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 ...
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
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
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or ...
of the municipality is the village of
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 Berg ...
. Other villages include
Bolstadøyri
Bolstadøyri is a village in Voss municipality, Vestland county, Norway. The village lies at the mouth of the river Bolstadelvi, where it meets the Bolstadfjorden. The village lies about west of the village of Evanger and about northeast of th ...
,
Borstrondi
Borstrondi or Skulestadmoen is a village in Voss municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located about north of the municipal centre, Vossevangen. The village has a population (2019) of 1,456 and a population density
Population density ...
,
Evanger
Evanger is a former municipality in the Voss district of the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1885 until 1964 when it was dissolved and its lands split between two municipalities. The municipality included the eas ...
,
Kvitheim
Kvitheim is a small, rural village in Voss municipality, Norway. Kvitheim is located north of the municipal centre, Vossevangen. The village of Borstrondi lies just across the lake Melsvatnet to the west. Norwegian County Road 309 runs through the ...
,
Mjølfjell
Mjølfjell is a village area located in the eastern part of the Raundalen valley in the municipality of Voss in Vestland county, Norway. Mjølfjell is served by the train station on the Bergen Line, Mjølfjell Station, both local trains from Voss ...
Vinje
Vinje is a municipality in Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the traditional regions of Upper Telemark and Vest-Telemark. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Åmot.
General inform ...
.
The municipality is the 35th largest by area of Norway's 356 municipalities. Voss is Norway's 77th most populous municipality, with a population of 15,875. Its
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 increased by 6.5% over the last 10 years.
Municipal history
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 Voss 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 1867, a small area in northern Voss (population 28) was transferred to the municipality of
Hosanger
Hosanger is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The municipality was located in what is now parts of Alver Municipality and Osterøy Municipality in Vest ...
. On 1 January 1868, the municipality's northern district (population 2,009) was separated to form the new municipality of
Vossestrand
Vossestrand is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1868 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Voss. The municipality was cen ...
. This left 7,592 residents in Voss. On 21 August 1868, an unpopulated area of northern Voss was transferred to Vossestrand. On 1 January 1885, the western district of Voss (population 2,045) was separated to form the new municipality of
Evanger
Evanger is a former municipality in the Voss district of the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1885 until 1964 when it was dissolved and its lands split between two municipalities. The municipality included the eas ...
. This left Voss with 5,403 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 municipality of Voss (population 10,575), the municipality of
Vossestrand
Vossestrand is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1868 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Voss. The municipality was cen ...
(population 1,573), and most of the municipality of
Evanger
Evanger is a former municipality in the Voss district of the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1885 until 1964 when it was dissolved and its lands split between two municipalities. The municipality included the eas ...
(population 1,075) were all merged into a new, larger municipality of Voss. (The rest of Evanger was merged into the new municipality of
Vaksdal
is a municipality in the county of Vestland, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordhordland. The administrative centre is the village of Dalekvam. Other villages in Vaksdal include Dalegarden, Flatkvål, Helle, Nesheim, S ...
.)
On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipality of
Granvin
Granvin is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it merged with Voss Municipality. The municipality was located in the traditional district of Hardanger. ...
merged with Voss, creating a larger Voss municipality. Before the merger, it was known as ''Voss kommune'', but afterward it was called ''Voss herad'', using the title ''herad'' which Granvin formerly had used.
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 ''Vǫrs'', and this might have been the old name of lake
Vangsvatnet
Vangsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Voss in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies in the central part of the municipality, on the southwestern shore of the municipal centre of Vossevangen. The Vosso River flows through both Vangsvatne ...
. If so, the name probably is derived from the word ''vǫrr'', meaning "wave" or "sea" (''-s'' is a common
suffix
In linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns, adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs. Suffixes can carry ...
in old Norwegian place names).
Coat of arms
Voss's
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 adopted in 2019 for use starting in 2020 after Granvin and Voss merged. The arms were similar to the old arms of
Granvin Municipality
Granvin is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it merged with Voss Municipality. The municipality was located in the traditional district of Hardanger. ...
and used the colors of the old arms of Voss. The arms are red with a white
hardanger fiddle
A Hardanger fiddle ( no, hardingfele) is a traditional stringed instrument considered to be the national instrument of Norway. In modern designs, this type of fiddle is very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings (rather than ...
