Selje (municipality) was 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 the old
Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane (; English: "Sogn and Fjordane") was, up to 1 January 2020, a county in western Norway, when it was merged to become part of Vestland county. Bordering previous counties Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland, the cou ...
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 the ...
and was located in the
traditional district of
Nordfjord
Nordfjord ( en, Northern fjord—in contrast to Sunnfjord) is a traditional district of Norway.
Geography
The region is located in the northern part of Vestland county in Western Norway. It centers on the Nordfjorden and it comprises the muni ...
. The
village of Selje was the
administrative center
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 ...
this municipality. On 1 January 2020 the municipality became part of the new
Stad Municipality
Stad is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality includes much of the northern shore of the Nordfjorden as well as the Stad peninsula. The administrative centre of the ...
in the newly formed
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.
Selje municipality had been located at the northwesternmost part of
Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane (; English: "Sogn and Fjordane") was, up to 1 January 2020, a county in western Norway, when it was merged to become part of Vestland county. Bordering previous counties Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland, the cou ...
county. Most of the municipality was located on and around the
Stadlandet peninsula as well as some small surrounding islands such as
Selja and
Barmøya
Barmøya or Barmen is a small island in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies just off the mainland between the Stad peninsula and the island of Vågsøy
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane ...
.
At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the municipality was the 317th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Selje was the 279th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,757. Its
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...
was and its population had decreased by 4% over the prior decade.
Selje was one of the first three
Episcopal sees in
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 the ...
(
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
,
Nidaros, and Selje). After the
diocese
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associa ...
was moved to
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 o ...
,
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
s took over the church in Selje, which was later destroyed by
pirates in 1536. The municipality of Selje was also home to the
Selje Abbey
Selja Abbey (''Selja kloster'') was a Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja in the municipality of Stad, Vestland, Norway. The island of Selja, which has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø, is located 15 minutes by boat fro ...
, a former
Benedictine monastery
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, found ...
located on the island of
Selja. Ruins of the abbey and church can still be seen on the island.
General information
![Flatraket](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Flatraket.jpg)
Selje was established as 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 ...
on 1 January 1838 (see
formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the historic Selje ''
prestegjeld
A ''prestegjeld'' was a geographic and administrative area within the Church of Norway (''Den Norske Kirke'') roughly equivalent to a parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a di ...
'' with the sub-parishes () of Hove and
Vågsøy
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center was the town Måløy. Other population centers in Vågsøy included ...
. The municipality originally included all of the
Stadlandet peninsula, the
island of Vågsøy and the mainland area north of the mouth of the
Nordfjorden.
On 1 January 1910, the southwestern district of Vågsøy was separated from Selje to form two new municipalities:
Nord-Vågsøy and
Sør-Vågsøy. The sub-parish of Hove was renamed ''Selje'' at the same time. After the separation, Selje had a population of 3,367 residents.
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 1964, the municipalities of
Nord-Vågsøy and
Sør-Vågsøy as well as a small part of southern Selje municipality were merged to form the new
Vågsøy Municipality
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center was the town Måløy. Other population centers in Vågsøy included ...
. The parts of Selje involved were the island of
Silda, the Hagevik-Osmundsvåg area, and the farms of Sørpollen and Straumen.
There were 344 residents in those areas that were moved out of Selje.
On 1 January 2020, Selje was dissolved as a municipality and it was merged with the neighboring municipality of
Eid and the
Bryggja
Bryggja is a village in southwestern part of Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the mainland, along the northern shore of the Nordfjorden. The village is located about east of the urban areas of Måløy– Dekn ...
-Totland area of
Vågsøy
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center was the town Måløy. Other population centers in Vågsøy included ...
and they formed the new
Stad Municipality
Stad is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality includes much of the northern shore of the Nordfjorden as well as the Stad peninsula. The administrative centre of the ...
.
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the small island of
Selja, since the first
Selje Church
Selje Church ( no, Selje kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Selje. It is the church for the Selje parish which is part of the Nordfjord prosti ( de ...
was built there. The meaning of the name is unknown. Prior to 1889, the name was written ''Selø'' or ''Selløe''.
