Ulvik 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
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
,
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 municipality stretches from 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 ...
to the mountains that reach above sea level. 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
Ulvik
Ulvik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to the mountains that reach above sea level. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ulvik. The villages of Osa and ...
. The villages of
Osa and
Finse
Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is centered on Finse Station, a railway station on the Bergen Line. The village sits at an elevation of above s ...
are also located in Ulvik municipality.
The municipality is the 158th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Ulvik is the 331st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 1,051. 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 5.5% over the previous 10-year period.
Of the municipality's total population, nearly half live in the village of
Ulvik
Ulvik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to the mountains that reach above sea level. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ulvik. The villages of Osa and ...
at the end of the
Ulvikafjorden. The vast majority of those who do not live in the village of Ulvik live on the farms surrounding the village or at the end of the
Osa Fjord
The Osa Fjord ( no, Osafjorden) is a branch of the Eid Fjord and the Hardanger Fjord fully located within the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord is long, with a maximum depth of at its mouth, and it runs northeast from i ...
in the village of Osa.
In 2016, the chief of police for
Vestlandet
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-administrati ...
formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Ulvik be closed.
General information
![View of the Ulvik area](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/View_of_the_Ulvik_area.jpg)
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 ''
Graven'' (later spelled "Granvin") 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). This large municipality/parish included two annexes: Ulvik and
Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal popula ...
. On 1 January 1859, Ulvik became the main parish, making Graven and Eidfjord annexes to Ulvik, and the name of the large municipality was changed from Graven to Ulvik.
On 1 May 1891, the western annex of
Graven (population: 1,331) and the southeastern annex of
Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal popula ...
(population: 1,018) were separated from Ulvik to become separate municipalities. This left Ulvik with a much smaller size and 1,410 residents. In 1895, a small area of Eidfjord (population: 3) was transferred to Ulvik.
Name
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old "Ulvik" farm ( non, Ulfvík), since the first
Ulvik Church
Ulvik Church ( no, Ulvik kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Samnanger Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ulvik. It is the church for the Ulvik parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss ...
was built there. The first element is ''ulfr'' means "
wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
", the last element is ''vík'' which means "
cove
A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. Coves usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are o ...
" or "wick".
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 19 December 1986. They are red with a yellow figure shown in the center of the arms. The figure is a traditional design seen in the local folk-art and in local
textiles. The pattern can be traced in local arts as far back as the 16th century, and is similar to the
selburose
In Norwegian knitting, a ''selburose'' () is a knitted rose pattern in the shape of a regular octagram. It is traditionally used for winter clothing such as the Selbu mitten (''selbuvott'') and sweaters ('' lusekofte, lopapeysa'' and '' mariu ...
. This figure is also used in the
bunad
''Bunad'' (, plural: ''bunader''/''bunadar'') is a Norwegian umbrella term encompassing, in its broadest sense, a range of both traditional rural clothes (mostly dating to the 18th and 19th centuries) as well as modern 20th-century folk costume ...
of Ulvik.
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 one parish () within the municipality of Ulvik. It is part of the
Hardanger og Voss prosti
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 l ...
(
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.
Geography
The municipality is situated around the Hardangerfjord's northeastern arms: the
Osa Fjord
The Osa Fjord ( no, Osafjorden) is a branch of the Eid Fjord and the Hardanger Fjord fully located within the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The fjord is long, with a maximum depth of at its mouth, and it runs northeast from i ...
and
Ulvikafjorden, extending far into the
Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda ( en, Hardanger Plateau) is a mountain plateau (Norwegian: ''vidde'') in central southern Norway, covering parts of Vestland, Vestfold og Telemark, and Viken counties. It is the largest plateau of its kind in Europe, with a cold ye ...
plateau. The northernmost part of the
Hardangerjøkulen
Hardangerjøkulen ( en, Hardanger Glacier) is the sixth largest glacier in mainland Norway. It is located in the municipalities of Eidfjord and Ulvik in Vestland county. It is located about northeast of the village of Eidfjord, about south of ...
glacier is in Ulvik. The
Finse
Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is centered on Finse Station, a railway station on the Bergen Line. The village sits at an elevation of above s ...