''(Hardingfele)'', a Norwegian folk instrument. The area has an active folk-music tradition.
The old arms were granted on 8 July 1977. They show a deer on a red background. The arms are based on the seal of Peter, who was the owner of the farm ''Finne'' in Voss, one of the largest farms in
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 ...
during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
. He used a silver deer on a red background as his personal coat of arms in 1303. His son also used a deer on his seals, as did most of their relatives until 1460. The shape and position of the deer varied, but it always was the main figure.
Voss herad.svg, Current arms since 2020
Voss komm.svg, Arms from 1977 to 2019
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 seven parishes () in Voss. 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
The Diocese of Bjørgvin ( no, Bjørgvin bispedømme) is one of the 11 dioceses that make up the Church of Norway. It includes all of the churches located in the county of Vestland in Western Norway. The cathedral city is Bergen, Norway's second ...
.
History
Voss kyrkje.jpg, View of Voss Church
Children's Brass Band (2), Voss.jpg, alt=Local youth perform at the Voss Kulturhus, Local youth perform at th Voss Kulturhus
Voss-girl-photochrom-1900.jpeg, alt=A girl with auburn hair in pigtails poses next to a rude wooden fence. She wears a white ruffled shirt and a long brown dress., A girl of Voss, c. 1900
1940_Bombing_of_Voss,_02.jpg, alt=Fire in Voss after April 1940 bombing., Fire in Voss after April 1940 bombing (Voss church is at far left)
After the Operation Weserübung, German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, Voss was the main point of mobilisation for the
Norwegian Army
The Norwegian Army ( no, Hæren) is the land warfare service branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Army is the oldest of the Norwegian service branches, established as a modern military organization under the command of the King of Norway ...
in the west, since 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 ...
had already fallen on 9 April. From Bergen 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 ...
, the Nazis met stiff Norwegian resistance. In Hardanger, some of the Germans climbed up the mountains from Aalvik; the rest went through
Granvin
Granvin is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 2020 when it merged with Voss Municipality. The municipality was located in the traditional district of Hardanger. ...
. To break down this resistance, the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
bombed Voss on 23 and 24 April, and the surrounding countryside on 25 April. Nine people died in the bombing, which completely destroyed the old wood-built town centre. On 26 April, German forces entered Voss, which remained occupied until 8 May 1945.
In 1964, Voss was enlarged with the incorporation of the neighbouring municipalities
Vossestrand
Vossestrand is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1868 until its dissolution in 1964. It was located in the northern part of the present-day municipality of Voss. The municipality was cen ...
and
Evanger
Evanger is a former municipality in the Voss district of the old Hordaland county in Norway. The municipality existed from 1885 until 1964 when it was dissolved and its lands split between two municipalities. The municipality included the eas ...
, which had until then been separate municipalities within the traditional district also known as Voss.
Government
All municipalities in Norway, including Voss, 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 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,
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 roads. Voss 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 elects 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 ...
. Voss 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
Voss's municipal council is made up of 43 representatives who 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 Voss (incomplete list):
*2011–present: Hans-Erik Ringkjøb ( Ap)
*2007-2011: Gunn Berit Lunde Aarvik (Ap)
*1999-2007: Bjørn Christensen (Ap)
*1992-1999: Ragnhild Skjerveggen ( Sp)
*1984-1991: Peder Vangsnes (Ap)
*1976-1983: Anders S. Ringheim (Sp)
*1972-1975: Nils Mugaas (Ap)
*1964-1971: Lars Nesheim Hovda (Sp)
*1960-1963:
Arne Nilsen
Arne Nilsen (21 January 1924 – 16 April 2020) was a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party. He was Minister of Local Government from 1978 to 1979, as well as Minister of Social Affairs from 1979 to 1981. He was also President of the Odelst ...
(Ap)
Geography and climate
Voss is in the innermost part of Bolstadsfjorden and includes the valleys that head inland from there. Voss has several large lakes:
Evangervatnet
Evangervatnet or Lake Evanger is a lake in Voss Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The Vosso River flows through both Vangsvatnet and Evangervatnet before it empties into Bolstadfjorden by the village of Bolstadøyri. Evangervatnet is na ...
