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is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of
Sunnfjord Sunnfjord ( en, the southern fjord - in contrast to Nordfjord) is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Vestland county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, the southernmost parts of Kinn, Sunnfjord, and the souther ...
. 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 ...
is the village of Askvoll. Other villages in the municipality include Holmedal,
Kvammen Kvammen is a small village located on the south side of the Førdefjorden in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located about north of the village of Dale and about northeast of the municipal center of Askvoll. The town of ...
, and
Stongfjorden Stongfjorden is a village in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the head of the Stongfjord, about northeast of the village of Askvoll and about southwest of the village of Kvammen. The village is an ind ...
. The most important industries in Askvoll today are ''Helle Knivfabrikk'' (a knife factory), ''Bulandet Fiskeindustri'' (fish industry), and ''Sigurd Løkeland Hermetikkfabrikk'' (a producer of
crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all the ...
s). The municipality is the 255th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Askvoll is the 227th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,951. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 2% over the previous 10-year period. The municipality stretches from the Bulandet islands in the west and Sunnfjord Municipality in east. The highest peak is the high mountain Blegja. Alden Mountain (known as the "Norwegian Horse") is located on the island of Alden in Askvoll. It rises almost vertically out of the sea to a height of above sea level and is visible from more than out at sea. 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-administrative ...
formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Askvoll be closed.


General information

Askvoll 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). The original municipality was identical to the Askvoll parish ''(
prestegjeld A ''prestegjeld'' was a geographic and administrative area within the Church of Norway (''Den Norske Kirke'') roughly equivalent to a parish. This traditional designation was in use for centuries to divide the kingdom into ecclesiastical areas tha ...
)'' with the sub-parishes () of Askvoll, Vilnes, Øn, and Hyllestad. In 1862, the two southernmost sub-parishes of Øn and Hyllestad (population: 2,475) were separated from Askvoll and (along with the Bø sub-parish from
Lavik Lavik is a former municipality in the old county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It was located in the western part of the present-day municipality of Høyanger which is in Vestland county. The municipality was mostly on the northern side of the S ...
municipality) formed the new municipality of Hyllestad. This left Askvoll with 2 sub-parishes and a population of 3,065. On 1 January 1888, several farms in the
Hersvikbygda Hersvikbygda is a village in Solund Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern shores of the island of Sula, about north of the municipal centre of Hardbakke. The village is the site of Hersvik Church Hersv ...
area on the northern part of the island of
Sula Sula may refer to: Places Norway * Sula (island), an island in Sula municipality, Møre og Romsdal county * Sula, Møre og Romsdal, a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county * Sula, Solund, an island in Solund municipality, Vestland county * Y ...
and the smaller surrounding islands (population: 317) were transferred from Askvoll municipality to the neighboring municipality of Utvær. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the parts of the municipalities of
Vevring Vevring is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. It encompassed the land surrounding the western part of the Førdefjorden on both the north and sou ...
(population: 407) and Bru (population: 92) that were located south of the Førdefjorden were merged into Askvoll municipality. This gave Askvoll a population of 3,585. On 1 January 1990, Askvoll and Fjaler did a land trade: the Fjaler farms of Vårdal, Holmedal, Rivedal, and part of Hestad (population: 731) were transferred to Askvoll; and the Askvoll farms of Fure, Folkestad, and Våge (population: 482) were transferred to Fjaler.


Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the farm ''Askvoll'' ( non, Askvǫllr), since the first
Askvoll Church Askvoll Church ( no, Askvoll kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Askvoll. It is one of several churches for the Askvoll parish which is part of the ...
was built there. The first element is ''askr'' which means
ash tree ''Fraxinus'' (), commonly called ash, is a genus of flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45–65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous, though a number of subtropical species are evergree ...
and the last element is ''vǫllr'' which means meadow.


Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 5 January 1990. The arms show an old medieval stone cross on a green background. The cross represents the Korssundkrossen, which is connected to several stories of St. Olav.


Local 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 Askvoll. It is part of the Sunnfjord prosti (
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 ...
.


Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Askvoll, 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 Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wiktionary:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physical and menta ...
, senior citizen services, unemployment 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, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor. The municipality falls under the
Sogn og Fjordane District Court Sogn og Fjordane District Court ( no, Sogn og Fjordane tingrett) is a district court (Norway), district court located in Vestland county, Norway. This court is based at two different courthouses which are located in Førde (town), Førde and Sognd ...
and the
Gulating Court of Appeal 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 of Askvoll is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:


Mayor

The mayor of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Ole André Klausen of the
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
was elected mayor in 2017 to finish out the 2015–2019 term after the previous mayor who left the job, because she was elected to parliament in 2017. The mayors of Askvoll (incomplete list): *2017–present: Ole André Klausen ( H) *2011-2017: Frida Melvær (H) *2003-2011: Aud Kari Steinsland ( Ap) *1993-2003: Kjellaug Veivåg Høyvik ( Sp) *1988-1993: Jorunn Ringstad (Sp) *1972-1988: Kåre Ness (Sp)


Geography

Askvoll municipality covers an area of . Of this, are on the mainland while the remaining are made up of islands and
skerries A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. Skerry, skerries, or The Skerries may also refer to: Geography Northern Ireland * Skerries, County Armagh, a townland in County Armagh * Skerry, County Antrim, a ...
along its coastline. To the west, lies the North Sea, to the north is the municipalities of Flora and
Naustdal Naustdal is a former municipality in the old Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Naustdal, which has 1,188 inhabitants (2017). Other village ...
, to the east are the municipalities of Førde and Gaular, and to the south are the municipalities of Fjaler and Solund. The majority of the municipality is on the mainland between the Førdefjorden (in the north) and the Dalsfjorden (in the south). The Bulandet archipelago lies in the westernmost part of the municipality. There are many other islands between Bulandet and the mainland, notably Værlandet, Alden, and
Atløyna Atløyna or Atløy is an island in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. In 2001, there were 480 residents on the island. The island lies about west of the mainland coast, just west of the village of Askvoll on the mainland. The i ...
.
Geita Lighthouse Geita Lighthouse ( no, Geita fyr) is a coastal lighthouse located in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It was first lit in 1897 and it was automated from 1980–1982. It was listed as a protected site in 1999. The tall tower em ...
lies on a very small island off the coast of Askvoll.


Attractions


Birdlife

Askvoll has many seabird reserves within the municipality. Otherwise mainland Askvoll provides habitat that is typical for the region. These however have restrictions, especially during the breeding season. One area that is good for birding is the Askvika nature reserve. This wetland area has a rich bird life with 69 recorded species.


Bulandet

Bulandet is Norway´s westernmost fishing community. Bulandet includes 365 islands and has approximately 270 inhabitants. During the summer, Bulandet is a favourite spot for boaters and tourists staying in cottages and fisherman cabins. The name ''"Bulandet"'' comes from the numerous wharf-side cabins here, known as ''"bu"''. Bulandet are linked together to the neighbour community Værlandet by six bridges and of road. The ''Nordsjøporten'' road is not only important for traffic and communication in the area but also allows for a fantastic journey through the islands.


Værlandet

At the mouth of the fjord, near Alden Mountain, is Værlandet island. Værlandet has a population of approximately 200 people. Fishing and fish farming are the most important industries, but both tourism and the export of high quality stone ( breccia) to Italy are expanding. There is a collection of picturesque small houses on the water's edge in Værøyhamna harbour.


Alden

Also known as the "Norwegian Horse", Alden Mountain is an old and pronounced landmark for sailors along the coast. It rises almost vertically out of the sea to a height of above sea level and is visible from more than out at sea. There is a marked path to the top, accessible using the scheduled boat service from Askvoll.


