Voss () 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 ...

and a traditional district 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 purposes Chambers 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 the ...

. 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 ...

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 Ber ...

. 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 t ...

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 th ...

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 Vo ...

, Oppheim, Stalheim, and

Vinje Vinje is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Telemark in the Counties of Norway, county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional regions of Upper Telemark and Vest-Telemark. The administrative ...

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: 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 ...

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 o ...

of Voss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt 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 Vestl ...

. 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

. 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

(population 1,573), and most of the municipality of

(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, Neshe ...

.) 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 dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...

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 Vangsvatn ...

. If so, the name probably is derived from the word ''vǫrr'', meaning "wave" or "sea" (''-s'' is a common suffix in old Norwegian place names).

Coat of arms

Voss's

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 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 ...

. 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 has seven parishes () in Voss. It is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti ( deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

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 o ...

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 mountai ...

, the Nazis met stiff Norwegian resistance. In Hardanger, some of the Germans climbed up the mountains from Aalvik; the rest went through

. 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

and

, 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 (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 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 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 counc ...

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 ...

. 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.

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 featur ...

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 (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 ...

, Hamlagrøvatnet, Lønavatnet,

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 ...

, Torfinnsvatnet, and

. In the north, Voss reaches to the Nærøydalen valley, which leads to the Nærøyfjorden. The Stalheimsfossen waterfall near Stalheim sits just above that valley. The

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, w ...

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 partia ...

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 of Earth, atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachut ...

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 'p ...

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, Hangursbanen. 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 (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 (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 f ...

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 (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 (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

20190301 FIS NWSC Seefeld Medal Ceremony 850 6079 Sjur Røthe

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 (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

* Hilde Synnøve Lid (born 1971) a freestyle skier Olympic medallist * 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

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 (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 time ...

, but also alpine skiing, nordic skiing and freestyle skiing. 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 mean solar tim ...

* Eirik Kvalfoss,

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 ...

(

, sprint) * Kristen Skjeldal,

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, relay) * Hilde Synnøve Lid,

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, moguls) * Egil Gjelland,
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 time ...
, 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 ...
(
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 fina ...
, K90)

Public Servants & TV
* Jens Gran Gleditsch (1860–1931) theologian and Bishop of Nidaros * Johannes Lid (1886–1971) a Norwegian botanist * Lars Leiro (1914–2005) a Norwegian politician, former Transport Minister * Svein Blindheim (1916–2013) a military officer, known for his resistance work * Jon Lilletun (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 (born 1969) a TV and radio presenter, comedian, actor and chat-show host * Guri Solberg (born 1976) TV host at TV2

Norwegian-Americans
Like the rest 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 ...
, Voss saw large-scale emigration, particularly to the United States, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. * Elling Eielsen (1804–1883) the first Lutheran Church leader in the USA * Iver Lawson (1821–1871) a real estate investor and newspaper publisher * John Anderson (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 (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. ...
1893-1895 * Canute R. Matson (1843–1903) Sheriff of
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 2 ...
*
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 (1882–1968) chairman of
Texaco Texaco, Inc. ("The Texas Company") is an American oil brand owned and operated by Chevron Corporation. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owned the Havoline motor oil brand. Texaco was an independent company unt ...
* Knute Rockne (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 wi ...
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 Ber ...
* Lars Fletre (1904–1977) a designer and sculptor

Science
* Aad Knutsson Gjelle (1768–1840), cartographer

References

External links

Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway
Vossestrand

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