Hordaland

Hordaland was a county in Norway, known for being the third largest by population after Akershus and Oslo. It shared borders with several other counties, including Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark, and Rogaland. The main government for Hordaland was based in the city of Bergen, a major cultural and economic center.

Before the year 1972, the city of Bergen had its own separate county status, different from Hordaland. However, in January 2020, Hordaland merged with its neighbor, Sogn og Fjordane, to create a new county called Vestland. This change brought together two historic regions into one, reshaping the administrative map of Norway.

Name and symbols

Hordaland is an old name for a region in Norway that was revived in 1919. Before that, the county was called Søndre Bergenhus amt, meaning the southern part of an older area named Bergenhus amt.

Hordaland’s flag and coat of arms feature two golden axes crossed with a golden crown on a red background. These symbols come from an old seal used by a group from Sunnhordland in 1344 and were officially adopted as the county’s emblem in 1961. They represent Saint Olav, a king of Norway whose symbol is an axe.

See also: Rogaland and Sogn og Fjordane

History

Hordaland county existed for over a thousand years. In the 7th century, the area was made up of many petty kingdoms under the Gulating and was known as Hordafylke from around the year 900. In the early 16th century, Norway was divided into four len, with the Bergenhus len headquartered in Bergen.

In 1662, the lens were replaced by amts. Bergenhus amt originally included areas that are now Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Sunnmøre. Over time, these areas were split and reorganised. In 1919, Søndre Bergenhus amt was renamed Hordaland fylke. The city of Bergen was a city-county from 1831 to 1972, and in 1972 several nearby municipalities were merged into Bergen, making it a larger part of Hordaland county.

Government

A county in Norway is one of the main local areas for government. Hordaland was one of 19 counties in the country. The county was run by the Hordaland County Municipality, which had 57 elected members who formed a county council. The head of this council was called the county mayor, and the last one was Anne Gine Hestetun.

There was also a County Governor who represented the King and the Government of Norway. The last one was Lars Sponheim. The county was divided into four district courts: Nordhordland, Sunnhordland, Bergen, and Hardanger. These courts helped handle local legal matters.

Geography

Hordaland was a semi-circular area on the western coast of Norway. It was split from southwest to northeast by the long, deep Hardangerfjorden, one of Norway's main fjords. This fjord was a popular tourist spot. The county also included parts of the Hardangervidda National park, famous waterfalls like Vøringsfossen and Stykkjedalsfossen, and glaciers such as Folgefonna and Hardangerjøkulen.

Most people lived in Bergen Municipality and nearby areas. Other smaller towns included Leirvik, Vossavangen, and Odda. The county also featured beautiful islands like Sotra.

Municipalities

Hordaland had many local areas called municipalities. Some of the main ones were Bergen Municipality, which was the largest and where the county government was based, along with Askøy Municipality, Austevoll Municipality, and Bømlo Municipality. There were thirty-three municipalities in total, each with its own local government and community.

Districts

Hordaland county had several distinct districts, each with its own unique character. Some of the main districts included Hardanger, Haugaland, Mauranger, Midhordland, Nordhordland, Strilelandet, Sunnhordland, and Voss. These areas were known for their beautiful landscapes and rich traditions. Another area, Stril, was also part of the county's diverse regions.

Cities

Main article: list of towns and cities in Norway

Hordaland had several important cities. The largest was Bergen, which was also the county's main city. Other notable cities included Leirvik and Odda. These cities were centers of activity and culture in the county.

Parishes

Hordaland had many parishes, which were like small communities or areas within the county. Some of these parishes included Alversund, Arna, Ask, Askøy, and Austevoll. Others were Austrheim, Bekkjarvik, Bergen, and Bergsdalen. The list continued with many more names, showing the rich variety of places in Hordaland.

Villages

Main article: list of villages in Hordaland

Hordaland had many small villages. Some of these villages include Abbedisso, Algrøyna, Alsåker, and Alveim. Others are Alverstraumen, Ask, Askeland in both Lindås and Radøy, and Auklandshamn, also known as Økland. Many more villages like Austbygdi, Austevollhella, and Austmarka were also part of this county. The list goes on to include places such as Bekkjarvik, Birkeland, Blomvåg, and many others, showing the rich network of communities in Hordaland.

Former municipalities

Main article: list of former municipalities of Norway

Hordaland used to have many smaller areas called municipalities. These were local communities that helped manage everyday life for people living there. Some of these old municipalities include Alversund Municipality, Arna Municipality, Bergen landdistrikt, and Bremnes Municipality, among many others. Over time, these municipalities changed or combined into larger ones.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Norway

Twin towns – Sister cities

Hordaland county had several sister cities. It was twinned with Lower Normandy, France, Kaunas, Lithuania, Cardiff, Wales, Orkney Islands, Northern Isles, and Scotland.

Since 1949, Hordaland gave a Christmas tree to Edinburgh as a thank you for the help given to Norwegians during World War II by Scots. Since 2008, the tree came from Scotland, but it was still a gift from the people of Hordaland.

Notable people

Hordaland was home to many famous people. Ole Bull was a well-known composer and violinist, and Edvard Grieg was a famous composer too. Nordahl Grieg was a writer, and Ludvig Holberg was also a famous writer from this area. Other notable individuals include politician Tore Eikeland and military officer Leif Andreas Larsen, known for his role in World War II.