Oppheimsvatnet
Oppheimsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Voss in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies in the northern part of the municipality, about east of the village of Vinje. The European route E16 highway runs along the northern side of the la ...
Vangsvatnet
Vangsvatnet is a lake in the municipality of Voss in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies in the central part of the municipality, on the southwestern shore of the municipal centre of Vossevangen. The Vosso River flows through both Vangsvatne ...
Raundalen
Raundalen ( en, Raun Valley) is a valley in Vestland county, Norway. The long valley stretches from Uppsetedalen in the northwest corner of Ulvik municipality all the way to Urdland in central Voss municipality. The Bergen Line and County Roa ...
valley in the east is the main route of the
Bergensbanen
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, wh ...
railway line, which connects eastern and western Norway.
Voss has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(Dfb in the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
if is used as winter threshold. If the original is used, then Voss will be classified as an oceanic climate (Cfb). The wettest time of year is October - January, and the driest season is April - July. The all-time high temperature is recorded 24 July 2014; the all-time low is recorded 8 January 2010.
Tourism
Voss is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes and fast-flowing whitewater rivers. This has led to its development as a notable center of
ski
A ski is a narrow strip of semi-rigid material worn underfoot to glide over snow. Substantially longer than wide and characteristically employed in pairs, skis are attached to ski boots with ski bindings, with either a free, lockable, or partial ...
ing,
water sports
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a s ...
,
skydiving
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachute or parachutes.
For ...
,
paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a harness or lies supine in a cocoon-like 'po ...
and other adventure sports. Every year in the last week of June the area hosts the Ekstremsportveko (Extreme Sports Week), which is regarded as the world's premier
extreme sports
Action sports, adventure sports or extreme sports are activities perceived as involving a high degree of risk. These activities often involve speed, height, a high level of physical exertion and highly specialized gear. Extreme tourism overl ...
festival. Bømoen, the local airstrip, is home to Skydive Voss, one of the largest dropzones in Norway, as well as a gliding club. The rivers provide various levels of white water, attracting kayaking, rafting and river boarding. Kite surfing and para-bungee may be seen on lake Vangsvatnet. The ski area, to the north of the town, is accessible via a
cable car Cable car most commonly refers to the following cable transportation systems:
* Aerial lift, such as aerial tramways and gondola lifts, in which the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable
** Aerial tramway
** Chairlift
** Gondola lift
*** Bi ...
,
Hangursbanen Hangursbanen was a cableway in Voss, 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. ...
. There is also
chair lift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel wire rope loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs. They ...
access from Bavallen, a short distance northeast of Voss.
The town's proximity to the
Sognefjord
The Sognefjord or Sognefjorden (, en, Sogn Fjord), nicknamed the King of the Fjords ( no, Fjordenes konge), is the largest and deepest fjord in Norway. Located in Vestland county in Western Norway, it stretches inland from the ocean to the smal ...
and its position between Bergen and
Flåm
Flåm is a village in the Flåmsdalen valley which is located at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjorden, a branch of Sognefjorden. The village is located in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. In 2014 its inhabitants numbered 350.
...
on the
scenic railway Scenic railroad (American English) or Scenic railway (British English) may refer to:
* Heritage railways operating leisurely train tours of sights such as mountain scenery, historic areas, and foliage tours
*Scenic gravity railroad, early termin ...
have made it popular with tourists. One of the sights on the road to Flåm is the waterfall Tvindefossen.
The Voss Museum displays several old farmsteads, including a larger-than-life stone statue of Lars O. Kindem. Next to the open-air part, there is a museum with over 20,000 items from traditional farm life.
Bird life
Voss has a wide range of habitats, from high barren mountains to rich fertile valleys. The large areas of coniferous forests provide food and shelter for a host of species, while the many wetland areas are regarded as some of the most interesting birding habitats in the county. There is a bird reserve at Lønaøyane with marked paths and a tower hide. Over 155 species have been seen there. Many are common in Scandinavia, but the area has also produced such unexpected species as the
great egret
The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...
