Leikanger

Leikanger () is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center was the village of Hermansverk, which also was the administrative center of the old Sogn og Fjordane county.

The Leikanger/Hermansverk urban area had 2,144 inhabitants (2019), about 90% of the municipal population. This urban area is often called Systrond, which is why a person from Leikanger is often called Systrending.

The municipality is the 342nd largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Leikanger is the 302nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,331. The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 8.1% over the last decade.

General information

File:Systrond.JPG

View of Systrond

File:Kvinnafossen.jpg

View of the Kvinnafossen in western Leikanger

File:Skagasete.jpg

View of a small mountain farm

Leikanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was large and it was identical to the old Leikanger parish (prestegjeld) with the six sub-parishes () of Leikanger, Fresvik, Rinde, Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal. In 1849, the sub-parishes of Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal were transferred into the newly created Balestrand parish (prestegjeld). The new parish was separated from Leikanger municipality in 1850 to form the new Balestrand Municipality. This split left Leikanger with 2,368 residents.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Hella-Eitorn area (population: 31) was transferred from Balestrand back to Leikanger. Also, the Tingstad area (population: 5) was transferred to neighboring Sogndal municipality. These changes left Leikanger with 2,680 residents. On 1 January 1992, the sub-parishes of Leikanger lying south of the Sognefjorden, including Feios and Fresvik (total population: 572) were transferred to the municipality of Vik. This move left Leikanger with only one sub-parish: Leikanger.

On 1 January 2020, Leikanger was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Balestrand and Sogndal to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Leikanger farm (Template:Langx) since the first Leikanger Church was built there. The first element is Template:Wikt-lang which means "game", "sports", or "contest". The last element is the plural form of Template:Wikt-lang which means "field" or "meadow". Thus it means a meadow used for sports or games. Prior to 1889, the name was written Lekanger.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 5 September 1963. The official blazon is "Vert, two apples on a branch with three leaves Or" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is an apple tree branch with two apples and three leaves attached. 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 apple tree branch is a symbol for the many orchards in the municipality and thus for the local economy. The three leaves symbolised the three parishes (Leikanger, Feios, and Fresvik) that used to make up the municipality (before two of them were transferred to Vik Municipality in 1992). The arms were designed by K. Fotland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish () within the municipality of Leikanger. It was part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Leikanger

Parish ()	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Leikanger	Leikanger Church	Leikanger	1166

Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council of Leikanger was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Leikanger kommunestyre 2016–2019   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	1
	Centre Party	5
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 2012–2015   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 2008–2011   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 2004–2007   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 2000–2003   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	1
	Socialist Left Party	2
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 1996–1999   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	7
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		17

Leikanger kommunestyre 1992–1995   

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

Leikanger kommunestyre 1988–1991   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1984–1987   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	2
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	2
	Cross-party common list	1
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1980–1983   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	4
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Liberal People's Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Liberal Party	2
	Cross-party common list	1
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1976–1979   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	3
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	New People's Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist Left Party	1
	Liberal Party	2
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1972–1975   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	3
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	3
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1968–1971   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	2
	Centre Party	4
	Liberal Party	5
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger kommunestyre 1964–1967   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	Conservative Party	2
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Socialist People's Party	1
	Liberal Party	6
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger heradsstyre 1960–1963   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Conservative Party	1
	Christian Democratic Party	1
	Centre Party	3
	Liberal Party	7
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger heradsstyre 1956–1959   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	9
	Farmers' Party	2
	Liberal Party	7
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	3
Total number of members:		21

Leikanger heradsstyre 1952–1955   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	13
	Farmers' Party	4
	Liberal Party	10
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	5
Total number of members:		32

Leikanger heradsstyre 1948–1951   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	15
	Liberal Party	4
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	13
Total number of members:		32

Leikanger heradsstyre 1945–1947   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	8
	List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders	8
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	16
Total number of members:		32

Leikanger heradsstyre 1938–1941*   

Party name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party	11
	Farmers' Party	2
	Liberal Party	5
	Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties	11
	Local List(s)	3
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 Leikanger:

• 1838-1839: Christian Garup Meidell
• 1840-1843: Søren Lem
• 1844-1847: Herman Brun
• 1848-1849: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
• 1849-1851: Herman Brun
• 1852-1853: Hans Johannes Brun
• 1854-1857: Johan David Haslund
• 1858-1868: Sjur Sæterlid
• 1868-1868: Hans Lem
• 1868-1869: Johan Herman Brun
• 1870-1873: Nils J. Njøs
• 1874-1881: Lars M. Husabø
• 1882-1884: Jakob Liv Rosted Sverdrup
• 1885-1901: Jakob Bøthun
• 1902-1907: Lars M. Husabø
• 1908-1916: Nils Tjønn
• 1917-1919: Hans N. Grinde
• 1920-1922: Hans Fleche
• 1922-1922: Knut Jordal
• 1923-1934: Hans N. Grinde
• 1935-1951: Olav Tveit (V)
• 1952-1957: Per H. Bøthun (V)
• 1958-1961: Hans Husabø (V)
• 1962-1963: Leiv Loen (V)
• 1964-1975: Arne Grepstad (V)
• 1975-1975: Olav Straume (KrF)
• 1976-1977: Lars Lefdal (H)
• 1978-1979: Kåre Næss (KrF)
• 1980-1983: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
• 1984-1987: Erling Olsen (Ap)
• 1988-1991: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
• 1992-1993: Kjell Helleland (Ap)
• 1994-1995: Åsta Magni Hauge (Ap)
• 1996-1999: Nils Erling Yndesdal (V)
• 2000-2003: Rolf Nesheim (V)
• 2003-2015: Olav Lunden (Ap)
• 2015-2019: Jon Håkon Odd (Ap)

Geography

Leikanger is located on the north side of the Sognefjorden and to the east of the Fjærlandsfjorden. It is bordered on the north and east by the municipality of Sogndal, on the west by Balestrand, and on the south (across the Sognefjorden) by Vik.

Buildings and structures

East of Leikanger, there are the Sognefjord Spans, three powerline spans with length over , which are currently the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th longest spans in the world. In 1955, the first Sognefjord Span was built near Leikanger. It was the longest span in the world from 1955 until 1997.

Sister cities/Twin towns

Leikanger has sister city agreements with the following places:

• Template:Flagicon Ribe, Denmark

Notable people

File:Oddvar Flæte.jpg

Oddvar Flæte, 2009

• Iver Erikssøn Leganger (1629 in Leikanger – 1702), a priest, author, and farm owner
• Georg Burchard Jersin (1767 in Leikanger – 1827), a Lutheran minister and representative on the Norwegian Constitutional Assembly
• Olaf Huseby (1856 in Leikanger – 1942), a Norwegian-American bookseller and publisher
• Jakob Sverdrup (1881 in Leikanger – 1938), a Norwegian philologist and lexicographer
• Kjell Bondevik (1901 in Leikanger – 1983), a Norwegian politician who also wrote history books
• Oddvar Flæte (born 1944 in Leikanger), a politician who was County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane from 1994-2011
• Silje Nes (born 1980 in Leikanger), a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, singer, and sound artist
• Elise Thorsnes (born 1988 in Leikanger), a Norwegian footballer who played 125 games with the Norway women's national football team

See also

• List of former municipalities of Norway