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Kvinnherad is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
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 ...
. It is located in the traditional district of
Sunnhordland Sunnhordland is a traditional district in the western region of Norway. The district consists of the southern coastal regions of the old Hordaland county (now part of Vestland county). It includes the areas that surround the mouth of the Hardan ...
, along the
Hardangerfjorden The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountain ...
. The municipality was the 5th in size in former
Hordaland Hordaland () was a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark, and Rogaland counties. Hordaland was the third largest county, after Akershus and Oslo, by population. The county government was the Hordaland County Municipal ...
county. The
administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...
of the municipality is the village of Rosendal. The largest village is
Husnes Husnes is the largest village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden on the Folgefonna peninsula, about south of the village of Herøysund and immediately nort ...
, with about 6,000 people living in or near the village. Other villages include
Ænes Ænes is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southeastern shore of the Hardangerfjorden at the mouth of the Maurangsfjorden. Ænes Church is located in the village. There has been a chu ...
,
Åkra Åkra is a former municipality in the traditional district of Haugaland in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1892 until 1965 and it encompassed the central part of the western coast of the island of Karmøy. The administ ...
,
Dimmelsvik Dimmelsvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the south shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about south of the municipal centre of Rosendal and about northeast of the village of Uskedal. T ...
, Eidsvik,
Hatlestrand Hatlestrand is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Hardangerfjorden, northeast of the villages of Husa and Ølve. The village has a ferry port called ''Gjermundshamn'', which has reg ...
, Herøysund,
Høylandsbygd Høylandsbygd is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the eastern part of the island of Halsnøya. It is one of the largest urban areas on the island, just after Sæbøvik and Eidsvik. Whil ...
,
Ølve Ølve is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Kvinnheradsfjorden in the western part of the municipality. It is the site of Ølve Church. Ølve is located near the border with Bjø ...
,
Sæbøvik Sæbøvik is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the narrow, western part of the island of Halsnøya, about west of the village of Høylandsbygd and immediately east of the village of Eids ...
,
Sundal Sundal or Sunndal is the largest village in the Mauranger district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Maurangsfjorden, south of Nordrepollen and Gjetingsdalen. The villa ...
, Sunde,
Uskedal Uskedal or Uskedalen is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located in a small valley along the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about southwest of the village of Dimmelsvik and about east of t ...
, and Valen. The municipality is the 104th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Kvinnherad is the 94th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 13,017. The municipality's
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
is and its population has decreased by 2.3% over the previous 10-year period. In the southern part of Kvinnherad you will find the typical fjord landscape of
western Norway Western Norway ( nb, Vestlandet, Vest-Norge; nn, Vest-Noreg) is the region along the Atlantic coast of southern Norway. It consists of the counties Rogaland, Vestland, and Møre og Romsdal. The region has no official or political-administrativ ...
. The areas of
Mauranger Mauranger is the northernmost district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The district is centered on the Maurangsfjorden on the western side of the vast Folgefonna glacier. Mauranger consists of the villages of Sundal, Au ...
and Rosendal are said to have about the most beautiful fjord landscape of
Hardanger Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord and its inner branches of the Sørfjorden and the Eid Fjord. It consists of the municipalities of Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik and Kvam, and is ...
as a whole: narrow fjords, wild water-falls, and the nearby
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
, the third biggest
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
in Norway.


