Hemsedal is a municipality in Viken county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hallingdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Trøym. Hemsedal lies on the Norwegian National Road 52 (Rv 52). Hemsedal is located northwest of Oslo and from Bergen. In 1897, Hemsedal was separated from the municipality of Gol to become a municipality of its own.

General information

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was ''Hemsudalr''. The second element is ''dalr'', which means "dale" or "valley"; the first element is usually taken as the

genitive case In grammar, the genitive case (abbreviated ) is the grammatical case that marks a word, usually a noun, as modifying another word, also usually a noun—thus indicating an attributive relationship of one noun to the other noun. A genitive can al ...

of the river name ''Hemsa'' (now Hemsil) of unknown derivation, although

Sophus Bugge Elseus Sophus Bugge (5 January 1833 – 8 July 1907) was a Norwegian philologist and linguist. His scholarly work was directed to the study of runic inscriptions and Norse philology. Bugge is best known for his theories and his work on the runic ...

believed that it might derive from the Old Norse ''hemsa'', ''hefnsa'' or ''hofn'', meaning "going to pasture". The Norwegian word ''hems'' ("bed built in a small loft room") is named after the valley of Hemsedal.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. The arms were granted on 2 October 1992 and were designed by Stein Davidsen. The arms show a gold

lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, Ontar ...

head on a red background.

History

Early history

Hemsedal stave church (''Hemsedal stavkyrkje'') is believed to have been built between 1207 and 1224, and is first mentioned, as ''Ecclesia Aamsodal'', in the accounts and diaries of the Papal

nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...

s sent to Scandinavia to collect tithes in 1282–1324. In 1327 it was also mentioned under the name ''Skodvinar Kirkja i Hemsudali''; this refers to alternate names of the farm where it stood, ''Kyrkjebøen'': ''Skodvin'' and ''Skadengård''. The church was dismantled in 1882. Hemsedal Church (''Hemsedal kyrkje'') was built during 1882 as a replacement for Hemsedal stave church. It was constructed of wood on the basis of plans by architect Johannes Henrik Nissen. It has 500 seats. The organ was built in 1888 by Olsen & Jørgensens orgelfabrikk and was restored in 1976. The church is associated with the Hallingdal deanery of the Diocese of Tunsberg. Hemsedal's economy has traditionally been based on agriculture. The valley had small and medium-sized farms that were widely scattered on the valley bottom on both sides of the river and along the slopes. Because of the high altitude, farming has concentrated for the most part on livestock and dairy, and use of summer

shieling A shieling is a hut or collection of huts on a seasonal pasture high in the hills, once common in wild or sparsely populated places in Scotland. Usually rectangular with a doorway on the south side and few or no windows, they were often cons ...

s has been important for the farms, which could not find sufficient pasturage in the valley bottom. Most therefore had milking stations on the shielings. In the 1647

cadastre A cadastre or cadaster is a comprehensive recording of the real estate or real property's metes and bounds, metes-and-bounds of a country.Jo Henssen, ''Basic Principles of the Main Cadastral Systems in the World,'/ref> Often it is represented gra ...

there was only one farm in Hemsedal large enough to pay full taxes; there were 24 liable for half taxation and 15–16 assessed as disused. In addition, there were a number of enterprises that were not assessed tax. The estimated population was about 400 (the exact number is unknown). Until the mid-19th century, the population increased steadily. In 1845 there were 1,775 people in the village. However, the population declined again over the next 75 years. In 1920 it had fallen to 1,358, before once more starting to increase.

Recent history

Skogstad Hotell was completed in 1905 as the first hotel in the village. Before that, in the latter half of the 19th century, a road had been built through the village with the hope that it would become a major route to Western Norway. However, things changed dramatically with the opening of the

Bergen Railway The Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway ( no, Bergensbanen or nn, Bergensbana), is a long scenic overlook, scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Dr ...

