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Luster is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality ...
in
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, whe ...
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 ...
,
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 t ...
. It is located at the end of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. 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, L ...
is the village of
Gaupne Gaupne is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Gaupnefjorden, an arm of the Lustrafjorden, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of Veitastrond is loc ...
. Other villages in Luster include Fortun, Hafslo, Indre Hafslo, Jostedal, Luster, Nes, Ornes, Skjolden, Solvorn, and Veitastrond. Luster is centered around the inner branch of the Sognefjord, which is called the Lustrafjorden. Its landscape includes fjords, steep mountains, water-abundant waterfalls, blue glaciers, and valleys. Both Jostedalsbreen National Park and Breheimen National Park are partially located in this municipality. The Sognefjellsvegen road goes over a mountain pass in eastern Luster. The municipality is the 17th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Luster is the 177th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 5,246. The municipality's
population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
is and its population has increased by 4.4% during the previous 10-year period. In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Luster be closed.


General information

''Lyster'' was established as a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''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 Janua ...
law). The original municipality was identical to the ''Lyster''
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...
''( prestegjeld)'' with the sub-parishes () of Fortun,
Dale Dale or dales may refer to: Locations * Dale (landform), an open valley * Dale (place name element) Geography ;Australia * The Dales (Christmas Island), in the Indian Ocean ;Canada * Dale, Ontario ;Ethiopia *Dale (woreda), district ;Norway *D ...
, Nes, and
Gaupne Gaupne is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Gaupnefjorden, an arm of the Lustrafjorden, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of Veitastrond is loc ...
. During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the
Schei Committee The Schei Committee ( no, Schei-komitéen) was a committee named by the Government of Norway to look into the organization of municipalities in Norway post-World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWI ...
. On 1 January 1963, the neighboring municipalities of Hafslo and Jostedal were merged with Luster, forming a much larger municipality. After the merger, Luster had 5,854 residents. Since the consolidation of the three municipalities of Hafslo, Jostedal and Luster in 1963, the area has been characterized by scattered rural settlements and large distances between these settlements. Luster was the largest municipality by area in the old Sogn og Fjordane county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became part of the newly created
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, whe ...
county after Sogn og Fjordane and Hordaland counties were merged.


Name

The name (
Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...
''Lústr'') originally belonged to the fjord (now Lustrafjorden). The name is derived from the word ''ljóss'' which means "light" or "bright" - referring to the bright color of the water from the
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...
s. Prior to 1918, the name was written ''Lyster''.


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 it ...
was granted on 20 April 1990. They show a circular silver-colored
tilia ''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Britain and Ireland they ...
twig on a blue background. Although they are newly designed, they are inspired by an old
woodcarving Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentati ...
found in the Urnes Stave Church which is located in Luster.


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 Lutheranism, evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. ...
has eight parishes () within the municipality of Luster. It is part of the Sogn 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 reside ...
) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.


Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Luster, are responsible for primary education (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 Old age refers to ages nearing or surpassing the life expectancy of human beings, and is thus the end of the human life cycle. Terms and euphemisms for people at this age include old people, the elderly (worldwide usage), OAPs (British usag ...
services,
unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refer ...
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 adminis ...
,
zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a s ...
,
economic development In the economics study of the public sector, economic and social development is the process by which the economic well-being and quality of life of a nation, region, local community, or an individual are improved according to targeted goals a ...
, and municipal
road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...
s. The municipality is governed by a
municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
of elected representatives, which in turn elect a
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...
. The municipality falls under the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the
Gulating Court of Appeal The Gulating Court of Appeal ( no, Gulating lagmannsrett) is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Bergen. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Vestland and Rogaland plus Sirdal Munic ...
.