, European hobby, and
woodlark
The woodlark or wood lark (''Lullula arborea'') is the only extant species in the lark genus ''Lullula''. It is found across most of Europe, the Middle East, western Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident (non- migratory) ...
.
Notable residents
The Arts
*
Christiane Schreiber
Edele Christiane Margrethe Schreiber (4 October 1822, Voss - 23 November 1898, Oslo) was a Norwegian painter, known primarily for her portraits.
Biography
Her father Peter August Schreiber (1788-1865) was originally from Roskilde, Denmark and ...
(1822-1898) a Norwegian portrait painter
*
Knud Bergslien
Knud Larsen Bergslien (15 May 1827 – 27 November 1908) was a Norwegian painter, art teacher and master artist. In his art, he frequently portrayed the lives of the Norwegian people, their history and heroes of the past. Bergslien is most associ ...
(1827–1908) painter, art teacher and master artist
*
Ola Mosafinn
Ola Mosafinn (14 July 1828 – 28 December 1912) was a Norwegian Hardanger fiddle player and composer. Mosafinn is regarded among the more important fiddlers in Norway in the late 19th century.
Ola Sjursson was born in Voss in Hordaland Count ...
(1828–1912) a Norwegian
Hardanger fiddle
A Hardanger fiddle ( no, hardingfele) is a traditional stringed instrument considered to be the national instrument of Norway. In modern designs, this type of fiddle is very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings (rather than ...
player and composer
* Brynjulf Bergslien (1830–1898) sculptor
* Nils Bergslien (1853–1928) an illustrator, painter and sculptor
*
Sjur Helgeland
Sjur Larsson Helgeland (19 August 1858 − 12 April 1924) was a Norwegian hardingfele fiddler and composer.
Biography
He was born at Voss in Hordaland, Norway. His parents were Lars Olsson Hirt (1823-1908) and Brita Helgeland (1820-98). He gr ...
(1858−1924) a Norwegian
hardingfele
A Hardanger fiddle ( no, hardingfele) is a traditional stringed instrument considered to be the national instrument of Norway. In modern designs, this type of fiddle is very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings (rather than fo ...
fiddler and composer
*
Lars Tvinde
Lars Tvinde (11 September 1886 – 25 June 1973) was a Norwegian stage and film actor.
Biography
Tvinde was born at Voss in Hordaland, Norway. He was the son of Knut Haldorsen (1843–1927) and Eli Jørgensdotter Leidal (1842–1927).
He attend ...
(1886–1973) a stage and film actor
*
Lars Fletre
Lars Fletre (June 22, 1904 –
September 9, 1977) was a prominent Norwegian-American designer and sculptor.
Biography
Lars Olavson Fletre was born in Vossestrand, Voss, Hordaland, Norway. He was the youngest of seven children born to Ola Odd ...
(1904–1977) a Norwegian-American designer, sculptor and painter
*
Liv Bernhoft Osa
Liv Bernhoft Osa (born 3 March 1957) is a Norwegian actress.
She was born in Voss, a daughter of folk musician Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa. She made her stage debut at Nationaltheatret in 1979, and has since mainly been assigned with this theatre, e ...
(born 1957) a Norwegian actress IMDb Database retrieved 06 September 2020
* Olav Dale (1958–2014) a composer, orchestra leader and jazz saxophonist
*
Kåre Kolve
Kåre Kolve (born 10 August 1964) is a Norwegians, Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), and the older brother of the vibraphonist Ivar Kolve. He is known as bandleader of his own Kåre Kolve Quartet, several album releases and the collaborations ...
(born 1964) &
Ivar Kolve
Ivar Kolve (born 31 March 1967) is a Norwegian jazz musician (xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and percussion), the younger brother of the saxophonist Kåre Kolve, and known from several album releases as soloartist and for collaborations with Ma ...
(born 1967) jazz musicians
* Signe Førre (born 1994) a singer, upright bassist and composer
Athletes
*
Jon Istad
Jon Istad (29 July 1937 – 17 May 2012) was a Norwegian biathlete and sport shooter.
He was born in Voss and represented the club Voss IL. He was the father of Sverre Istad and uncle of Gro Marit Istad, both Olympians.
He competed at the 19 ...