in 1909. Hemsedal once more became a detour, while upper Hallingdal took over as the main route. After the World War II, new places to stay were established in the valley, such as Vangen Pensjonat (inn) at Tuv (1947) and Lykkjaheim Pensjonat (1953). A tourist agency was established in 1939 and in 1952 suggested building a ski lift in Hemsedal, but this did not happen until 1959, when Fossheim Pensjonat created the Tottenheisen, a ski lift behind the inn at Ulsåk, serving the first piste in the village, Tottenløypa. However, this lift was torn down in 1961. Hemsedal Skisenter opened at Holdeskaret in 1961, and a few years later, planning began for tourist development. Over the five years beginning in 1980, a series of new businesses aimed at tourists were established. The first chairlift, Olaheisen, opened in 1983. Tourism has continued to grow in economic significance for Hemsedal. More than half of visitors come from abroad. Hemsedal is now also popular in the summer season, due to opportunities for fishing, hiking, climbing, cycling, golf and other activities.

Geography

The municipality is bordered to the north by Vang and Vestre Slidre (both in Oppland county), to the east by Nord-Aurdal (in Oppland county) and Gol, to the south by

Ål Ål is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in the traditional and electoral district Buskerud in Viken (county), Viken Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Hallingdal. The administ ...

and

Hol Hol is a municipality in Viken county, Norway. Administrative history The area of Hol was separated from the municipality Ål in 1877 to become a separate municipality. In 1937 a part of neighboring Uvdal with 220 inhabitants moved to Hol municip ...

, and to the west by Lærdal (in Vestland county). Lakes in the region include

Juklevatnet Juklevatnet is a lake in the municipalities of Hemsedal (in Viken county) and Lærdal (in Vestland county), Norway. It is located east of Borgund in Lærdal, just to the south of the mountain Høgeloft in the Filefjell range. The lake sits at ...

Tourism

One of the first tourists in Hemsedal was the Norwegian polar explorer

Fritjof Nansen Fridtjof Wedel-Jarlsberg Nansen (; 10 October 186113 May 1930) was a Norwegian polymath and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He gained prominence at various points in his life as an explorer, scientist, diplomat, and humanitarian. He led the team t ...

, who visited in 1898 and stayed at the Bjøberg Fjellstue. Today Hemsedal is a popular destination, with Hemsedal Skisenter the main attraction. About 70% of all visitors come in the winter season (December–May) and most of the remaining 30% in the summer months."Hemsedal facts"
Storelia.no Hemsedal Skisenter is the second largest ski resort in Norway, with 44 km slopes. The ski centres in Hemsedal and Grøndalen were bought in 2000 by the Swedish company Sälenstjärnen, which changed its name the following year to SkiStar. Skistar also owns Trysil Ski Centre, Sälen and Åre, Vemedalen and Hammarbybacken in Sweden.

Attractions

Hemsedal Bygdetun Hemsedal Bygdatun is a small museum in Ulsåk in Hemsedal municipality in Viken county, Norway. The museum is a subsidiary of Hallingdal Museum Hallingdal Museum Nesbyen (formerly Hallingdal Folkemuseum) is an open-air museum at Nesbyen within ...

is located at ''Øvre Løkji'' in the village of Ulsåk. ''Øvre Løkji'' is a museum farm from which there are several trails up into the

mountains 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 higher th ...

. Hemsedal's

cross-country Cross country or cross-country may refer to: Places * Cross Country, Baltimore, a neighborhood in northwest Baltimore, Maryland * Cross County Parkway, an east–west parkway in Westchester County, NY * Cross County Shopping Center, a mall in Yo ...

stadium is located at Gravset and is the starting point for a large network of trails to Lykkja and Gol, including of lighted trails. The museum has houses and artifacts from the early 18th century. * Rjukandefossen waterfall is located in the vicinity of the village of Tuv *

Hemsedal Top 20 Hemsedal Top 20 is an organisation of twenty mountains in the Hemsedal fell that preferably can be climbed during the summer time. The twenty peaks are each signposted with the name of the peak and the trail leading to the top is marked with eith ...

offers mountain climbing during summer months.

Notable residents

Josef Monsrud Josef Monsrud (29 May 1922, in Lunner, Oppland – 12 December 2009) was a Norwegian forester and resistance member during World War II. He hailed from Harestua in Lunner. At the age of twenty he joined the resistance Osvald Group. He went throug ...

