Fyresdal 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 ...

Telemark Telemark is a traditional region, a former county, and a current electoral district in southern Norway. In 2020, Telemark merged with the former county of Vestfold to form the county of Vestfold og Telemark. Telemark borders the traditional ...

in the

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 ...

Vestfold og Telemark Vestfold og Telemark (; ) is a county under disestablishment in Norway. The county is the southernmost one of Eastern Norway and consists of two distinct and separate traditional regions: the former counties of Telemark and (most of) Vestfold ...

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 ...

. It is part of the

traditional region Historical regions (or historical areas) are geographical regions which at some point in time had a cultural, ethnic, linguistic or political basis, regardless of latterday borders. They are used as delimitations for studying and analysing social ...

Vest-Telemark The Vest-Telemark traditional district of Norway comprises the upper and western areas of the larger region of Upper Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark. The region consists of six municipalities: Fyresdal, Tokke, Vinje, Nissedal ...

. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Moland. The municipality of ''Moland'' was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). In 1879, the name was changed to ''Fyresdal''.

General information

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 ''Fyrisdalr''. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

''Fyrir'' (now called

Fyresvatn Fyresvatn, or Fyresvatnet, is the fifth-deepest lake in Norway with a depth of . It is located in Fyresdal municipality, part of Vestfold og Telemark county. Fyresvatn belongs to the Arendal watershed, and discharges via the Fyreselv river int ...

). The last element is ''dalr'' which means "

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...

" or "dale". The name of the lake is derived from the word ''fura'' which means "

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...

tree". Prior to 1879, the municipality was called ''Moland''.

Coat-of-arms

The

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 w ...

is from modern times. They were granted in 1992. The arms show two silver-colored

broadaxe A broadaxe is a large (broad)-headed axe. There are two categories of cutting edge on broadaxes, both are used for shaping logs by hewing. On one type, one side is flat, and the other side beveled, a basilled edge, also called a side axe, sing ...

s on a green background. It was chosen to represent the

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

work in the municipality.

History

Fyresdal is known for its many findings from the

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Germ ...

, its mighty Viking graves, heaps of slag, and the former pilgrim church that once stood proudly north of the village centre. People travelled to this church from all over Norway and even from

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. It was said that the stream running behind the church had healing powers. A few miles south of the site where the Heggland Pilgrim Church ( no, Heggland Kyrkje), once stood at ''Molandsmoen'', a stone with

Runic inscriptions A runic inscription is an inscription made in one of the various runic alphabets. They generally contained practical information or memorials instead of magic or mythic stories. The body of runic inscriptions falls into the three categories of E ...

can be found. This is a reminder from the Viking Age when horse battles were held there. Originally, one believes, there were four of them. ''Klokkarhamaren'' is a little

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...

on a peninsula in the municipal centre, and it is the location of a cave called ''Munkhola''. It is believed that a certain number of

monk A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...

s in Medieval times resided, held masses, and sought refuge here.

Economy

Most people in the municipality work in the fields of

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...

industry Industry may refer to: Economics * Industry (economics), a generally categorized branch of economic activity * Industry (manufacturing), a specific branch of economic activity, typically in factories with machinery * The wider industrial sector ...

and

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

. There are not many full-time farmers left in Fyresdal, but many people derive a secondary income from agriculture and forestry. The largest employer in the municipality is Telemark Kildevann which makes bottled water and soft drinks for the national and Swedish markets. There are also a few small high-competence mechanical factories which produce parts for the offshore industry.

Transportation

The Vest-Telemark airport, Fyresdal is located in Moland, with a nearby hotel. This is a joint operation under the name ''Airparc Fyresdal''. Fyresdal has bus connections with the city centres of

Skien Skien () is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county in Norway. In modern times it is regarded as part of the traditional region of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the ...

and

Porsgrunn is a city and municipality in Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Porsgrunn. The municipality of Porsgrunn w ...

in Telemark county; Arendal in Aust-Agder county;

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 ...

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; Haugesund in Rogaland county; and to the capital,

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

. A bus also travels between Fyresdal and

Dalen Dalen (Dutch Low Saxon: ''Daoln'') is a village and a former municipality in the northeastern Netherlands, in the province of Drenthe. Since 1998, Dalen has been part of the municipality of Coevorden. The village was first mentioned in the 12t ...

, the municipal centre of

Tokke Tokke is a municipality in Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dalen. The municipality of Tokke was c ...

, every school day of the year.

Geography

The municipality of Fyresdal consists of several little villages north of the municipal centre, in the main valley of Fyresdal, and on the western and southeastern shores of Fyresvatn (Lake Fyresdal), one of Norway's deepest lakes. The municipal centre of Fyresdal is ''Moland''. This is the location of the municipal assembly, the school, the community house, kindergartens, the home for the elderly, and most of the commercial enterprises in the village. Moland is the most heavily populated aea of Fyresdal. Fyresdal is among the westernmost municipalities in Telemark. It borders the municipalities of

Kviteseid Kviteseid is a municipality in Telemark in the county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Upper Telemark and Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kviteseid. The parish ...

, and

Nissedal Nissedal is a rural 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 centre of the municipality is the village of Treungen. T ...

in Telemark county. It also shares borders with the municipalities of

Åmli Åmli is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional region of Sørlandet. The main population centre and administrative center is the village of Åmli which lies along the river Nidelva. Other villages in Åmli i ...

Bygland Bygland is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Setesdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bygland. Other villages in the municipality include Åraksbø, Austad, ...

, and Valle in Aust-Agder county.

Neighbourhoods in Fyresdal

Attractions

*One of Fyresdal's two churches (''Moland Kyrkje'') and the

vicarage A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage. Function A clergy house is typically ow ...

