Enebakk

Enebakk is a municipality in Akershus in Viken county, Norway. It is part of the Follo traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kirkebygda.
The parish of ''Enebak'' was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The part of Enebakk lying east of lake Øyeren was transferred to Fet municipality in 1962.

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old ''Enebakk'' farm (Old Norse: ''Ignarbakki''), since the first church was built here. The first element is the genitive case of a river name ''Ign'' (the meaning is unknown) and the last element is ''bakki'' which means " river bank". In Norse times the parish was alternatively called ''Ignardalr'' meaning "the valley of (the river) Ign". Prior to 1921, the name was written "Enebak".

Enebakk Church

Enebakk Church (''Enebakk kirke'') dated from 11th-12th century. It is constructed in a rectangular shape. The edifice is of stone and has 280 seats. The present church has since been expanded and undergone major restorations, the latest in 2010. Enebakk church is a medieval era church, with a rectangular nave and finished choir. Portals and corners are quarried sandstone, while the church was constructed by the macadam. The nave and chancel were built in the 1100s, while the west tower was built during the 1200s. The tower was originally higher than now, but was rebuilt around 1520. The ridge turret of the tower roof was built in 1622, and is thus the oldest preserved wooden tower in the country.

The frescoes in the nave were uncovered in the 1960s. They were originally painted in the late 1500s and covered all the walls, but were later painted over after the Reformation. The decoration is done in Renaissance style. In 1608 the church received a new altar with catechism boards, which are an altarpiece without pictures, just text. The altarpiece was later elevated to a picture field showing the Crucifixion. This was done in the 1660s. The baptismal font from the 1100s is of soapstone with Romanesque decoration. The church has two wooden sculptures: a crucifix hanging above the chancel arch and a Madonna both in Gothic style.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 12 December 1986. The arms are based on a drawing in the local church that dates back to the early 17th century. They show four silver crosses on a green background. It is inspired by old mural paintings in the Enebakk church from the Middle Ages. It shows four fourblades. The number four symbolizes the four parts of the municipality (see below).

Media

The newspaper ''Enebakk Avis'' is published in Enebakk.

Geography

Enebakk is divided into four areas, named Flateby (Postcode 1911), Kirkebygda (Postcode 1912), and Ytre Enebakk (Postcode 1914), being closest to Oslo.

The highest point in Enebakk is Vardåsen, situated between the lakes Børtervann and Øyeren, at above sea level.

Enebakk is a mere from the city limits of Oslo, with easy bus-access to the country's capital. As of 2004, there are no train stations in the municipality.

Notable people

* Hans Thoresen (1767 at Degrum - 1840) a Norwegian timber merchant and ship-owner
* Ragnhild Jølsen (1875 on Ekeberg farm – 1908) a Norwegian author about the conflict between old rural society and modern industrial society
* Thorleif Andresen (born 1945 in Enebakk) cyclist, competed at the 1968, 1972 and the 1976 Summer Olympics
* Einar Holstad (born 1950) a politician, mayor of Enebakk 1994–1995
* Heidi Weng (born 1991 in Ytre Enebakk) a Norwegian cross-country skier and fell runner

Sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Enebakk:
* - Hammarö, Värmland County, Sweden

References

External links

*
*
Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway
*
Official website

{{Akershus

Municipalities of Akershus
Municipalities of Viken (county)