Municipal council

The
municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
of Luster is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the council is as follows:


Mayor

The
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...
of a municipality in Norway is usually a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. The mayors of Luster (incomplete list): *2011–present: Ivar Kvalen ( Sp) *2003-2011: Torodd Urnes ( KrF)


Geography


Location

Luster, one of the largest municipalities in southern Norway, is located in the glacial mountains where the Sognefjorden begins its path to the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...
. The fjord is fed by many large glaciers such as the Harbardsbreen,
Holåbreen Holåbreen is a glacier in the municipalities Skjåk (in Innlandet county) and Luster (in Vestland county) in Norway. Located in the mountain range Breheimen, it has a total area of about . The glacier lies between the mountains Gjelhøi and H ...
,
Jostedalsbreen 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 ...
, Nigardsbreen, Spørteggbreen, and others. It is bordered by four municipalities in
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, whe ...
county: Stryn to the north, Sunnfjord to the west, Sogndal to the southwest, and
Ã…rdal Ã…rdal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Ã…rdalsfjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Ã…rdalstangen is the administrative center of the municipality. The other main village is ...
to the southeast. It is also bordered by three municipalities in
Innlandet Innlandet is a county in Norway. It was created on 1 January 2020 with the merger of the old counties of Oppland and Hedmark (the municipalities of Jevnaker and Lunner were transferred to the neighboring county of Viken on the same date). The n ...
county: Skjåk to the northeast and by Lom and Vang to the east.


Feigumfoss waterfall

With a vertical drop of , the Feigumfoss Waterfall is one of the highest in
Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
.


Mountains

The Hurrungane, Breheimen, and Jotunheimen mountains cover parts of the municipality.
Store Skagastølstind Store Skagastølstind (also known as Storen) is the third highest peak in Norway. It is situated on the border between the municipality of Luster and Årdal in Vestland county, Norway. The mountain is part of the Hurrungane range. The mount ...
(or Storen) is the third highest mountain peak in
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 t ...
at high, and it is located on the southern border of Luster and
Ã…rdal Ã…rdal is a municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located at the end of the Ã…rdalsfjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Ã…rdalstangen is the administrative center of the municipality. The other main village is ...
. It is part of the Hurrungane mountain range which contains some of the most alpine peaks in Norway.


Lakes and Rivers

There are notable lakes such as Veitastrondsvatnet, Austdalsvatnet, Styggevatnet, Tunsbergdalvatnet, Prestesteinsvatnet, and Hafslovatnet. There are also many big waterfalls such as the ''Feigumfoss'' waterfall at tall. The river Jostedøla runs through the Jostedal valley and empties into the fjord at Gaupne.


Glaciers

The
Jostedalsbreen 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 ...
glacier (including the arm called Nigardsbreen) is the biggest
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...
in continental
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 enti ...
, the highest point on it is Høgste Breakulen. It is located west of Jostedal, north of
Gaupne Gaupne is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Gaupnefjorden, an arm of the Lustrafjorden, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of Veitastrond is loc ...
, in Jostedalsbreen National Park, much of which is located in the municipality of Luster. Other glaciers include the
Austerdalsbreen Austerdalsbreen is a glacier in the municipality of Luster in Vestland, Norway. It is a side branch of the Jostedalsbreen glacier, and is included in the Jostedalsbreen National Park. The glacier is fed by the three steep glaciers Odinbreen, Tor ...
, Harbardsbreen and Spørteggbreen.


Economy

The inhabitants of Luster make their living by farming, growing berries and fruit,
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 ...
, and
hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined a ...
. Jøstedal and Fortun have large hydroelectric power stations. Summer tourism is quite busy. Tourist activities include mountain climbing, skiing, fishing, hiking, and hunting. The Sognefjellsvegen tourist road passes through Luster.


River fishing

Fishing permit A fishing license ( US), fishing licence ( UK), or fishing permit is an administrative or legal mechanism employed by local governments to regulate fishing. Licensing is one mechanism of fisheries management commonly used in Western countries ...
s (for salmon fishing) are sold for use on specific rivers, including Årøy-elva.


