Leikanger

Leikanger (Urban East Norwegian: [ˈlæ̂ɪkɑŋər] ⓘ) is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center was the village of Hermansverk, which also was the administrative center of the old Sogn og Fjordane county.

This article is about the municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. For other uses, see Leikanger (disambiguation).
Leikanger kommune
Former municipality
View of Hermansverk
View of Hermansverk
Flag of Leikanger kommune
Flag
Coat of arms of Leikanger kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Leikanger kommune
Sogn og Fjordane within
Norway
Leikanger within Sogn og Fjordane
Leikanger within Sogn og Fjordane
Coordinates: 61°13′51″N 06°47′23″E
CountryNorway
CountySogn og Fjordane
DistrictSogn
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 2020
 • Succeeded bySogndal Municipality
Administrative centreHermansverk
Government
 • Mayor (2015-2019)Jon Håkon Odd (Ap)
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total180.10 km2 (69.54 sq mi)
 • Land177.44 km2 (68.51 sq mi)
 • Water2.66 km2 (1.03 sq mi)  1.5%
 • Rank#342 in Norway
Population
 (2019)
 • Total2,331
 • Rank#302 in Norway
 • Density13.1/km2 (34/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Increase +8.1%
DemonymSystrending[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formNynorsk
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1419
Data from Statistics Norway

The Leikanger/Hermansverk urban area had 2,144 inhabitants (2019), about 90% of the municipal population.[3] This urban area is often called Systrond, which is why a person from Leikanger is often called Systrending.

The 180-square-kilometre (69 sq mi) municipality is the 342nd largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Leikanger is the 302nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,331. The municipality's population density is 13.1 inhabitants per square kilometre (34/sq mi) and its population has increased by 8.1% over the last decade.[4][5]

General information
View of Systrond
View of the Kvinnafossen in western Leikanger
View of a small mountain farm

Leikanger was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was large and it was identical to the old Leikanger parish (prestegjeld) with the six sub-parishes (sokn) of Leikanger, Fresvik, Rinde, Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal. In 1849, the sub-parishes of Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal were transferred into the newly created Balestrand parish (prestegjeld). The new parish was separated from Leikanger municipality in 1850 to form the new Balestrand Municipality. This split left Leikanger with 2,368 residents.[6]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the Hella-Eitorn area (population: 31) was transferred from Balestrand back to Leikanger. Also, the Tingstad area (population: 5) was transferred to neighboring Sogndal municipality. These changes left Leikanger with 2,680 residents. On 1 January 1992, the sub-parishes of Leikanger lying south of the Sognefjorden, including Feios and Fresvik (total population: 572) were transferred to the municipality of Vik. This move left Leikanger with only one sub-parish: Leikanger.[6][7]

On 1 January 2020, Leikanger was merged with the neighboring municipalities of Balestrand and Sogndal to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal.

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Leikanger farm (Old Norse: Leikvangir) since the first Leikanger Church was built there. The first element is leikr which means "game", "sports", or "contest". The last element is the plural form of vangr which means "field" or "meadow". Thus it means a meadow used for sports or games. Prior to 1889, the name was written Lekanger.[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 5 September 1963. The official blazon is "Vert, two apples on a branch with three leaves Or" (Norwegian: På grøn botn to gull eple på kvist med tre lauv). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is an apple tree branch with two apples and three leaves attached. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The apple tree branch is a symbol for the many orchards in the municipality and thus for the local economy. The three leaves symbolised the three parishes (Leikanger, Feios, and Fresvik) that used to make up the municipality (before two of them were transferred to Vik Municipality in 1992). The arms were designed by K. Fotland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[9][10][11]

Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Leikanger. It was part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Leikanger
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
LeikangerLeikanger ChurchLeikanger1166

Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[12] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Leikanger was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Leikanger kommunestyre 2016–2019 [13]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 2012–2015 [14]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 2008–2011 [13]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 2004–2007 [13]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 2000–2003 [13]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 1
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 1996–1999 [15]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 7
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:17
Leikanger kommunestyre 1992–1995 [16]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1988–1991 [17]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1984–1987 [18]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
 Cross-party common list (Tverrpolitisk Samlingsliste)1
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1980–1983 [19]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
 Cross-party common list (Tverrpolitisk Samlingsliste)1
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1976–1979 [20]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 3
  New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1972–1975 [21]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1968–1971 [22]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:21
Leikanger kommunestyre 1964–1967 [23]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 6
Total number of members:21
Leikanger heradsstyre 1960–1963 [24]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 7
Total number of members:21
Leikanger heradsstyre 1956–1959 [25]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 9
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 7
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 3
Total number of members:21
Leikanger heradsstyre 1952–1955 [26]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 13
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 10
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:32
Leikanger heradsstyre 1948–1951 [27]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 15
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 13
Total number of members:32
Leikanger heradsstyre 1945–1947 [28]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 8
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidarar, fiskarar, småbrukarar liste) 8
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 16
Total number of members:32
Leikanger heradsstyre 1938–1941* [29]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 11
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 11
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 3
Total number of members:32
Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945.

Mayors

The mayors (Nynorsk: ordførar) of Leikanger:[30]

  • 1838-1839: Christian Garup Meidell
  • 1840-1843: Søren Lem
  • 1844-1847: Herman Brun
  • 1848-1849: Harald Ulrik Sverdrup
  • 1849-1851: Herman Brun
  • 1852-1853: Hans Johannes Brun
  • 1854-1857: Johan David Haslund
  • 1858-1868: Sjur Sæterlid
  • 1868-1868: Hans Lem
  • 1868-1869: Johan Herman Brun
  • 1870-1873: Nils J. Njøs
  • 1874-1881: Lars M. Husabø
  • 1882-1884: Jakob Liv Rosted Sverdrup
  • 1885-1901: Jakob Bøthun
  • 1902-1907: Lars M. Husabø
  • 1908-1916: Nils Tjønn
  • 1917-1919: Hans N. Grinde
  • 1920-1922: Hans Fleche
  • 1922-1922: Knut Jordal
  • 1923-1934: Hans N. Grinde
  • 1935-1951: Olav Tveit (V)
  • 1952-1957: Per H. Bøthun (V)
  • 1958-1961: Hans Husabø (V)
  • 1962-1963: Leiv Loen (V)
  • 1964-1975: Arne Grepstad (V)
  • 1975-1975: Olav Straume (KrF)
  • 1976-1977: Lars Lefdal (H)
  • 1978-1979: Kåre Næss (KrF)
  • 1980-1983: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
  • 1984-1987: Erling Olsen (Ap)
  • 1988-1991: Ola A. Vestrheim (H)
  • 1992-1993: Kjell Helleland (Ap)
  • 1994-1995: Åsta Magni Hauge (Ap)
  • 1996-1999: Nils Erling Yndesdal (V)
  • 2000-2003: Rolf Nesheim (V)
  • 2003-2015: Olav Lunden (Ap)
  • 2015-2019: Jon Håkon Odd (Ap)

Geography

Leikanger is located on the north side of the Sognefjorden and to the east of the Fjærlandsfjorden. It is bordered on the north and east by the municipality of Sogndal, on the west by Balestrand, and on the south (across the Sognefjorden) by Vik.

View of the main village of Hermansverk/Leikanger in Leikanger municipality

Buildings and structures

East of Leikanger, there are the Sognefjord Spans, three powerline spans with length over 4 kilometres (2.5 mi), which are currently the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th longest spans in the world. In 1955, the first Sognefjord Span was built near Leikanger. It was the longest span in the world from 1955 until 1997.

Sister cities/Twin towns

Leikanger has sister city agreements with the following places:

Notable people
Oddvar Flæte, 2009

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leikanger (former municipality).

References
  1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2016). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2018). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  6. Jukvam, Dag (1999). Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  7. Natvik, Oddvar (9 February 2005). "Some historical data on the 26 Kommunes". Archived from the original on 13 June 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
  8. Rygh, Oluf (1919). Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Bergenhus amt (in Norwegian) (12 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 124.
  9. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  10. "Leikanger, Sogn og Fjordane (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  11. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 5 September 1963. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  12. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  13. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  14. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Sogn og Fjordane". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  15. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  16. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  17. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  19. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  20. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  21. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  22. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  23. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  26. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  29. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  30. "Ordførarar i Leikanger kommune". NRK Fylkesliksikon (in Norwegian). 6 January 2004. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

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