Kvinnherad is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland, along the Hardangerfjorden. The municipality was the 5th in size in former Hordaland county. 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 ...

of the municipality is the village of Rosendal. The largest village is Husnes, with about 6,000 people living in or near the village. Other villages include Ænes,

Åkra Åkra is a former municipality in the traditional district of Haugaland in Rogaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1892 until 1965 and it encompassed the central part of the western coast of the island of Karmøy. The administ ...

, Dimmelsvik, Eidsvik, Hatlestrand,

Herøysund Herøysund is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the southeastern shore of the Hardangerfjorden, about half-way between the villages of Husnes (to the south) and Uskedal (to the north). The ...

, Høylandsbygd, Ølve, Sæbøvik, Sundal, Sunde, Uskedal, and Valen. The municipality is the 104th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Kvinnherad is the 94th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 13,017. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 2.3% over the previous 10-year period. In the southern part of Kvinnherad you will find the typical fjord landscape of western Norway. The areas of Mauranger and Rosendal are said to have about the most beautiful fjord landscape of Hardanger as a whole: narrow fjords, wild water-falls, and the nearby Folgefonna, the third biggest glacier in Norway.

General information

Ænes kirke, Kvinnherad kommune, Hordaland

The parish of ''Qvindherred'' 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). On 1 January 1907, a small area northwest of the villages of Ølve and Husa (population: 67) was transferred from neighboring Tysnes municipality to Kvinnherad. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1965, the following areas were merged into one large municipality of Kvinnherad: *All of

Skånevik Skånevik is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1965. It included the land surrounding both sides of the Skånevikfjord ...

municipality located north of the

Skånevikfjorden Skånevikfjorden is a fjord in Norway. The long fjord runs through Etne and Kvinnherad municipalities in Vestland county and in Vindafjord municipality in Rogaland county. The fjord is fed by several smaller fjords such as the Åkrafjorden, E ...

- Åkrafjorden and west of the

area (population: 1,189) *All of

Fjelberg Fjelberg is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1838 until 1965 when it was dissolved. In 1965, the municipality covered , mostly islands and a small area on the mainland. It encompassed part ...

municipality (population: 2,308) *All of the old Kvinnherad municipality (population: 5,831) *All of Varaldsøy municipality, except for the

Mundheim Mundheim is a small village in the municipality of Kvam in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the southern part of the municipality, along the Hardangerfjorden, just northwest of the island of Varaldsøy. The village sits at the junction ...

area, (population: 511) On 1 January 2013, the southwestern part of the Folgefonna peninsula (south of Kysnesstranda) was transferred from Kvinnherad to the neighboring Jondal municipality. This removed forty residents and of land area from the municipality.

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was ''Kvinnaherað''. The first element may be derived from the word ''tvinnr'' which means "double" (referring to the two rivers running through Rosendal, the

of the municipality). The last element is ''herað'' which means "district" or "municipality". The municipality name has been spelled several ways throughout history. Before 1889, the name was written ''"Quindherred"'', then from 1889 to 1917 it was ''"Kvinnherred"'', and since 1918 it has been spelled ''"Kvinnherad"''.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 18 June 1982. The arms show the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of two blue rivers into one on a white or silver background. The rivers symbolize the many

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...

s and rivers in the municipality, especially the Hattebergselvi and the Melselvi, that come together just before they run into the sea at Rosendal.

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 nine parishes () within the municipality of Kvinnherad. It is part of the

Sunnhordland prosti Sunnhordland is a traditional district in the western region of Norway. The district consists of the southern coastal regions of the old Hordaland county (now part of Vestland county). It includes the areas that surround the mouth of the Hardang ...

(

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 ...

Economy

The economy of Kvinnherad is based on the rich water resources within its boundaries. This includes

power production Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For electric utility, utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its Electricity delivery, delivery (Electric power transmi ...

aluminium production Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ...

( Sør-Norge Aluminium), fish farming, shipbuilding (

Eidsvik Skipsbyggeri Eidsvik may refer to: Places * Eidsvik, Vestland, a village in Kvinnherad municipality, Vestland county, Norway * Eidsvik, Møre og Romsdal, a village in Ålesund municipality, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway Other * Eidsvik Skipsbyggeri, a sm ...

Hellesøy Verft Hellesøy Verft is a small shipyard in Kvinnherad, 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 Scandin ...

Bergen Group Halsnøy 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 of ...

), and lifeboat production (

Umoe Schat-Harding Umoe AS is a privately owned company based in Norway. Jens Ulltveit-Moe founded the company in 1984 and it has since grown into one of the largest, privately owned companies in Norway with a market value of approximately NOK 5 billion. In 2010 th ...

, Norsafe,

Eide Marine Tech Parallel ATA (PATA), originally , also known as IDE, is a standard interface designed for IBM PC-compatible computers. It was first developed by Western Digital and Compaq in 1986 for compatible hard drives and CD or DVD drives. The connectio ...