General information

The
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
of ''Qvindherred'' was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt () is the name for Norwegian local self-government districts that were legally enacted on 1 January 1838. This system of municipalities was created in a bill approved by the Parliament of Norway and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January ...
law). On 1 January 1907, a small area northwest of the villages of
Ølve Ølve is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Kvinnheradsfjorden in the western part of the municipality. It is the site of Ølve Church. Ølve is located near the border with Bjø ...
and
Husa Husa is a village in the Ølve district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the end of a small bay off the main Hardangerfjorden. The village lies about north of the village of Ølve Ølve is a vi ...
(population: 67) was transferred from neighboring
Tysnes Tysnes () is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Uggdal. Other population centres in Tysnes include the villages of VÃ¥ge and Onarhei ...
municipality to Kvinnherad. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the
Schei Committee The Schei Committee ( no, Schei-komitéen) was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II. It convened in 1946, and its formal name was (The 1946 Committee on Municip ...
. On 1 January 1965, the following areas were merged into one large municipality of Kvinnherad: *All of
Skånevik Skånevik is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. It included the land surrounding both sides of the Skånevikfjord ...
municipality located north of the
Skånevikfjorden Skånevikfjorden is a fjord in Norway. The long fjord runs through Etne and Kvinnherad municipalities in Vestland county and in Vindafjord municipality in Rogaland county. The fjord is fed by several smaller fjords such as the Åkrafjorden, E ...
-
Ã…krafjorden Ã…krafjorden is a fjord in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Etne and Kvinnherad. The long fjord reaches a maximum depth of . The fjord flows from the southern part of the Folgefonna National Park, draining th ...
and west of the
Åkra Åkra is a former municipality in the traditional district of Haugaland in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1892 until 1965 and it encompassed the central part of the western coast of the island of Karmøy. The administ ...
area (population: 1,189) *All of
Fjelberg Fjelberg is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until 1965 when it was dissolved. In 1965, the municipality covered , mostly islands and a small area on the mainland. It encompassed part ...
municipality (population: 2,308) *All of the old Kvinnherad municipality (population: 5,831) *All of
Varaldsøy Varaldsøy is an island (and village) in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The island is the largest island in the Hardangerfjorden. Most of the inhabitants live on the southern tip of the island in the village of Vara ...
municipality, except for the
Mundheim Mundheim is a small village in the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the southern part of the municipality, along the Hardangerfjorden, just northwest of the island of Varaldsøy. The village sits at the junction ...
area, (population: 511) On 1 January 2013, the southwestern part of the Folgefonna peninsula (south of Kysnesstranda) was transferred from Kvinnherad to the neighboring
Jondal Jondal is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1863 until its dissolution in 2020 when it became part of Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located on the Folgefonna peninsula ...
municipality. This removed forty residents and of land area from the municipality.


Name

The
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
form of the name was ''Kvinnaherað''. The first element may be derived from the word ''tvinnr'' which means "double" (referring to the two rivers running through Rosendal, the
administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...
of the municipality). The last element is ''herað'' which means "district" or "municipality". The municipality name has been spelled several ways throughout history. Before 1889, the name was written ''"Quindherred"'', then from 1889 to 1917 it was ''"Kvinnherred"'', and since 1918 it has been spelled ''"Kvinnherad"''.


Coat of arms

The
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
was granted on 18 June 1982. The arms show the
confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of two blue rivers into one on a white or silver background. The rivers symbolize the many
stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...
s and
river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
s in the municipality, especially the Hattebergselvi and the Melselvi, that come together just before they run into the sea at Rosendal.


Churches

The
Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...
has nine parishes () within the municipality of Kvinnherad. It is part of the
Sunnhordland prosti Sunnhordland is a traditional district in the western region of Norway. The district consists of the southern coastal regions of the old Hordaland county (now part of Vestland county). It includes the areas that surround the mouth of the Hardang ...
(
deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residenc ...
) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.


Economy

The economy of Kvinnherad is based on the rich water resources within its boundaries. This includes power production,
aluminium production Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ...
( Sør-Norge Aluminium),
fish farming upright=1.3, Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye">mariculture.html" ;"title="Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture">Salmon farming in the sea (mariculture) at Loch Ainort, Isle of Skye, Scotland Fish farming or ...
,
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...
( Eidsvik Skipsbyggeri, Hellesøy Verft, Bergen Group Halsnøy), and lifeboat production ( Umoe Schat-Harding, Norsafe, Eide Marine Tech, Noreq). These industries are spread throughout the municipality. Kvinnherad has two local newspapers, ''
Kvinnheringen ''Kvinnheringen'' is a Norwegian regional newspaper for the Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county. In print since 1973, it is currently released bi-weekly with more than 7000 readers and a circulation of 4 400 as of January 2021. Since 2003, t ...
'' and '' Grenda'', as well as a local TV channel, TV Sydvest.


Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Kvinnherad, are responsible for
primary education Primary education or elementary education is typically the first stage of formal education, coming after preschool/kindergarten and before secondary school. Primary education takes place in ''primary schools'', ''elementary schools'', or first ...
(through 10th grade), outpatient health services,
senior citizen Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usage ...
services,
unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for Work (human activity), w ...
and other
social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...
,
zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
,
economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals and o ...
, and municipal
road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...
s. The municipality is governed by a
municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...
of elected representatives, which in turn elect a
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
. The municipality falls under the
Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court ( no, Haugaland og Sunnhordland tingrett) is a district court located in Vestland and Rogaland counties in Norway. This court is based at two different courthouses which are located in Haugesund and Leir ...
and the
Gulating Court of Appeal The Gulating Court of Appeal ( no, Gulating lagmannsrett) is one of six Court of appeal (Norway), courts of appeal in the Norway, Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Bergen (city), Bergen. The court has jurisdiction over the cou ...
.


Municipal council

The
municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...
() of Kvinnherad is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The
party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...
breakdown of the council is as follows:


Mayor

The mayors of Kvinnherad (incomplete list): *2019–present: Hans Inge Myrvold ( Sp) *2015-2019: Peder Sjo Slettebø ( H) *2007-2015: Synnøve Solbakken ( Ap) *2003-2007: Bjarne Berge ( LL) *1995-2003: Aksel Kloster (Ap)


Notable people

*
Axel Gyntersberg Axel Gyntersberg (c. 1525 – 1588) was a Norwegian nobleman and feudal overlord. Gyntersberg (also referred to as ''Axel Gyntersberg til Mel'') was the son of Heinrich Güntersberg and Kirsten Lagesdatter Ref. His exact birthplace is not know ...
(ca.1525 – 1588 in Kvinnherad) a Norwegian nobleman and feudal overlord * Johannes Lauritsson (ca.1540 – ca.1620) wealthy Norwegian landowner, lived Valen 1563-1578 * Axel Rosenkrantz (1670 in Kvinnherad – 1723) landowner and baron, owned the
Barony Rosendal Barony Rosendal (Norwegian: ''Baroniet Rosendal'') is a historic estate and manor house situated in Kvinnherad in Hordaland county, Norway. The barony was built in the 17nth century by danish noblemen on the old estate of Norwegian noble Galte f ...
* Andreas Lavik (1854–1918) a revivalist, temperance advocate, magazine editor, farmer, headmaster and politician; lived in Kvinnherad from 1885, where he was Mayor for eight years * Jens Tvedt (1857 in Kvinnherad – 1935) a Norwegian novelist and writer of short stories *
Gisle Midttun Gisle Midttun (1881–1940) was a Norwegian cultural historian and museologist. He was born in Kvinnherad, and was a brother of philologist Olav Midttun. Midttun was assigned with the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History Norsk Folkemuseum ...
(1881 in Kvinnherad – 1940) a Norwegian cultural historian and museologist * Olav Midttun (1883 in Mauranger – 1972) a philologist, biographer and magazine editor *
Ragnvald Vaage Ragnvald Vaage (29 April 1889 – 27 June 1966) was a Norwegian poet, novelist and children's writer. Biography He was born at Husnes in Kvinnherad, Norway. His parents were Ola Larsson Vaage (1844–97) and Ragnhild Larsdotter Oppsanger (1855â ...
(1889 in Husnes – 1966) a Norwegian poet, novelist and children's writer * Sigurd Valvatne DSO DSC (born 1913 in Kvinnherad) a naval officer and submariner * Frank Meidell Falch (1920 in Kvinnherad – 2013) a Norwegian media director and politician *
Egil Myklebust Egil Myklebust (born 9 June 1942) is a Norwegian businessperson and lawyer. Since 2001 he has been chairman of the board of SAS Group. Born in Kvinnherad, Myklebust took a law degree from the University of Oslo in 1967, before starting work w ...
(born 1942 in Kvinnherad) a businessperson and lawyer, CEO of SAS Group *
Lars Amund Vaage Lars Amund Vaage was born in 1952 at Sunde, Kvinnherad on the west coast of Norway, and studied classical piano at the Bergen Music Conservatory. He made his literary debut in 1979 with the novel Exercise Cold Winter, and has since published award-w ...
(born 1952 at Sunde) novelist * Endre Hellestveit (born 1976 in Rosendal) a Norwegian actor * Hans Inge Myrvold (born 1985) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Kvinnherad in 2019 * Erlend Bratland (born 1991 in Husnes) a Norwegian singer, won
Norske Talenter ''Norske Talenter'' (English: ''Norway’s Got Talent'', ''Norwegian Talents'') is a Norwegian talent show with a similar format to ''Britain's Got Talent,'' making it one of the ''Got Talent'' franchise programmes. The 16-year-old singer Erl ...
2008


