Jølster

Jølster is a former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It was located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre was the village of Skei. Other villages in the municipality included Helgheim, Ålhus, Vassenden, and Langhaugane.

Jølster kommune
Former municipality
View of the river Jølstra
Coat of arms
Sogn og Fjordane within
Norway
Jølster within Sogn og Fjordane
Coordinates: 61°32′30″N 06°24′32″E
CountryNorway
CountySogn og Fjordane
DistrictSunnfjord
Established1 Jan 1838
Disestablished1 Jan 2020
Administrative centreSkei
Government
 • Mayor (2011-2019)Oddmund Klakegg (Sp)
Area
 • Total670.87 km2 (259.02 sq mi)
 • Land619.61 km2 (239.23 sq mi)
 • Water51.26 km2 (19.79 sq mi)  7.6%
Area rank168 in Norway
 *Area at municipal dissolution.
Population
 (2019)
 • Total3,047
 • Rank260 in Norway
 • Density4.9/km2 (13/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
3.3%
Demonym(s)Jølstring[1]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1431
Official language formNynorsk[2]
Created asFormannskapsdistrikt in 1838
Succeeded bySunnfjord in 2020
Websitejolster.kommune.no
Data from Statistics Norway

Jølster was located at the centre of the old Sogn og Fjordane county and was known for its rich cultural traditions in home crafts, folk music, song, dancing, and creative arts. Agriculture was the largest industry in the municipality. The principal attraction in Jølster was the scenery, with easy access to the glaciers Grovabreen, Jostedalsbreen, and Myklebustbreen. Jølster was home to part of the largest glacier of continental Europe, the Jostedalsbreen as well as a clear green lake named Jølstravatnet. The trout caught in Jølstravatn were renowned throughout Norway and beyond.

At the time of its dissolution in 2020, the 671-square-kilometre (259 sq mi) municipality is the 168th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Jølster is the 260th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 3,047. The municipality's population density is 4.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (13/sq mi) and its population has increased by 3.3% over the last decade.[3][4]

In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Jølster be closed.[5]

General information
Helgheim Church in Jølster
Jølstravatn

The parish of Jølster was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). The original municipality was identical to the Jølster parish (prestegjeld) with the sub-parishes (sokn) of Ålhus and Helgheim.[6] During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the farm area of Førde in the neighboring municipality of Breim (population: 38) was transferred to Jølster municipality.[7]

On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipalities of Jølster, Førde, Naustdal, and Gaular were merged to form the new Sunnfjord Municipality.[8]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the Jølstra River, which runs through the lower parts of the municipality. The name (Old Norse: Jólmstr) is a word for the noise and rumble of the river.[9]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms were granted on 22 July 1983. The arms are derived from the arms of Audun Hugleiksson from Hegranes in the present municipality, who died in 1302. He was a Middle Ages nobleman who lived in Jølster and built Audunborg, one of only two private stone castles in Norway. On his seals, he used a shield with a rose, surrounded with a bordure of fleur-de-lis. The arms of Jølster are derived from this bordure. The symbol is gold on a red background.[10]

Churches

The Church of Norway had two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Jølster. It was part of the Sunnfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Churches in Jølster
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
HelgheimHelgheim ChurchHelgheim1877
ÅlhusVassenden ChurchVassenden2002
Ålhus ChurchÅlhus1795

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Jølster, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor.[11] The municipality falls under the Sogn og Fjordane District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Jølster was made up of 25 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:

Jølster Kommunestyre 2016–2019 [12]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høgre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)1
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)12
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)3
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 2012–2015 [13]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)1
 Conservative Party (Høgre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)8
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 2008–2011 [12]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)2
 Conservative Party (Høgre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)9
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 2004–2007 [12]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)3
 Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)1
 Conservative Party (Høgre)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)2
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)11
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)3
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 2000–2003 [12]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høgre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)10
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1996–1999 [14]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Conservative Party (Høgre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)8
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Liberal Party (Venstre)6
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1992–1995 [15]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høgre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)11
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)1
 Common list (Samlingslista)2
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1988–1991 [16]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)7
 Conservative Party (Høgre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)4
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)6
 Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)1
 Common list (Samlingslista)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1984–1987 [17]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)4
 Conservative Party (Høgre)2
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)4
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)5
 Common list (Samlingslista)6
 Local list (Bygdeliste)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1980–1983 [18]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)3
 Conservative Party (Høgre)3
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)4
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)8
 Common list (Samlingsliste)3
 Local list for Helgheim parish (Bygdeliste for Helgheim sokn)4
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1976–1979 [19]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)1
 Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)3
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)6
 Election list for Middle and Inner Jølster
 (Valliste for Midtre og Indre Jølster)		10
 Common list (Samlingsliste)5
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1972–1975 [20]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)25
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1968–1971 [21]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)25
Total number of members:25
Jølster Kommunestyre 1964–1967 [22]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)25
Total number of members:25
Jølster Heradsstyre 1960–1963 [23]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Centre Party (Senterpartiet)12
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister)8
Total number of members:25
Jølster Heradsstyre 1956–1959 [24]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)12
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister)8
Total number of members:25
Jølster Heradsstyre 1952–1955 [25]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)15
 Liberal Party (Venstre)5
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)3
Total number of members:28
Jølster Heradsstyre 1948–1951 [26]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)2
 Liberal Party (Venstre)3
 List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders
(Arbeidarar, fiskarar, småbrukarar liste)		3
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)20
Total number of members:28
Jølster Heradsstyre 1945–1947 [27]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)5
 Liberal Party (Venstre)4
 Local List(s) (Lokale lister)19
Total number of members:28
Jølster Heradsstyre 1938–1941* [28]  
Party Name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
 Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)7
 Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet)12
 Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister)9
Total number of members:28