(1922-2009) was a Norwegian forester and resistance member during World War II. At the age of twenty he joined the resistance

Osvald Group The Osvald Group was a Norwegian organisation that was the most active World War II resistance group in Norway from 1941 to the summer of 1944. Numbering more than 200 members, it committed at least 110 acts of sabotage against Nazi occupying fo ...

. He went through some initial training and was hired as a guard for the strictly illegal

Communist Party of Norway The Communist Party of Norway ( no, Norges Kommunistiske Parti, NKP) is a communist party in Norway. The NKP was formed in 1923, following a split in the Norwegian Labour Party. It was Stalinist from its establishment and, as such, supported t ...

which had a secret base in Hemsedal. *

Kjell Venås Kjell Venås (30 November 1927 – 7 March 2018) was a Norwegian philologist. He was born in Hemsedal, and took his dr.philos. degree in 1967. He spent most of his career at the University of Oslo; as a lecturer from 1970 to 1971 and professor fr ...

( 1927-2018) born in Hemsedal, was a Norwegian philologist. He spent most of his career at the University of Oslo as a lecturer and as a professor (1971 to 1997), specializing in research about the Nynorsk language form. *

Ingrid Wigernæs Ingrid Wigernæs (née Løken; 22 February 1928 – 2 December 2023) was a Norwegian cross country skier who won a silver medal in the 3 × 5 km relay at the 1966 World Championships. She competed in the 5 km and 10 km events at ...

(born in Hemsedal 1928) is a retired Norwegian

cross-country skier 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 ...

who won a silver medal in the 3×5 km relay at the 1966 World Championships. * Sigrun Slapgard (born in Hemsedal 1953) a Norwegian journalist and non-fiction writer. * Erik Wøllo (born in Hemsedal 1961) is a Norwegian composer and musician, guitarist and synthesist. As a solo recording artist, he is most known for his electronic and ambient musical soundscapes. *

Hege Nerland Hege Nerland (27 October 1966 – 12 March 2007) was a Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party. In 2003 she helped found the local party chapter in her native Hemsedal. She worked with organic farming there, and had organizational exper ...

(1966–2007) was a Norwegian politician for the Socialist Left Party. In 2003 she helped found the local party chapter in her native Hemsedal. *

Geir Skeie Geir Skeie (born July 2, 1980, Fitjar) is a Norwegian chef and restaurateur, winner of the 2008 Bocuse d'Or Europe,Aardal Hagen, Guro, ''Dagens Næringsliv'' (July 2, 2008)Norsk gull i Bocuse d’OrHolt, Morten, ''Horecanytt'' (August 15, 2008)Boc ...

(born 1980) is a Norwegian chef and restaurateur, who worked at the Skarsnuten Hotel in Hemsedal. *

Eirik Markegård Eirik Markegård (born 13 February 1984) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a striker for the Norwegian fifth Division side Jardar. He has previously played for Stabæk and Strømsgodset in Tippeligaen as well as Hønefoss, Sandefjord, T ...

(born in Hemsedal 1984) is a Norwegian footballer who plays as a striker for the Norwegian fifth Division side Jardar. *

Erik Solbakken Erik Solbakken (born 17 November 1984 in Hemsedal) is a Norwegian television presenter. Solbakken hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 together with Haddy Jatou N'jie and Nadia Hasnaoui. Career Solbakken trained as a journalist at Volda Uni ...

(born in Hemsedal 1984) is a Norwegian television presenter. Solbakken was one of the hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010.

Sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Hemsedal:

Gallery

File:Hemsedal kommunehus IMG 1379.JPG, Hemsedal Community Office File:Hemsedal bibliotek IMG 1387.JPG, Hemsedal Library File:Skogshorn.jpg, Skogshorn in winter File:SkogshornBuskerudSummer.jpg, Skogshorn in Summer File:Tisleifjorden dam.jpg, Tisleifjorden Dam File:Hydnefossen4.jpg, Hydnefossen File:Fausko skysstasjon - flyfoto - norway.jpg, Fausko Skysstasjon

References

External links

Hemsedal kommune websiteHemsedal Skisenter websiteSkogstad Hotell website
{{Authority control Hallingdal Municipalities of Viken (county) Valleys of Viken Villages in Viken (county) Ski areas and resorts in Norway