Geography

The municipality is located along the large
Hardangerfjorden The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountain ...
, mostly on the southeast side of the fjord on the
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
peninsula, but also a small part on the other side. It includes several notable islands in the fjord including
Varaldsøy Varaldsøy is an island (and village) in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The island is the largest island in the Hardangerfjorden. Most of the inhabitants live on the southern tip of the island in the village of Vara ...
,
Fjelbergøya Fjelbergøya is an island in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies on the south side of the Hardangerfjorden, between the islands of Borgundøya (to the south) and Halsnøya (to the northeast). These three neighb ...
,
Borgundøya Borgundøya or Borgundøy is an island in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies in the Hardangerfjorden, immediately south of the island of Fjelbergøya. The island has about 79 residents (in 2017), with about four ...
, and
Halsnøy Halsnøya or Halsnøy is an island in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies between the Hardangerfjorden and Skånevikfjorden. The island has about 2,300 inhabitants (2008) and it is the most populated island in Kv ...
a. The large
Folgefonna National Park Folgefonna National Park ( no, Folgefonna nasjonalpark) is a national park in Vestland county, Norway. The park is located on the Folgefonna peninsula and it spans the municipalities of Kvinnherad, Etne, and Ullensvang. The national park was ope ...
, which surrounds the
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
, is partially located in Kvinnherad. The northern part of the municipality is often referred to as
Mauranger Mauranger is the northernmost district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The district is centered on the Maurangsfjorden on the western side of the vast Folgefonna glacier. Mauranger consists of the villages of Sundal, Au ...
. It is the area surrounding the
Maurangsfjorden Maurangerfjord or Maurangsfjorden is a fjord in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The long fjord is a small branch off of the main Hardangerfjorden. The inner end of the Maurangsfjorden branches into the ''Nordrepollen'' and ...
. The notable
Bondhusbreen The Bondhusbreen is a glacier in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The glacier is an offshoot of the vast Folgefonna glacier, and it lies inside the Folgefonna National Park. The glacier has a length of around and a height di ...
glacier is located just south of that fjord, near the village of
Sundal Sundal or Sunndal is the largest village in the Mauranger district of Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Maurangsfjorden, south of Nordrepollen and Gjetingsdalen. The villa ...
. The
Jondal Tunnel The Jondal Tunnel ( no, Jondalstunnelen) is a road tunnel in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel is part of Norwegian County Road 49 and it lies in Kvinnherad and Ullensvang municipalities. The long tunnel was built to ...
and
Folgefonna Tunnel The Folgefonna Tunnel ( no, Folgefonntunnelen) is a long road tunnel in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel connects the village of Eitrheim and the town of Odda at the head of Sørfjorden in Ullensvang Municipality to the village of Austrepo ...
both connect Mauranger with neighboring
Odda Odda () is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located in southeastern Hordaland c ...
and
Jondal Jondal is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1863 until its dissolution in 2020 when it became part of Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located on the Folgefonna peninsula ...
by cutting through the large mountains surrounding Mauranger. The municipality has many large lakes including Blådalsvatnet,
Juklavatnet Juklavatnet is a lake on the border of the municipalities of Kvinnherad and Ullensvang in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies just outside Folgefonna National Park and immediately to the west of the Nordre Folgefonna glacier. The only road a ...
, and Onarheimsvatnet. Many of these lakes are utilized for hydroelectric power generation.