Blegja

The high Blegja mountain in Askvoll has views from the top, and hikers can see the
Jostedal glacier Jostedal Glacier or is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It is in Vestland county in Western Norway. Jostedalsbreen lies in the municipalities of Luster, Sogndal, Sunnfjord, and Stryn. The highest peak in the area is Lodalskåpa at a ...
to the east and as far as
Snønipa Snønipa is a mountain in Vestland county, Norway. The tall mountain lies on the border of the municipalities of Sunnfjord and Gloppen. It forms a nunatak of the Myklebustbreen Myklebustbreen or Snønipbreen is the seventh largest glacier in ...
and the
Ålfotbreen The Ålfotbreen glacier is located in Vestland county, Norway. The glacier is located on the border of three municipalities in the Nordfjord region: Bremanger, Kinn, and Gloppen. It is located west of the village of Hyen, south of the village ...
glacier in
Bremanger Bremanger is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village of Svelgen is the administrative centre of the municipality. Other villages include Bremanger, Berle, Davik, Isane, Kalvåg, Svelgen, Rugsund, and Ålfoten. Bremanger is the ...
municipality.


Stongfjord Industries

Stongfjord Industries is Norway's oldest aluminium factory, and it is located in the village of
Stongfjorden Stongfjorden is a village in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located at the head of the Stongfjord, about northeast of the village of Askvoll and about southwest of the village of Kvammen. The village is an ind ...
. British Aluminium Company started hydropower plant development in 1906, and produced aluminium from 1908 to 1945. Traces of the English industry are still apparent in the form of private houses, tennis courts, and
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
fields.


Vilnes Church

The
Vilnes Church Vilnes Church ( no, Vilnes kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Vilnes on the south side of the island of Atløyna. It is one of several churches for ...
on the island of
Atløyna Atløyna or Atløy is an island in Askvoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. In 2001, there were 480 residents on the island. The island lies about west of the mainland coast, just west of the village of Askvoll on the mainland. The i ...
is a medieval wooden church constructed in 1674.


Ingólfur Arnarson

The Ingólfur Arnarson statue in Rivedal is a monument to the pioneer spirit in the Dalsfjorden prior to the year 1000. Together with his brother, Ingólfur Arnarson he discovered Iceland, and laid the groundwork for the first Norwegian settlement there.


Notable people

*
Anders Askevold Anders Askevold (25 December 1834 – 22 October 1900) was a Norwegian painter. His art was characterized by romantic national expression. He was best known for his fjord landscapes from Western Norway. Biography Anders Monsen Askevold was ...
(1834 in Askvoll – 1900) a Norwegian painter of landscapes and animal paintings *
Nikolaus Gjelsvik Nikolaus Gjelsvik (11 April 1866 –14 November 1938) was a Norwegian jurist and law professor. He was born at Vevring in Sunnfjord. He served as a professor at the University of Kristiania (now University of Oslo) from 1906. Among his wor ...
(1866 in Vevring – 1938) a Norwegian jurist and law professor *
Arve Furset Arve Eilif Furset (born 5 December 1964 in Askvoll, Western Norway) is a Norwegian composer, jazz musician (piano, keyboards) and music producer, known from a series of record releases and cooperations with the likes of Ernst-Wiggo Sandbakk, Kje ...
(born 1964 in Askvoll) a Norwegian composer, jazz musician (piano, keyboards) and music producer *
Alexander Breidvik Alexander Breidvik (born 17 March 1986) is a retired Norwegian football midfielder. Hailing from Askvoll, he first became known in 2002, when he won a talent contest held by the television channel TV3. He then joined Sogndal Fotball, and got ...
(born 1986 in Askvoll) TV3 talent contest winner and retired Norwegian footballer


References


External links


Municipal fact sheet
from
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 ...

Google map showing Askvoll
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Municipalities of Vestland 1838 establishments in Norway