Culture and education


Historic churches

;Urnes Stave Church Urnes Stave Church was built around 1150 and is
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 t ...
's oldest Stave church. The Church lies majestically on the top of Urnes. The Stave church is one of four Norwegian Churches on
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
`s list of the most precious cultural monuments in the world. The Stave churches are constructions of high quality, richly decorated with carvings. In virtually all of them the door frames are decorated from top to bottom with carvings. This tradition of rich ornamentation appears to go back to the animal carvings of the Viking age. The dragons are lovingly executed and transformed into long-limbed creatures of fantasy, here and there entwined with tendrils of vine, with winding stems and serrated leaves. The elaborate designs are executed with supreme artistic skill. The stave church doorways are, therefore, among the most distinctive works of art to be found in Norway. However, it is difficult to connect them with the Christian gospel. ;Old Gaupne Church The
Old Gaupne Church Old Gaupne Church ( no, Gaupne gamle kyrkje) is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in Luster Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Gaupne. It was the main church for the Luster parish (which is part ...
is a magnificent church that was built in 1647 on a hill directly opposite
Gaupne Gaupne is the administrative center of the municipality of Luster in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located along the Gaupnefjorden, an arm of the Lustrafjorden, about north of the village of Hafslo. The village of Veitastrond is loc ...
centre. ;Dale Church Dale Church is a stone church that was built in gothic style in the year 1250.


Breheim center

The Breheim Center contains a comprehensive exhibition. A journey through 20,000 years - from the Ice age to the present day, an audio/visual show takes visitors inside the glacier. Glacier boat ''M/S "Jostedalsrypa"'' crosses the Nigard Glacier Lake. There are internationally approved guides, glacier and climbing courses, and ski-trips.


Education

In 2020, 32% of the municipality's applicants for econdary schooling'' videregående skole'', sought on-vocational schooling ''studiespesialisering''; 7% orthe rest of the applicants sought vocational schooling.


Notable inhabitants

* Gerhard Munthe (1795 in Hafslo - 1876) a military officer, historian and cartographer *
Christian Ellefson Christian Ellefson (also called Christen) (April 20, 1842 - 1925?) was an American farmer from the political subdivisions of Wisconsin, Town of Franklin, Vernon County, Wisconsin, Franklin, in Vernon County, Wisconsin who served two separate one-y ...
(1842 in Luster - 1925?) an American farmer, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *
Peter J. Dale Peter J. Dale (July 4, 1845 – April 20, 1935) was a Norwegian-American elected official who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Peter Jorgen Dale was born at Lyster in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. He was one of six children bo ...
(1845 in Luster – 1935) a Norwegian-American member of the Wisconsin State Assembly *
Henrik Angell Henrik August Angell (22 August 1861 – 26 January 1922) was a Norwegian military officer, sportsman, and writer. He was a ski pioneer and the first Norwegian delegate to the International Olympic Committee. Early life Henrik Angell was born ...
(1861 in Luster – 1922) a military officer, sportsman and writer; a ski pioneer and the first Norwegian delegate to the
International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swis ...
* Sylfest Lomheim (born 1945 in Hafslo) a Norwegian philologist, academic and politician *
Tor Bremer Tor Bremer (born 9 February 1955) is a Norwegian politician from Luster in Sogn og Fjordane municipality. He was deputy mayor of the municipality from 2003-2007 for the Arbeiderpartiet. At the 2009 Norwegian parliamentary election Parliamen ...
(born 1955 in Luster) a farmer and politician * Kurt Heggestad (born 1982 in Veitastrond) a Norwegian former professional footballer *
Stine Pettersen Reinås Stine is a surname. Notable persons with that name include: *Brad Stine (born 1960), American comedian and author *Brad Stine (tennis coach) (born 1958), American tennis coach *Charles Stine (1882–1954), American chemist *Charles J. Stine (1864� ...
(born 1994 in Hafslo) is a Norwegian football defender, over 150 club caps and eight for the Norway women's national football team


Twin cities/towns

* Viroqua, Wisconsin,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...


Media gallery

File:Bilde-Lodalskåpa 1.jpg, Lodalskåpa, a peak in the northeast part of
Jostedalsbreen 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 ...
File:Feigumfoss i Lyster i Sogn022.jpg, Feigumfossen File:Hafslovatnet Norway.jpg, Hafslovatnet lake with the Sognefjord in the background File:Lustrafjorden.JPG, Lustrafjorden File:Urnes Stave Church 1.jpg, Urnes Stave Church File:2005 07 18 Sognefjell 05.jpg, Sognefjell File:Skjolden, Luster.JPG, Skjolden at Lustrafjorden in Luster, Norway File:Nigardsbreen-Norway-glacier-hiking.jpg, Several groups of people are glacier hiking on the glacier Nigardsbreen


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 ye ...

Luster Municipality Website


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