Tourism and places of interest

Kvinnherad is a popular
tourist Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
location because of its natural landscape as well as several places of interest. The most notable of which include
Kvinnherad Church Kvinnherad Church ( no, Kvinnherad kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Rosendal. It is the church for the Rosendal parish which is part of the ...
, the
Bondhusbreen The Bondhusbreen is a glacier in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The glacier is an offshoot of the vast Folgefonna glacier, and it lies inside the Folgefonna National Park. The glacier has a length of around and a height di ...
glacier, the shipping mural in
Høylandsbygd Høylandsbygd is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the eastern part of the island of Halsnøya. It is one of the largest urban areas on the island, just after Sæbøvik and Eidsvik. Whil ...
, and
Radiohola Radiohòla (literal: ''the radio cave'') is a natural shelter used by the Norwegian resistance during the Second World War. It served as a hiding place for a radio that brought news from the British, during a time of which radios were banned and the ...
. Rosendal, the
administrative centre An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located. In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...
of the municipality, is the site of the greatest tourist attraction in Kvinnherad: the
Barony Rosendal Barony Rosendal (Norwegian: ''Baroniet Rosendal'') is a historic estate and manor house situated in Kvinnherad in Hordaland county, Norway. The barony was built in the 17nth century by danish noblemen on the old estate of Norwegian noble Galte f ...
. The Barony is the only one of its kind in Norway. It is a museum, which offers valuable information about the Union with Denmark, an important period of Norwegian history. It was one of the locations of the 1958 film "The Vikings" starring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and Ernest Borgnine. Many of the citizens of Kvinnherad/Hardanger, Norway were used as extras.


Media gallery

File:Rosendal kirke.jpg,
Kvinnherad Church Kvinnherad Church ( no, Kvinnherad kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Rosendal. It is the church for the Rosendal parish which is part of the ...
in Rosendal File:Rosendal castle west.png, The
Barony Rosendal Barony Rosendal (Norwegian: ''Baroniet Rosendal'') is a historic estate and manor house situated in Kvinnherad in Hordaland county, Norway. The barony was built in the 17nth century by danish noblemen on the old estate of Norwegian noble Galte f ...
File:Husnes.jpg,
Husnes Husnes is the largest village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southern shore of the Hardangerfjorden on the Folgefonna peninsula, about south of the village of Herøysund and immediately nort ...
and the
Hardangerfjord The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountain ...
File:Bondhusbreen.jpg,
Bondhusbreen The Bondhusbreen is a glacier in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The glacier is an offshoot of the vast Folgefonna glacier, and it lies inside the Folgefonna National Park. The glacier has a length of around and a height di ...
glacier File:Hardangerfjord Kvinnherad.JPG, View from Gjermundshamn across the
Hardangerfjord The Hardangerfjord ( en, Hardanger Fjord) is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is located in Vestland county in the Hardanger region. The fjord stretches from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountain ...
, with
Varaldsøy Varaldsøy is an island (and village) in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The island is the largest island in the Hardangerfjorden. Most of the inhabitants live on the southern tip of the island in the village of Vara ...
island and
Folgefonna Folgefonna is a collective term for three plateau glaciers in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. They are located on the Folgefonna peninsula in the municipalities of Ullensvang, Kvinnherad, and Etne. The three glaciers are: * Nord ...
glacier


References


External links


Municipal fact sheet
from
Statistics Norway Statistics Norway ( no, Statistisk sentralbyrå, abbreviated to ''SSB'') 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 yea ...
* http://www.kvinnherad.kommune.no * http://www.baroniet.uio.no
Kvinnheradguiden.no

Kvinnheringen.no

Grenda.no

Innsida.no

Husnes Ungdomsskule
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Municipalities of Vestland 1838 establishments in Norway