stave Church		c. Template:Trim
Hauge	Hauge Church	Lærdalsøyri	1868
Tønjum	Tønjum Church	Tønjum	1832

Government

Lærdal 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 Lærdal is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

Lærdal kommunestyre 2023–2027   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	1
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	2
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 2019–2023   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	2
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 2015–2019   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	5
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	8
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 2011–2015   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	4
	Conservative Party	3
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	3
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 2007–2011   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 2003–2007   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Progress Party	1
	Socialist Left Party	3
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Christian Democratic Party , Centre Party , and Liberal Party	5
Total number of members:		17

Lærdal kommunestyre 1999–2003   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Christian Democratic Party , Centre Party , and Liberal Party	10
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1995–1999   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Christian Democratic Party , Centre Party , and Liberal Party	10
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1991–1995   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Christian Democratic Party , Centre Party , and Liberal Party	11
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1987–1991   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Conservative Party	4
	Joint list of the Centre Party , Christian Democratic Party , and Liberal Party	7
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1983–1987   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Conservative Party	3
	Joint list of the Centre Party , Christian Democratic Party , and Liberal Party	8
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1979–1983   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Christian Democratic Party , New People's Party , Centre Party , and Liberal Party	12
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1975–1979   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Joint list of the Conservative Party , Centre Party , Liberal Party , and New People's Party	11
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1971–1975   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	1
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1967–1971   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	12
	Conservative Party	1
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal kommunestyre 1963–1967   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	11
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	6
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal heradsstyre 1959–1963   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	7
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal heradsstyre 1955–1959   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	1
	Liberal Party	4
	Local List(s)	8
Total number of members:		21

Lærdal heradsstyre 1951–1955   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Liberal Party	5
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	9
Total number of members:		24

Lærdal heradsstyre 1947–1951   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	15
Total number of members:		24

Lærdal heradsstyre 1945–1947   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	10
	Liberal Party	3
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	11
Total number of members:		24

Lærdal heradsstyre 1937–1941*   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Farmers' Party	9
	Liberal Party	5
	Local List(s)	3
Total number of members:		24
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 Lærdal:

• 1838-1843: Nils Rossing Bull
• 1844-1845: Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen
• 1846-1847: Hannibal Winsnes
• 1848-1857: Nils Rossing Bull
• 1858-1859: Jan Rumohr
• 1860-1863: Jørgen Christian Lindstrøm
• 1864-1871: Jan Rumohr
• 1872-1875: Søren Schelderup
• 1876-1877: David Anderson Raa
• 1878-1879: Baard Lysne
• 1880-1881: Tøger Ravn
• 1882-1888: Otto Blehr
• 1889-1891: Peder Th. Tønjum
• 1896-1898: Gerhard Dahl
• 1899-1901: Tøger Ravn
• 1908-1910: Hans H. Michelsen
• 1911-1913: Haakon Mo
• 1914-1916: Hans H. Michelsen
• 1917-1922: Olav Skjær
• 1923-1925: Nils Lysne
• 1926-1937: Olav Skjær
• 1938-1942: Per Severin Hjermann (Bp)
• 1942-1945: Petter Klingenberg (NS)
• 1945-1954: Per Severin Hjermann (Bp)
• 1954-1959: Egil Natvik (V)
• 1960-1963: Ingebrigt Eri (Sp)
• 1964-1975: Anders Lunden (Ap)
• 1976-1979: Per Hjermann (Sp)
• 1980-1981: Knut L. Blaaflat (Sp)
• 1982-1989: Knut O. Hegg (Sp)
• 1990-1999: Hans A. Tønjum (Sp)
• 1999-2003: Olav Wendelbo (Sp)
• 2003–2007: Knut O. Aarethun (Ap)
• 2007–2011: Arne Sanden (Ap)
• 2011–2019: Jan Geir Solheim (Sp)
• 2019–present: Audun Mo (Ap)

Twin towns – Sister cities

Lærdal has sister city agreements with the following places:

• Template:Flagicon Jericho, Palestine (since 1998)

Geography

File:Lærdal ved Jutlamannen.jpg

The river near Jutlamannen

Lærdal is located southeast of the Sognefjorden and east of the Aurlandsfjorden. The municipality is centered on the Lærdalselvi River with the Filefjell and Hemsedalsfjell mountain ranges on its east. Lærdal Municipality is bordered in Vestland county by Aurland Municipality Municipality to the southwest, Sogndal Municipality to the northwest, and Årdal Municipality to the north. It is also bordered on the east by Vang Municipality (Innlandet county) and Hemsedal Municipality (Buskerud county), and in the south by Ål Municipality and Hol Municipality (both in Buskerud county).