Mayor

The mayor (ordførar) of a municipality in Norway is a representative of the majority party of the municipal council who is elected to lead the council. Oddmund Klakegg of the Centre Party was elected mayor for the 2011-2015 term.[29] He was re-elected for the 2015-2019 term as well.

Geography
View from Eikåsnipa towards Jølstravatnet.

The Jølstravatnet lake splits the municipality in half, which creates a centre of population at each end of the lake: Skei in the eastern end of the lake and Vassenden (English: the water-end) in the western part, where the river Jølstra starts. A small end of the lake Breimsvatnet crosses over into the municipality of Jølster.

Jølster is bordered to the north by the municipalities of Stryn and Gloppen, to the east by Luster, to the southeast by Sogndal, and to the south and west by Førde. The Jostedalsbreen National Park lies partially in this municipality.

Economy

Tourism is one of the largest industries in Jølster, and there are hotels, campsites, and a number of tourist facilities in each centre of the municipality. In addition to tourism, agriculture and construction are the other most important industries.

Attractions
View from Snønipa to the north
Painting by Nikolai Astrup
Jølstervatn

Astruptunet

Astruptunet was the home of the painter Nikolai Astrup (1880–1928) for the last fourteen years of his life. The Astrup Farm (Astruptunet) was the artist's home and small farm, but today it is a museum and art gallery, kept as it was in Astrup's days, nestled among the steep but fertile slopes on the south side of Jølstravatn. The barn was torn down and rebuilt as a gallery, but in the same style as the old barn. The gallery has permanent exhibitions of Astrup's work such as paintings, graphics, wood-engraving plates and sketches. Most of his scenes have been taken from Jølster and Nikolai Astrup has since remained one of the most Norwegian of our national artists.

Nikolai Astrup lived most of his life in Jølster. Astrup often is regarded as the artist of Western Norway, as he found virtually all of his motives in his home surroundings. He's considered the "most Norwegian" of all the national artists of Norway.[30]

Another Norwegian painter and graphic artist, Ludvig Eikaas, is closely connected to Jølster. The artist grew up in Jølster, but later moved to Oslo. He is among other things famous for his non-figurative art and portraits/self-portraits.

The Eikaas Gallery was originally an old dairy farm in Ålhus that was purchased by the municipality of Jølster and converted to a modern art gallery. The collection contains about 300 works of art by Ludvig Eikaas. Since the opening of the Eikaas Gallery in 1994, many tourists have stopped to enjoy the "humorous madness" and other varieties of the art of Ludvig Eikaas.[30]

Jølstra Museum

The Jølstra museum is a private village green with many original Jølstra buildings and a collection of around 3,000 artifacts. There are also exhibitions of paintings by Ludvig Eikaas and Oddvar Torsheim and of Jølster textiles.[30]

Jølster Alpine Ski Centre

Jølster can offer you several alternatives for skiing enthusiasts. Jølster alpine ski centre lies at Vassenden. Here you can enjoy yourself on the slopes or you can take the lift to the top and crosscountry ski through the valley. There are lighted ski trails in the villages of Årdal and Dvergsdalen. Jølster also has many wild and beautiful mountains for Telemark skiing enthusiasts.[30]

Notable residents

See also

References
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  2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. Statistisk sentralbyrå (2018). "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2019-11-09.
  4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2019-11-09.
  5. Fjelltveit, Ingvild; Raunholm, Per Vidar (2016-12-20). "Foreslår å legge ned 17 lensmannskontor i Vest politidistrikt". NRK Hordaland (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2017-10-20.
  6. Natvik, Oddvar (9 February 2005). "Some historical data on the 26 Kommunes". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
  7. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  8. "Ny kommune i Indre Sunnfjord" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2017-10-21.
  9. Rygh, Oluf (1919). Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Bergenhus amt (in Norwegian) (12 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 308.
  10. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2019-11-09.
  11. Hansen, Tore, ed. (2016-05-12). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  12. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  13. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Sogn og Fjordane". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  14. "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  15. "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  16. "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  17. "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  18. "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  19. "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  20. "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  21. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  22. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  23. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  24. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  25. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  26. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  27. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  28. "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  29. "Ordførar" (in Norwegian). Jølster kommune. 2011-11-11. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  30. "Jølster Municipality in Norway". GoNorway.no. Retrieved 11 August 2008.
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