(1937–2012) a biathlete and sport shooter
*
Rune Hauge
Rune Hauge (born 23 April 1954) is a Norwegian football agent. Hauge represented John Jensen and Pål Lydersen during their transfers to Arsenal in the early 1990s. This would lead to Arsenal manager George Graham becoming embroiled in allegatio ...
(born 1954) football agent
*
Odd Lirhus
Odd Lirhus (born 18 September 1956) is a former Norwegian biathlete. At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo he won a silver medal in the relay. He also won a gold medal in the 20 km individual at the 1978 Biathlon World Championship. In ad ...
(born 1956) 1978 World Cup winner in biathlon
*
Gisle Fenne
Gisle Oddvar Fenne (born 9 June 1963) is a former Norwegian biathlete. His best-known international achievement was the silver medal in the 20 km individual in the World Championships 1989 in Feistritz an der Drau. He succeeded in many duel ...
(born 1963) a former World Cup silver medalist in biathlon
*
Trond Egil Soltvedt
Trond Egil Soltvedt (born 15 February 1967) is a Norwegian former footballer who played as a midfielder. After playing for Viking, Brann and Rosenborg in Norway, he played in England with Coventry, Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday before he ...
(born 1967) former footballer with 350 caps and 4 for
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 ...
*
Hilde Synnøve Lid
Hilde Synnøve Lid (born 18 March 1971) is a Norwegian freestyle skier and Olympic medalist. She won a bronze medal in women's aerials at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.Astrid Lødemel (born 1971) a retired alpine skier, 1992 World Cup silver medalist
* Gro Marit Istad Kristiansen (born 1978) 2005 World champion in biathlon
* Jori Mørkve (born 1980) a Norwegian former biathlete
*
Alexander Ødegaard
Alexander Ødegaard (born 13 September 1980) is a Norwegian former footballer. He played four times for the Norwegian national team, scoring one goal, and has played professionally for Sogndal, Rosenborg, Viking and French club Metz.
Career
...
(born 1980) a former footballer, with over 350 caps and 4 for
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 ...
*
Sjur Røthe
Sjur Røthe (born 2 July 1988) is a Norwegian cross-country skier. He is a three-time World champion.
Career
He made his World Cup debut in March 2009 in Trondheim, but did not finish the race, and collected his first World Cup points in Novembe ...
(born 1988) cross-country skier
*
Hilde Fenne
Hilde Fenne (born 12 May 1993) is a Norwegian biathlete.
Career
She took a bronze medal and a silver medal in mixed relay at the 2011 European Youth Winter Olympic Festival, and then two gold medals at the 2012 World Junior Champio ...
(born 1993) a retired biathlete
*
Hedda Hosås
Hedda Hosås (born 2 March 2001) is a rallycross driver from Norway who currently races for JBXE in the Extreme E Championship.
Biography Early career
Having initially started in motocross at the age of 15, Hosås got into car racing a year ...
(born 2001) a rallycross driver
Olympic champions
Voss is a winter sports center and has in recent times been the home of many world-class athletes in several winter sports, most prominently
biathlon
The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not tim ...
, but also
alpine skiing
Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether for ...
,
nordic skiing
Nordic skiing encompasses the various types of skiing in which the toe of the ski boot is fixed to the Ski binding, binding in a manner that allows the heel to rise off the ski, unlike alpine skiing, where the boot is attached to the ski from toe ...
and
freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, Mogul Skiing, moguls, Ski Cross, cross, Half-pipe skiing, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics. It can consist of a ...
. In all, athletes from Voss have won 6 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 7 bronze medals at winter Olympic games. Athletes from Voss have been present, representing Norway, at every winter Olympic games except one since
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games (german: V. Olympische Winterspiele; french: Ves Jeux olympiques d'hiver; it, V Giochi olimpici invernali; rm, V Gieus olimpics d'enviern) and commonly known as St. Moritz ...
, the exception being
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
.
*
Eirik Kvalfoss
Eirik Kvalfoss (born 25 December 1959) is a Norwegian retired biathlete.
Life and career
He won three medals during the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo: gold in the 10 km sprint, silver in relay and bronze in the 20 km individual. In t ...