The lakes Eldrevatnet, Juklevatnet, and Øljusjøen are located along the southeastern border, south of the mountain Høgeloft.

Climate

Lærdal Municipality is situated near the head of Sognefjorden. The very long fjord snakes past mountain ranges on its way from the sea inland to Lærdal, and the mountains create a rain shadow effect for the innermost part of the fjord, making Lærdal much drier than the coast, with just 20% of Bergen's precipitation. The mountains also sometimes gives a föhn effect in winter for Lærdal. The climate of Lærdal is a thus a mix of oceanic and continental features. Lærdal has a humid continental climate, or a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb), depending on winter threshold ( as used in US or as in the original Köppen climate classification). The record high was recorded both July 2018 and July 2019. The all-time low is from January 1942.

Lærdal tunnel

The Lærdalstunnel was built through the Aurlandsfjell mountains dividing Aurland from Lærdal. It is the world's longest road tunnel (since 2020Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)) at . Construction began in 1995 and was completed in 2000.

Lærdalselvi river

File:Lærdalselva ved Borgund stavkirke (2).jpg

Lærdal river near Borgund Stave Church

The River Template:Ill was traditionally one of the most exclusive salmon and sea trout rivers in Norway. Known by the Norwegian King Harald V as his second Queen, the river has established Lærdal as one of the meccas of salmon and sea trout fly fishing, among others for the unusual fact that the river offers daylight fishing and dry fly fishing for sea trout. The salmon population was drastically depleted after an infestation with the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus salaris in the fall of 1996. After several treatments with aluminium sulfate, there are still problems with the parasite. In fall 2007, a smolt was again found infected by the parasite, and new treatments started in late March 2008. Because of this parasite, the river was closed to angling for the 2008 season.

The river has formed a large delta at Lærdalsøyri, where huge amounts of silt and sand have been deposited by the river. Although the area has been spoiled by some unfortunate landfills it is still a sight worth seeing.

Economy

Lærdal has long traditions in farming, with the lower region of the valley being great for vegetable crops. Because of its dry climate it was one of the first places in Norway to begin the use of artificial irrigation. Despite having an inland climate, the water in the fjord keeps the winters from getting too cold.

The local Western Norway Regional Health Authority hospital provides medical care for Lærdal itself and seven of the surrounding municipalities. The hospital, together with Opplysningen 1881 (directory assistance company), Østfold Energiproduksjon A/S and Norsk Hydro Aluminium Production Facilities in Årdal, are the major employers in Lærdal. The local government and health authority is trying to close this hospital due to cost cutting, which may have negative effects on the area.

Notable people

File:Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft.jpeg

Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft, 2011

• Peder Hjermann (1754 in Lærdal – 1834), a farmer and representative at the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
• Anders Olson Lysne (1764 – executed 1803), a farmer who led the Lærdal farmers' rebellion from 1800 to 1802
• Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen (1801–1879), a businessman and politician who was mayor of Lærdal in the 1850s
• Per Lysne (1880 in Lærdal – 1947), a Norwegian-American artist who brought Rosemaling folk art to the USA
• Eivind Blehr (1881 in Lærdal – 1957), a politician who was a government minister in Quisling's government during WWII
• Knut Rumohr (1916 in Lærdal – 2002), a Norwegian painter and printmaker
• Knut O. Aarethun (born 1942 in Lærdalsøyri), a politician who was mayor of Lærdal from 2003 to 2007
• Ragnhild Sælthun Fjørtoft (born 1947 in Lærdal), a Norwegian former TV presenter
• Øyvind Hegg-Lunde (born 1982 in Lærdal), a musician (playing drums and percussion) who was raised in Borgund

Photo gallery

• Lærdalsøyri
  Lærdalsøyri
• Lærdalsøyri
  Lærdalsøyri
• Old mountain pass from Aurland to Lærdal (above the Lærdalstunnelen)
  Old mountain pass from Aurland to Lærdal (above the Lærdalstunnelen)
• Old mountain pass from Aurland to Lærdal (above the Lærdalstunnelen)
  Old mountain pass from Aurland to Lærdal (above the Lærdalstunnelen)
• Lærdal
  Lærdal
• Lærdal tunnel
  Lærdal tunnel
• Lærdal tunnel cave
  Lærdal tunnel cave
• Store Jukleeggi – Mountain in Lærdal
  Store Jukleeggi – Mountain in Lærdal

External links

• Official website: Lærdal Kommune Template:In lang
• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway Template:In lang
• NRK: Fylkesleksikon – Lærdal Kommune Template:In lang