Coat of arms
![Selje komm](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Selje_komm.svg)
The
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
was granted on 5 April 1991. They are blue and silver, showing the upper half of a woman with raised arms and crown. The woman is a depiction of
Saint Sunniva
Saint Sunniva (10th century; Old Norse ''Sunnifa'', from Old English ''Sunngifu'') is the patron saint of the Norwegian Church of Norway Diocese of Bjørgvin, as well as all of Western Norway.
Sunniva was venerated alongside her brother Alban, w ...
, the royal Irish missionary who died as a martyr on the island of
Selja while trying to convert he locals to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
. Later, the
Selje Abbey
Selja Abbey (''Selja kloster'') was a Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja in the municipality of Stad, Vestland, Norway. The island of Selja, which has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø, is located 15 minutes by boat fro ...
was built on the spot where she died. She was later named the
patron saint
A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...
of the Norwegian
Diocese of Bjørgvin and all 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 ...
.
Churches
The
Church of Norway has three parishes () within the municipality of Selje. It is part of the
Nordfjord prosti
Nordfjord ( en, Northern fjord—in contrast to Sunnfjord) is a traditional district of Norway.
Geography
The region is located in the northern part of Vestland county in Western Norway. It centers on the Nordfjorden and it comprises the mun ...
(
deanery) in the
Diocese of Bjørgvin.
Also, the ruins of the
Selje Abbey
Selja Abbey (''Selja kloster'') was a Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja in the municipality of Stad, Vestland, Norway. The island of Selja, which has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø, is located 15 minutes by boat fro ...
(built in 1100) are located on the island of Selja.
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Selje, are responsible for
primary education (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 during the refere ...
and other
social services,
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 ...
, 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 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 ...
.
The municipality falls under the
Sogn og Fjordane District Court
Sogn og Fjordane District Court ( no, Sogn og Fjordane tingrett) is a district court (Norway), district court located in Vestland county, Norway. This court is based at two different courthouses which are located in Førde (town), Førde and Sognd ...
and the
Gulating Court of Appeal.
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 counc ...
() of Selje was made up of 17 representatives that were 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 featur ...
breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:
Mayor
The
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 ...
''(ordførar)'' of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Stein Robert Osdal of the
Christian People's Party was elected mayor for the 2015–2019 term.
Many previous mayors have later entered national or regional politics: Ottar Nygård,
Julius Fure,
Magne Aarøen,
Åge Starheim
Åge Starheim (born 23 May 1946 in Eid) is a Norwegian politician, formerly for the Progress Party.
He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Sogn og Fjordane in 2005, and represented the Progress Party in parliament for eight years. In 2 ...
, and
Sverre J. Hoddevik.
Geography
![Stadt Hoddevik](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Stadt_Hoddevik.jpg)
Selje is located in the northwesternmost part of
Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane (; English: "Sogn and Fjordane") was, up to 1 January 2020, a county in western Norway, when it was merged to become part of Vestland county. Bordering previous counties Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland, the cou ...
county, in the
Nordfjord
Nordfjord ( en, Northern fjord—in contrast to Sunnfjord) is a traditional district of Norway.
Geography
The region is located in the northern part of Vestland county in Western Norway. It centers on the Nordfjorden and it comprises the muni ...
region. It includes the
Stad peninsula and the islands of
Barmøya
Barmøya or Barmen is a small island in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies just off the mainland between the Stad peninsula and the island of Vågsøy
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane ...
, Venøya, and
Selja. Selje is surrounded by water on three sides. The
Sildagapet bay on the west, the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea, epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the ...
to the north, and the
Vanylvsfjorden
Vanylvsfjorden is a fjord in western Norway, on the border of Vestland and Møre og Romsdal counties. The long fjord runs between the mainland of Vanylven Municipality and the Stad peninsula of Stad Municipality, with the islands of Sande Muni ...
to the northeast. Selje municipality is bordered to the south and west by
Vågsøy Municipality
Vågsøy is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The municipality's administrative center was the town Måløy. Other population centers in Vågsøy included ...
and to the east by
Vanylven
Vanylven is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Møre og Romsdal Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Sunnmøre Districts of Norway, region. The administrative centre is the village of Fiskåbygd. Other villages i ...
and
Sande municipalities (in
Møre og Romsdal county).