,
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene: ''XIV. Zimske olimpijske igre''; Cyrillic: XIV Зимске олимпијске игре; mk, XIV Зимски олимписки игр ...
(
biathlon
The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not tim ...
, sprint)
*
Kristen Skjeldal
Kristen Skjeldal (born 27 May 1967) is an Olympic champion and cross-country skier from Norway. He has won three olympic medals: two gold and one bronze. He won his first gold medal in the 4 × 10 km relay at the 1992 Winter Olympics in A ...
,
1992 Winter Olympics
)
, nations = 64
, athletes = 1,801 (1313 men, 488 women)
, events = 57 in 6 sports (12 disciplines)
, opening = 8 February 1992
, closing = 23 February 1992
, opened_by = President François Mitterrand
, cauldron ...
(
cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...
, relay)
*
Hilde Synnøve Lid
Hilde Synnøve Lid (born 18 March 1971) is a Norwegian freestyle skier and Olympic medalist. She won a bronze medal in women's aerials at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...
bronze medal winner in freestyle
*
Jan Einar Thorsen
Jan Einar Thorsen (born August 31, 1966) is a former Norwegian Alpine skier, active between 1987 and 1994.Jan Einar Thorsen
,
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...
, bronze medal winner in downhill
*
Kari Traa
Kari Traa (born 28 January 1974) is a Norwegian former Olympic freestyle skier. She won the Olympic title in the moguls event at the 2002 Winter Olympics, finished second at the 2006 games, and finished third at the 1998 games.
Accomplishmen ...
,
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
(
freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, Mogul Skiing, moguls, Ski Cross, cross, Half-pipe skiing, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics. It can consist of a ...
, moguls)
*
Egil Gjelland
Egil Gjelland (born 12 November 1973) is a former Norwegian biathlete. He is olympic champion in the biathlon relay from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Egil Gjelland grew up in Voss, the home of many world class biathletes, and star ...
,
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
(
biathlon
The biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. It is treated as a race, with contestants skiing through a cross-country trail whose distance is divided into shooting rounds. The shooting rounds are not tim ...
, relay)
*
Lars Bystøl
Lars Kristian Bystøl (born 4 December 1978) is a Norwegian former ski jumper who competed from 2002 to 2008. His career highlights include an individual gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics, one individual World Cup victory, a gold medal in th ...
,
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second t ...
(
ski jumping
Ski jumping is a winter sport in which competitors aim to achieve the farthest jump after sliding down on their skis from a specially designed curved ramp. Along with jump length, competitor's aerial style and other factors also affect the final ...
Nidaros
Nidaros, Niðarós or Niðaróss () was the medieval name of Trondheim when it was the capital of Norway's first Christian kings. It was named for its position at the mouth (Old Norse: ''óss'') of the River Nid (the present-day Nidelva).
Althou ...
Lars Leiro
Lars Leiro (13 April 1914 – 22 March 2005) was a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party.
He was born in Haus.
He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament from Hordaland in 1958, and was re-elected on two occasions. From August to Sept ...
(1914–2005) a Norwegian politician, former Transport Minister
* Svein Blindheim (1916–2013) a military officer, known for his resistance work
*
Jon Lilletun
Jon Lilletun (23 October 1945 – 21 August 2006) was a Norwegian politician active in the Christian Democratic Party.
Background
Lilletun was born in Western Vossestrand, now a part of the municipality of Voss. His father owned a farm and ...
(1945-2006) politician, Minister of Education and Research, 1997-2001
* Gunnstein Akselberg (born 1949) linguist and academic
*
Ingvild Bryn
Ingvild Bryn (born 18 March 1961 in Voss, Hordaland) is a Norwegian journalist. She is a news anchor for the evening news ''Dagsrevyen'', aired on the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
Biography
She started as a news anchor in 1990, was then a ...
(born 1961) a journalist and news anchor for NRK
* Arne Hjeltnes (born 1963) a writer and presenter for TV2
*
Linda Eide
Linda Eide (born 10 February 1969) is a Norwegian television and radio presenter, programme producer, comedian, actor and chat-show host.
Biography
Eide was born in Voss, a town in west Norway where the inhabitants speak a local dialect of ...
