Flatøy is an
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
in
Alver Municipality
Alver is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Knarvik. Other villages include Alversund, Alver, Isdalstø, Lindå ...
in
Vestland
Vestland is a county in Norway established on 1 January 2020. The county is located in Western Norway and it is centred around the city of Bergen, Norway's second largest city. The administrative centre of the county is the city of Bergen, where t ...
county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. The island lies in the
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
of
Nordhordland
Nordhordland is a traditional district in the western part of Norway. The district consists of the northern portion of the old Hordaland county (now in Vestland county), north of the city of Bergen. It includes the municipalities Alver, Austr ...
, just north of the city of
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
. The main village on the island is
Krossneset
Krossneset is a village in Alver municipality, in Vestland county, Norway. The village sits on the island of Flatøy, about half-way between the villages of Frekhaug (to the west) and Knarvik (to the east).
The village has a population (2019) ...
on the southern part of the island. The northern part of the island, on the southwest shore of
Kvernafjord
Kvernafjord is a small fjord next to the island of Flatøy and just west of the village of Knarvik in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord lies between the Radfjord, which is part of the same fjord system, and the sound Hagels ...
, is very sparsely inhabited.
Historically, the island was one of the two main islands of the old
Meland Municipality
Meland is a former municipality in the Nordhordland district in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1923 until its dissolution on 1 January 2020 when it was merged into the new Alver Municipality in Vestland county. ...
.
The island is strategically located at a major transportation crossroads. It lies between the
Salhus Salhus may refer to:
Places
* Salhus, Vestland, a village in Bergen municipality, Vestland county, Norway
* Salhus Church, a church in Bergen municipality, Vestland county, Norway
* Salhus, Nordland, a village in Brønnøy municipality, Nordland co ...
neighborhood in the city of Bergen (to the south), the island of
Holsnøy
Holsnøy is an island in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies to the north/west of the mainland, between the islands of Radøy to the north and Askøy to the south. The highest point on the island is the tall Eldsfjel ...
(to the west), and the village of
Knarvik
Knarvik (or Knarrviki) is the administrative centre of the municipality of Alver (municipality), Alver in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the mainland, about straight north of Bergen at the confluence of four fjords: Osterfjo ...
to the east. The island is connected to these larger communities by three bridges:
Nordhordland Bridge
The Nordhordland Bridge ( no, Nordhordlandsbrua) is a combined cable-stayed and pontoon bridge which crosses Salhusfjorden between Klauvaneset (in Bergen Municipality) and the island of Flatøy (in Alver Municipality) in Vestland county, Norwa ...
connects it to Salhus, the
Krossnessundet Bridge
The Krossnessundet Bridge ( no, Krossnessundet bru) is a cantilever bridge in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The bridge connects the islands of Holsnøy and Flatøy on the north side of the Salhusfjorden
Salhusfjorden is a lo ...
connects it to Holsnøy, and the
Hagelsund Bridge
The Hagelsund Bridge ( no, Hagelsundbrua) is a suspension bridge in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The bridge connects the island of Flatøy with the village of Knarvik on the mainland. The length of the bridge is . The length ...
connects it to Knarvik. Since the only road connection from Bergen to Nordhordland is via the Nordhordland Bridge, Flatøy serves as the entry point to the whole Norhordland district.
The island is the home to approximately 500 inhabitants, mostly in
Krossneset
Krossneset is a village in Alver municipality, in Vestland county, Norway. The village sits on the island of Flatøy, about half-way between the villages of Frekhaug (to the west) and Knarvik (to the east).
The village has a population (2019) ...
, and was served by a local elementary school,
Flatøy Skule
Flatøy is an island in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies in the district of Nordhordland, just north of the city of Bergen. The main village on the island is Krossneset on the southern part of the island. The no ...
until it closed in 2010. The students now go to
Frekhaug
Frekhaug is a village in Alver Municipality, located in Vestland county, Norway. The village sits at the southern tip of the island of Holsnøy. Prior to 2020, the village was the administrative centre of the old municipality of Meland.
The v ...
on Holsnøy for school. Flatøy is also home to the music festival
Flatøy Rock Flatøy Rock is a music festival held on the island of Flatøy, in western Norway. It was started in a garden by Vegard Flatøy and his friends in the summer of 2008, while Flatøy's parents were on vacation in Lanzarote. In the beginning, the st ...
.
References
External links
Flatøy SkuleFrank Mohn Flatøy AS*
Norwegian Wikipedia Entry
Islands of Vestland
Alver (municipality)
{{Vestland-island-stub