Economy
The main industries in the municipality of Selje have been
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
and
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
. These industries are still present in Selje, with the addition of new industries such as
fish breeding,
boat building
Boat building is the design and construction of boats and their systems. This includes at a minimum a hull, with propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other systems as a craft requires.
Construction materials and methods
Wood
Wo ...
, ready-made
clothing
Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...
manufacturing
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to ...
, and
service industries
Service industries are those not directly concerned with the production of physical goods (such as agriculture and manufacturing).
Some service industries, including transportation, wholesale trade and retail trade are part of the supply chain de ...
.
The
Skorge Hydroelectric Power Station is located in the municipality.
Villages and neighborhoods
Villages and neighborhoods in the municipality include
Barmen,
Ervik,
Flatraket
Flatraket is a small village in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located about northeast of the town of Måløy (in Kinn Municipality), about northwest of the village of Håvik, and about southwest of the village ...
,
Hoddevik,
Hoddevika,
Håvik
Håvik is a small village in Stad Municipality, in Vestland county, Norway. Håvik has approximately 35 inhabitants. Håvik has a high mountain at one side and the Nordpollen fjord right on the other side of the little village. Neighbouring villa ...
, and
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 ...
.
Attractions
Selja
On the island of
Selja, a 15-minute boat trip from the village of
Selje
Selje (municipality) was a municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway and was located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Selje was the administrative center this municipality. On 1 January 2020 the municipalit ...
, lie the ruins of the
Selje Abbey
Selja Abbey (''Selja kloster'') was a Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja in the municipality of Stad, Vestland, Norway. The island of Selja, which has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø, is located 15 minutes by boat fro ...
, its tower still intact. The abbey was built by
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monks early in the 12th century in honour of St.
Sunniva. The legend of St. Sunniva who was martyred here lives on. Norway has two male
saints (
St. Olav and
St. Hallvard) and one female one, St. Sunniva, the guardian saint 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 ...
. According to legend, Sunniva, daughter of an
Irish king, fled when her country was conquered by heathens and the new king wanted to marry her. She came ashore on the island of Selja. The St. Sunniva cave where Sunniva is said to have died is a large cavern containing remains of walls and traces of the first church dedicated to the
Archangel
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
.
The island of Selja is also home to the following sites:
*The site of the first
Selje Church
Selje Church ( no, Selje kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Selje. It is the church for the Selje parish which is part of the Nordfjord prosti ( de ...
which was later moved to the mainland. The ruins of St. Sunniva's Church on the site where
Olav Trygvasson built one of the first churches in
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 the ...
.
*The
ruins
Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...
of St. Alban's Church, the
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...
church dedicated to the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
Saint Alban
Saint Alban (; la, Albanus) is venerated as the first-recorded British Christian martyr, for which reason he is considered to be the British protomartyr. Along with fellow Saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three named martyrs rec ...
. The monastery ruins are still used for church ceremonies such as
masses and
wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
s.
*Several
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
graves and the remains of an
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
long house
A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America.
Many were built from timber and often rep ...
have also been found on the south side of the island.
Vestkapp
The part of Norway's mainland that is farthest west is in Selje. The West Cape ''(Vestkapp)'' is above sea level at the northwestern end of the
Stad peninsula. It is a precipitous rocky
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...
, almost flat on top, that drops steeply down to the sea. In good weather, there is a panoramic view in all directions. It is immediately north of the village of Ervik.
Ervik
Ervik is located by the ocean near the West Cape at the end of the Stad peninsula. The
Ervik Church
Ervik Church ( no, Ervik kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ervika at the northern end of the Stadlandet peninsula. It is the church for the Ervik ...
is located here in memory of those who died when the coastal express
ship
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...
''Sanct Svithun'' was wrecked here after being mistakenly bombed in 1943 by Canadian planes. Ervik has a fine sandy
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc sh ...
which is popular for
surfing, and a river rich in
trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salm ...
and
salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family Salmonidae, which are native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (genus ''Salmo'') and North Pacific (genus '' Oncorhy ...
.
See also
*
List of former municipalities of Norway
References
External links
Municipal fact sheetfrom
Statistics Norway Homepage of SeljeIndependent information wiki for SeljePromotional travel guide to Selje and Nordfjord
{{authority control
Stad, Norway
Former municipalities of Norway
1838 establishments in Norway
2020 disestablishments in Norway