(born 1969) a TV and radio presenter, comedian, actor and chat-show host
*
Guri Solberg Guri Solberg (born 15 July 1976) is television host at the Norwegian TV station TV 2.
She was host of ''Absolutt Underholdning'' in 2004-2005, ''Skal vi danse?'' four times in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2013 (on TV 2), and award ceremonies Amanda Award ...
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 ...
, Voss saw large-scale emigration, particularly to the United States, in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
*
Elling Eielsen Elling Eielsen (September 19, 1804 – January 10, 1883) was a Norwegian-American minister and Lutheran Church leader. He was the first Norwegian Lutheran minister in the United States.
Background
Eielsen was born and raised on the farm of Sundve ...
(1804–1883) the first Lutheran Church leader in the USA
* Iver Lawson (1821–1871) a real estate investor and newspaper publisher
*
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to:
Business
*John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland
* John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...
(1836–1910) founder and publisher ''
Skandinaven
''Skandinaven'' was a Norwegian language newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois from 1866 until 1941.
Background
''Skandinaven'' was established by three Norwegian immigrants; John Anderson, Knud Langeland (1813–88), and Iver Lawson ( ...
''
*
Eli Pederson
Eli Pederson (July 26, 1837 – August 17, 1909) was an American farmer and politician.
Born in Voss, Norway, Pederson emigrated with his parents to the United States in 1852 and settled in Racine County, Wisconsin. In 1854, Pederson and his ...
(1837–1909)
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
man
*
Knute Nelson
Knute Nelson (born Knud Evanger; February 2, 1843 – April 28, 1923) was an American attorney and politician active in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A Republican, he served in state and national positions: he was elected to the Wisconsin and Minnesot ...
(1843–1923)
US Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
& 12th
Governor of Minnesota
The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. ...
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
*
Aad J. Vinje
Aad John Vinje (November 10, 1857March 23, 1929) was a Norwegian American immigrant, lawyer, and jurist. He was the 12th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, serving from 1922 until his death in 1929. He previously served 15 years as a ...
(1857–1929) Chief Justice of the
Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin.
Location
The Wi ...
*
Thorstein Himle Thorstein Himle (October 11, 1857 – October 18, 1925) was a Norwegian-born American missionary affiliated with the American Lutheran Hauge Synod Mission to China.
Biography
Thorstein Oddson Himle was born in Voss, in Hordaland county, Norway. ...
(1857–1925) missionary with the Lutheran
Hauge Synod
The Hauge Synod (formally Hauge's Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Synod in America) was the name of a Norwegian Lutheran church body in the United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Background
The Hauge Synod (Norwegian: ) wa ...
*
Ragnvald Nestos
Ragnvald Anderson Nestos (April 12, 1877July 15, 1942) was a Norwegian-American politician who served as the 13th Governor of North Dakota from 1921 to 1925.
Early life
Ragnvold Anderson Nestos was a native of Voss, Norway. He was the son of A ...
(1877–1942) the 13th
Governor of North Dakota
The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of North Dakota and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.
The Constitution of North Dakota specifies that "the executive power is vested in the governor" in Secti ...
1921–1925.
*
Torkild Rieber
Torkild Rieber (March 13, 1882 – August 10, 1968) was a Norwegian immigrant to the United States who became chairman of the Texas Company (Texaco).
Born in a small town in Norway, Rieber became a seaman at the age of 15. By 1904, he was the mas ...
(1882–1968) chairman of
Texaco
Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American Petroleum, oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its Gasoline, fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an Indepe ...
*
Knute Rockne
Knut (Norwegian and Swedish), Knud (Danish), or Knútur (Icelandic) is a Scandinavian, German, and Dutch first name, of which the anglicised form is Canute. In Germany both "Knut" and "Knud" are used. In Spanish and Portuguese Canuto is used whi ...
(1888–1931)
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
er and coach, commemorated by a memorial in
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 Berg ...
*
Lars Fletre
Lars Fletre (June 22, 1904 –
September 9, 1977) was a prominent Norwegian-American designer and sculptor.
Biography
Lars Olavson Fletre was born in Vossestrand, Voss, Hordaland, Norway. He was the youngest of seven children born to Ola Odd ...
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 ...