Seljord is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Telemark in the Counties of Norway, county of Vestfold og Telemark in Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional regions of Upper Telemark and Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Seljord. The parish of ''Siljord'' was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Seljord is famous for its sea serpent, Selma (sea serpent), Selma, who allegedly lives in Seljordsvatnet, Lake Seljord (''Seljordsvatnet''). The yearly Dyrsku'n market, held since 1866, attracts 60–80,000 visitors each year. The large fair started as a show of farm animals. Today it includes a huge market with vendors selling a variety of goods including base layer clothing, Bergans outdoors equipment, crafts, and food. Amusement rides are also featured. Seljord Folkehøgskule is located in Seljord. The school offers a variety of courses including outdoor adventure, theater, music, and art.
Seljord Folk High School

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old ''Seljord'' farm (Old Norse: ''Seljugerði''), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of ''selja'' which means "sallow-tree" or "willow" and the last element is ''gerði'' which means "field (agriculture), field". Prior to 1889, the name was written "Silgjord" or "Sillejord".

Coat-of-arms

The Coat of arms, coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 15 September 1989. The arms show the sea serpent Selma (sea serpent), Selma in a gold-color on a red background.

Notable residents

* Anne Godlid (1773-1863) 19th century Norwegian storyteller * Jacob Andreas Wille (1777–1850) priest, teacher and Mayor of Seljord * Daniel Bremer Juell (1808-1855) Diocese of Hålogaland, Bishop of Tromsø 1849-1855 * Jørund Telnes (1845-1892) farmer, teacher, writer and Mayor of Seljord * Halvor J. Sandsdalen (1911-1998) a writer and folklore collector * Ingebjørg Kasin Sandsdalen (1915-2003) a Norwegian poet * Aslaug Høydal (1916-2007) a Norwegian schoolteacher, novelist, poet and children's writer * Terje Grøstad (1925–2011) a Norwegian painter and illustrator, lived in Flatdal * Hallvard Flatland (born 1957) TV personality * Kim Leine (born 1961) a Danish-Norwegian author * Helga Flatland (born 1984) novelist and children's writer, brought up in Flatdal

Gallery

File:Seljord kirke, minnestøtte for salmedikteren Landstad.jpg, Memorial to Magnus Brostrup Landstad File:Manndal chapel (3862071465).jpg, Manndal chapel File:Åmotsdal church (3836952040).jpg, Åmotsdal church File:Seljord lake.JPG, Lake Seljord (Seljordsvatnet) File:Seljord Boathouse.JPG, Flooded boathouse in Seljord

References

External links

* *
Municipal fact sheet
from Statistics Norway * {{authority control Seljord, Municipalities of Vestfold og Telemark Villages in Vestfold og Telemark