, Noreq). These industries are spread throughout the municipality. Kvinnherad has two local newspapers, ''

Kvinnheringen ''Kvinnheringen'' is a Norwegian regional newspaper for the Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county. In print since 1973, it is currently released bi-weekly with more than 7000 readers and a circulation of 4 400 as of January 2021. Since 2003, t ...

'' and '' Grenda'', as well as a local TV channel, TV Sydvest.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Kvinnherad, 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

Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court Haugaland og Sunnhordland District Court ( no, Haugaland og Sunnhordland tingrett) is a district court located in Vestland and Rogaland counties in Norway. This court is based at two different courthouses which are located in Haugesund and Leir ...

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 Kvinnherad is made up of 35 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:

Mayor

The mayors of Kvinnherad (incomplete list): *2019–present:

Hans Inge Myrvold Hans Inge Myrvold (born 25 January 1985) is a Norwegian politician for the Centre Party. He became a member of Kvinnherad municipal council in 2011, deputy mayor in 2015 and mayor in 2019. He served as a deputy representative to the Parliament ...

( Sp) *2015-2019: Peder Sjo Slettebø ( H) *2007-2015: Synnøve Solbakken ( Ap) *2003-2007: Bjarne Berge ( LL) *1995-2003: Aksel Kloster (Ap)

Notable people

Axel Gyntersberg Axel Gyntersberg (c. 1525 – 1588) was a Norwegian nobleman and feudal overlord. Gyntersberg (also referred to as ''Axel Gyntersberg til Mel'') was the son of Heinrich Güntersberg and Kirsten Lagesdatter Ref. His exact birthplace is not know ...

(ca.1525 – 1588 in Kvinnherad) a Norwegian nobleman and feudal overlord *

Johannes Lauritsson Johannes Lauritsson (c. 1540 – c. 1620) was a wealthy Norwegian landowner. Through marriage, he was associated with the prominent Galte family of Jondal in Hardanger.Handegård, Odd (2008), Vår felles slektshistorie. Hardanger, Sunnhordland ...

(ca.1540 – ca.1620) wealthy Norwegian landowner, lived Valen 1563-1578 *

Axel Rosenkrantz Axel Rosenkrantz (12 December 1670 – 14 November 1723) was a Norwegian landowner and baron. Personal life Axel Rosenkrantz was born in Kvinnherad on 12 December 1670 to baron Ludvig Rosenkrantz and Karen Mowat. He was married to Anne God ...

(1670 in Kvinnherad – 1723) landowner and baron, owned the Barony Rosendal *

Andreas Lavik Andreas Johannessen Lavik (18 August 1854 – 18 December 1918) was a Norwegian revivalist, temperance advocate, magazine editor, farmer, headmaster and politician. Early life and family He was born in Eksingedalen as a son of farmer Johannes ...

(1854–1918) a revivalist, temperance advocate, magazine editor, farmer, headmaster and politician; lived in Kvinnherad from 1885, where he was Mayor for eight years *

Jens Tvedt Jens Tvedt (14 June 1857 – 3 September 1935) was a Norwegian novelist and writer of short stories. He was born in Kvinnherad. He made his literary debut in 1885 with the short story collection ''Inn i Fjordane''. In his stories he often depi ...

(1857 in Kvinnherad – 1935) a Norwegian novelist and writer of short stories *

Gisle Midttun Gisle Midttun (1881–1940) was a Norwegian cultural historian and museologist. He was born in Kvinnherad, and was a brother of philologist Olav Midttun. Midttun was assigned with the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History Norsk Folkemuseum ...

(1881 in Kvinnherad – 1940) a Norwegian cultural historian and museologist *

Olav Midttun Olav Midttun (8 April 1883 – 5 January 1972) was a Norwegian philologist, biographer, magazine editor, and the first national program director of the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). He was born in Mauranger as a son of teacher J ...

(1883 in Mauranger – 1972) a philologist, biographer and magazine editor * Ragnvald Vaage (1889 in Husnes – 1966) a Norwegian poet, novelist and children's writer *

Sigurd Valvatne Sigurd Valvatne (1 May 1913 – 17 December 2004) was a Norwegian naval officer. He was born in Kvinnherad to Arnfinn Valvatne and Kaia Sundnes. He graduated as naval officer in 1937, and further graduated from submarine training in 1939. Duri ...

DSO DSC (born 1913 in Kvinnherad) a naval officer and submariner *

Frank Meidell Falch Frank Meidell Falch (11 August 1920 – 15 December 2013) was a Norwegian media director. He hailed from Kvinnherad. During the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany he was arrested by the Nazi authorities in the end of June 1942. He was imprison ...

(1920 in Kvinnherad – 2013) a Norwegian media director and politician *

Egil Myklebust Egil Myklebust (born 9 June 1942) is a Norwegian businessperson and lawyer. Since 2001 he has been chairman of the board of SAS Group. Born in Kvinnherad, Myklebust took a law degree from the University of Oslo in 1967, before starting work w ...