and
Hallingskeid
Hallingskeid Station ( no, Hallingskeid stasjon) is a train station on the Bergen Line in the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. Located at an elevation of above mean sea level, the station is situated inside a snow shed, snow tu ...
areas lie just south of the
Hallingskarvet National Park
Hallingskarvet National Park ( no, Hallingskarvet nasjonalpark) is a national park in central Norway that was established by the government on 22 December 2006. The park is located in the municipalities of Hol (Viken county), Ulvik and Aurland ...
which partially sits inside Ulvik and includes the
Hallingskarvet
Hallingskarvet is a mountain range in southern Norway stretching from Geilo to Finse in Vestland and Viken counties. The highest point is the tall mountain Folarskardnuten in Hol Municipality in Viken county.
In the north, there is a large damm ...
mountains. The municipality of Ulvik borders the municipalities of
Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Eidfjord, where the majority of the municipal popula ...
,
Ullensvang
Ullensvang is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Hardanger. The administrative centre is the town of Odda. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include Lofthus, Utne, Vikebygd ...
,
Voss
Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, ...
,
Aurland
Aurland () is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located on the south side of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka ...
, and
Hol. Lakes in the region include
Finsevatnet
Finsevatnet is a lake in the municipality of Ulvik in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies just south of the village of Finse where Finse Station on the Bergen Line is located. The Finse Tunnel is located just north of the lake. The southeas ...
and
Flakavatnet. The headwaters of the
Flåmselvi
Flåmselvi or Moldåni is a long river in Vestland county, Norway. The river begins as runoff from the Omnsbreen glacier about northwest of Finse in Ulvik Municipality. The river is known as the Moldåni river in this area. It then flows thro ...
river also lie in Ulvik.
History
After the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden 1905, Ulvik was one of the few municipalities that returned a majority in favour of a
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
rather than a
monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...
in the
national referendum on the issue.
The village of
Ulvik
Ulvik is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The municipality stretches from the Hardangerfjord to the mountains that reach above sea level. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ulvik. The villages of Osa and ...
was nearly totally destroyed on 25 April 1940, during the
German invasion of Norway
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**G ...
, when fighting erupted between a German landing party arriving in boats, and a Norwegian force on land. Most of the village was burned down, and three civilians were killed. An unknown number of German soldiers were also killed in the fighting.
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Ulvik, 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
Hordaland District Court
Hordaland District Court ( no, Hordaland 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 Bergen and Lofthus, Vestland, Lofthus. The co ...
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 Ulvik is made up of 17 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 Ulvik (incomplete list):
*2011–present: Hans Petter Thorbjørnsen (
Ap)
*2007-2011: Mona Haugland Hellesnes (
V)
*1995-2001:
Terje Breivik (V)
*1987-1991:
Lars Sponheim
Lars Sponheim (born 23 May 1957) is a Norwegian politician. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1996 to 2010. He was a member of the Storting from 1993 to 2009, and a government minister from 1997 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2005. He served as Co ...
(V)
Transportation
It takes around two hours to drive from 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 ...
to Ulvik via the
European route E16
European route E16 is the designation of a main west-east road through Northern Ireland, Scotland, Norway and Sweden, from Derry to Gävle, via Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, previously by ferry to Bergen, Voss, through the Gudvanga Tunnel and th ...
highway to
Vossevangen
Vossevangen or Voss is the administrative centre of Voss municipality in Vestland county, Norway.
Location
The village lies on the northeastern shore of the lake Vangsvatnet in the central part of the municipality, about east of the city of Ber ...
and then taking
Norwegian National Road 13
National Road 13 ( no, Riksvei 13, ) is a national road which runs from the town of Stavanger in Rogaland county to the village of Sogndalsfjøra in Vestland county. The route is long and runs south–north through Rogaland and Vestland count ...
through the
Vallavik Tunnel
The Vallavik Tunnel ( no, Vallaviktunnelen) is a road tunnel in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel begins on the north edge of the village of Eide in the municipality of Voss and runs to the southeast, ending at the small farm of Vallaviki in the ...
to Ulvik. The Norwegian National Road 13 continues through Ulvik before crossing the
Hardanger Bridge
The Hardanger Bridge ( no, Hardangerbrua) is a suspension bridge across the Eidfjorden branch off of the main Hardangerfjorden in Vestland county, Norway. The bridge connects the municipalities of Ullensvang and Ulvik. It replaced a ferry con ...
which goes over 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 ...