(''Fyresdal Prestegard'') are located in Moland. According to Telemark

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

, the ''

Troll A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human be ...

of Røykjenes'' moved across the lake because the bells of the Moland church were disturbing its nap. The vicarage is where

Vidkun Quisling Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling (, ; 18 July 1887 – 24 October 1945) was a Norwegian military officer, politician and Nazi collaborator who nominally list of heads of government of Norway, headed the government of Norway during t ...

was born. *Within the administrative center of Moland, one also finds the old village centre, ''Folkestadbyen''. Folkestadbyen is the location of the ''Fyresdal Vertshus'', a Swiss-styled dwelling built in 1890. It has housed and served both food and drinks to locals and travellers for over 100 years. ''Øyskogen'' park, which contains Viking graves and a lot of traditional Telemark houses ''(e.g. lofts and stabburs)'' is also part of the old village. The ''Fyresdal Bygdemuseum'', the village museum, is also located in Øyskogen. Folkestadbyen was named the prettiest town/village centre in Telemark in 2003. *'' Rv 355'' runs straight through the municipality from north to south. ''Hegglandsgrend'', ''Veum'', and ''Hauggrend'' are villages along Rv 355 located north of Moland. Hegglandsgrend is the home of ''Heggland Gamle Kyrkjegard''; Veum is the home of ''Veum Kyrkje''. A ''Rudolf Steiner School'' (an upper secondary level school) was located at ''Foldsæ'' in Hauggrend. This so-called ''friskole'' ("Free school") based on the thoughts and ideas of

Rudolf Steiner Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (27 or 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian occultist, social reformer, architect, esotericist, and claimed clairvoyant. Steiner gained initial recognition at the end of the nineteenth century as ...

was however closed down after few years. In Hauggrend, one also finds the most distinct mountain in Fyresdal, ''Roan''. This peak is above sea level, but not the highest point in the municipality, since the border to Valle passes near the peak of ''Napuren'', at a height of above sea level, some 300 feet higher. *North of Moland, to the west from the main valley we find the little settlements of ''Kleivgrend'', ''Åslandsgrend''. Turning left of the Rv 355 in Hegglandsgrend, one comes to Kleivgrend and Åslandsgrend. Between Kleivgrend and the neighbouring municipality Valle on the western side of the mountains, one finds an old track that priests and bishops used to get between the counties of

Agder Agder is a county (''fylke'') and traditional region in the southern part of Norway. The county was established on 1 January 2020, when the old Vest-Agder and Aust-Agder counties were merged. Since the early 1900s, the term Sørlandet ("south ...

and Telemark. This track is named '' Bispevegen'' ("Bishop's Road") and every year a march called ''Bispevegmarsjen'' ("The Bishop's Road March") starts in Kleivgrend. In Fjellgardane, Germans ran mines in the 16th century at ''Moisesberg''. *On the western shores of Fyresvatn (Lake Fyresdal), to the southwest of Moland, one finds the villages of ''Fardal'', ''Breivik''. Here one finds an old and interesting stone called ''Røykjenessteinen''. In 2005, one also found some

arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...

s in this area that are believed to be 4000–4500 years old. Farther along the country road we find ''Birtedalen'', a popular place for people who set up mountain cabins. *South of Moland, at the southern end of Rv 355 across the scenic and mighty mountain of ''Våmur'' where one can see the lake from up above, one comes to the little village of ''Kilegrend''. In the old days there was no road connecting Kilegrend with the municipal centre. Thus one had to travel by boat. For years the steamboats called ''Teisner'' and ''Fyresdølen'' travelled between Moland and Kilegrend. The latter eventually capsized and sank. The wreck is still visible in Kilegrend. Image:Moland kyrkje.JPG, Moland Church Image:Fyresdal flyplass (tårn).JPG, Fyresdal Airport Image:Veum kyrkje.JPG, Veum Church Image:Fyresvatn.JPG, Fyresvatn (Lake Fyresdal)

Notable natives

Portrett av Vidkun Quisling i sivile klær, ukjent datering

* Petter Veum, (Norwegian Wiki) (1811 in Fyresdal - 1889)

fiddler A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, the ...

* Jon Lauritz Qvisling, (Norwegian Wiki) (1844 in Fyresdal - 1930)

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

and

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

* John Lie, (Norwegian Wiki) (1846 in Fyresdal - 1916)

* Ivar Peterson Tveiten (1850 in Fyresdal – 1934) a Norwegian teacher and politician *

Torgeir Vraa Torgeir Tarjei Olavsson Vraa (16 May 1868 – 21 June 1934) was a Norwegian educator, newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party. Biography He was born on the Rui farm in the parish of Fyresdal in Telemark. Upon graduating from Ask ...

(1868 in Fyresdal – 1934) a Norwegian educator, newspaper editor and politician *

Haakon Lie Haakon Steen Lie (22 September 1905 – 25 May 2009) was a Norwegian politician who served as party secretary for the Norwegian Labour Party from 1945 to 1969. Coming from humble origins, he became involved in the labour movement at an early ag ...

(1884 in Fyresdal – 1970) a Norwegian forester, novelist, poet and children's writer *

(1887 in Fyresdal – 1945) a Norwegian military officer, politician, Nazi collaborator &

traitor Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

* Frode Rui, (Norwegian Wiki) (born 1969 im Fyresdal) a Norwegian

weightlifter Olympic weightlifting, or Olympic-style weightlifting (officially named Weightlifting), is a sport in which athletes compete in lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to overhead, with each athlete trying to successfully lif ...

* Sugar Plum Fairies (formed 2000 in Fyresdal – 2009) a folk and pop band

References

External links

Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway * {{Authority control Municipalities of Vestfold og Telemark