(born 1942 in Kvinnherad) a businessperson and lawyer, CEO of

SAS Group SAS AB (Scandinavian Airlines System Aktiebolag), trading as SAS Group, is an airline holding company headquartered in the SAS Frösundavik Office Building in Solna Municipality, Sweden. It is the owner of the airlines Scandinavian Airlines and S ...

* Lars Amund Vaage (born 1952 at Sunde) novelist *

Endre Hellestveit Endre Hellestveit (born 7 August 1976 in Rosendal, Norway, Rosendal in Kvinnherad) is a Norway, Norwegian actor. He plays Isachsen in the Varg Veum series of crime films. Education Hellestveit was previously a ski instructor at Gautefall in Tel ...

(born 1976 in Rosendal) a Norwegian actor *

(born 1985) a Norwegian politician, Mayor of Kvinnherad in 2019 *

Erlend Bratland Erlend Bratland (born 27 October 1991 in Husnes, Kvinnherad, Norway) is a Norwegian singer. Best known for winning Norske Talenter 2008, a Norwegian television talent series. Biography Early life Bratland was born to Kjersti Bratland, a nat ...

(born 1991 in Husnes) a Norwegian singer, won Norske Talenter 2008

Geography

The municipality is located along the large Hardangerfjorden, mostly on the southeast side of the fjord on the Folgefonna peninsula, but also a small part on the other side. It includes several notable islands in the fjord including Varaldsøy,

Fjelbergøya Fjelbergøya is an island in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies on the south side of the Hardangerfjorden, between the islands of Borgundøya (to the south) and Halsnøya (to the northeast). These three neighb ...

Borgundøya Borgundøya or Borgundøy is an island in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies in the Hardangerfjorden, immediately south of the island of Fjelbergøya. The island has about 79 residents (in 2017), with about four ...

, and

Halsnøy Halsnøya or Halsnøy is an island in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The island lies between the Hardangerfjorden and Skånevikfjorden. The island has about 2,300 inhabitants (2008) and it is the most populated island in Kv ...

a. The large Folgefonna National Park, which surrounds the Folgefonna glacier, is partially located in Kvinnherad. The northern part of the municipality is often referred to as Mauranger. It is the area surrounding the Maurangsfjorden. The notable Bondhusbreen glacier is located just south of that fjord, near the village of Sundal. The Jondal Tunnel and

Folgefonna Tunnel The Folgefonna Tunnel ( no, Folgefonntunnelen) is a long road tunnel in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel connects the village of Eitrheim and the town of Odda at the head of Sørfjorden in Ullensvang Municipality to the village of Austrepo ...

both connect Mauranger with neighboring

Odda Odda () is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1913 until its dissolution in 2020 when it was merged into Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county. It was located in southeastern Hordaland c ...

and Jondal by cutting through the large mountains surrounding Mauranger. The municipality has many large lakes including

Blådalsvatnet Blådalsvatnet is a glacial lake in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The lake lies just outside the Folgefonna National Park, about north of the village of Indre Matre. The lake is formed by the glacial runoff fro ...

, Juklavatnet, and

Onarheimsvatnet Onarheimsvatnet or Opsangervatnet is a lake in the municipality of Kvinnherad in Vestland county, Norway. The lake is located between the villages of Husnes Husnes is the largest village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. ...

. Many of these lakes are utilized for hydroelectric power generation.

Tourism and places of interest

Kvinnherad is a popular tourist location because of its natural landscape as well as several places of interest. The most notable of which include

Kvinnherad Church Kvinnherad Church ( no, Kvinnherad kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Rosendal. It is the church for the Rosendal parish which is part of the ...

, the Bondhusbreen glacier, the shipping mural in Høylandsbygd, and

Radiohola Radiohòla (literal: ''the radio cave'') is a natural shelter used by the Norwegian resistance during the Second World War. It served as a hiding place for a radio that brought news from the British, during a time of which radios were banned and the ...

. Rosendal, the

of the municipality, is the site of the greatest tourist attraction in Kvinnherad: the Barony Rosendal. The Barony is the only one of its kind in Norway. It is a museum, which offers valuable information about the Union with Denmark, an important period of Norwegian history. It was one of the locations of the 1958 film "The Vikings" starring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and Ernest Borgnine. Many of the citizens of Kvinnherad/Hardanger, Norway were used as extras.

Media gallery

File:Rosendal kirke.jpg,

in Rosendal File:Rosendal castle west.png, The Barony Rosendal File:Husnes.jpg, Husnes and the Hardangerfjord File:Bondhusbreen.jpg, Bondhusbreen glacier File:Hardangerfjord Kvinnherad.JPG, View from

Gjermundshamn Hatlestrand is a village in Kvinnherad municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Hardangerfjorden, northeast of the villages of Husa and Ølve. The village has a ferry port called ''Gjermundshamn'', which has r ...

across the Hardangerfjord, with Varaldsøy island and Folgefonna glacier

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 ...

* http://www.kvinnherad.kommune.no * http://www.baroniet.uio.no
Kvinnheradguiden.no

Kvinnheringen.no

Grenda.no

Innsida.no

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