. The nearest airport is
Bergen Flesland Airport in Bergen.
The
Bergen Line
The Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway ( no, Bergensbanen or nn, Bergensbana), is a long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, ...
runs through the northern part of Ulvik. It runs through a region that has no road access, but is a popular with hiking and sports enthusiasts. The
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
at
Finse
Finse is a mountain village area on the shore of the lake Finsevatnet in Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is centered on Finse Station, a railway station on the Bergen Line. The village sits at an elevation of above s ...
on the
Bergen Line
The Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway ( no, Bergensbanen or nn, Bergensbana), is a long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, ...
at an elevation of is the highest station on the
Norwegian railway system
The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,109 km of (standard gauge) track of which 2,644 km is electrified and 274 km double track. There are 697 tunnels and 2,760 bridges.
The Norwegian Railway Directorate manages the railw ...
. The
Finse Tunnel
The Finse Tunnel ( no, Finsetunnelen) is a railway tunnel west of the village of Finse in Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel is part of the Bergen Line between the cities of Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest tunnel on ...
just outside Finse is one of the longest railway tunnels in Norway. The
Rallarvegen
Rallarvegen ( en, The Navvy Road) is a construction/access road in central Norway that is now popular as a recreation trail for bicyclists. It was built from 1902 to 1904 in connection with the construction of the Bergen Line. The road is mainta ...
"road" is an historic road that follows the Bergen Line through Ulvik. It is a popular biking and hiking route. Ulvik is also visited in the summer by numerous foreign
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...
s who travel along the fjord.
Famous residents
![OlavHHaugeCa1940](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/OlavHHaugeCa1940.jpg)
*
Catharine Hermine Kølle (1788–1859) Norwegian adventurer, writer and artist; lived in Ulvik from 1807
*
Lars Osa
Lars Osa (13 August 1860 – 9 February 1958) was a Norwegian artist. He also worked with church decoration and restoration and was a noted fiddle player.
Biography
Lars Andersen was born in the village of Ulvik in Ulvik municipality in Hordalan ...
(1860 in Ulvik – 1958) artist, worked on church restorations and noted fiddle player
*
Olav H. Hauge
Olav Håkonson Hauge (18 August 1908 – 23 May 1994) was a Norwegian horticulturist, translator and poet.
Biography
Hauge was born at the village of Ulvik in Hordaland, Norway. His parents Håkon Hauge (1877-1954) and Katrina Hakestad (1873-19 ...
(1908 in Ulvik – 1994) a Norwegian horticulturist, translator and poet
*
Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa
Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa (3 May 1910 2 February 1990) was a Norwegian fiddler and traditional folk musician. He was one of the best known Norwegian performers of folk music in the 1900s.
Personal life
Osa was born in Ulvik, Hardanger as the son of ...
(1910 in Ulvik – 1990) a Norwegian fiddler and traditional folk musician
*
Gunnar Hjeltnes
Gunnar Hjeltnes (December 25, 1922 – November 7, 2013) was a Norwegian alpine skier. He was born in Ulvik. He participated at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norwa ...
(1922 in Ulvik – 2013) an alpine skier, competed at the
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 6. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 6. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Oslo 1952, was a winter multi-sport event held from 14 to 25 February 195 ...
*
Lars Sponheim
Lars Sponheim (born 23 May 1957) is a Norwegian politician. He was leader of the Liberal Party from 1996 to 2010. He was a member of the Storting from 1993 to 2009, and a government minister from 1997 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2005. He served as Co ...
(born 1957) a politician, County Governor of Vestland; Mayor of Ulvik 1988-1991
*
Terje Breivik (born 1965) a Norwegian politician and entrepreneur; Mayor of Ulvik 1995-2001
References
External links
*
*
Municipal fact sheetfrom
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 ...
Municipality websiteUlvik Tourist Office''(available in English/German/Norwegian)''
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022
Municipalities of Vestland
1838 establishments in Norway