Røldal Municipality

Røldal Municipality
Røldal herad
Former municipality
View of the Røldal area
Hordaland within Norway
Røldal within Hordaland
Coordinates: 59°50′00″N 06°48′53″E / 59.83333°N 6.81472°E / 59.83333; 6.81472
CountryNorway
CountyHordaland
DistrictHardanger
Established1 Jan 1838
 • Created asFormannskapsdistrikt
Disestablished1 Jan 1964
 • Succeeded byOdda Municipality
Administrative centreRøldal
Government
 • Mayor (1962–1963)Nils Medhus (Sp)
Area
 (upon dissolution)
 • Total
670.9 km2 (259.0 sq mi)
 • Rank#145 in Norway
Highest elevation
[1]
1,721.2 m (5,647 ft)
Population
 (1963)
 • Total
608
 • Rank#667 in Norway
 • Density0.9/km2 (2.3/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
 −4.4%
DemonymRøldøl[2]
Official language
[4]
 • Norwegian formNynorsk[3]
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-1229[5]
Data from Statistics Norway

Røldal is a former municipality in the old Hordaland county, Norway. The 670.9-square-kilometre (259.0 sq mi) municipality existed from 1838 until its dissolution in 1964. The area is now part of Ullensvang Municipality in the traditional district of Hardanger in Vestland county. The administrative centre was the village of Røldal. Other villages in the municipality included Botnen and Håra.[6]

Prior to its dissolution in 1964, the 670.9-square-kilometre (259.0 sq mi) municipality was the 145th largest by area out of the 689 municipalities in Norway. Røldal Municipality was the 667th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of about 608. The municipality's population density was 0.9 inhabitants per square kilometre (2.3/sq mi) and its population had decreased by 4.4% over the previous 10-year period.[7][8]

General information

Historically, the Røldal area was part of the parish of Suldal (to the south), with Røldal being an annex to the main parish. Suldal and Røldal each had their own churches, but they shared a priest since Røldal was a sparsely populated area and could not support their own priest. Suldal was located in Stavanger county and Røldal was located in Søndre Bergenhus county. This arrangement was not a problem until 1837 when the formannskapsdistrikt law was passed. The law called for each parish to become a municipality led by a self-governing council starting in 1838. It also said that each municipality must be within one county, not two. Therefore, Suldal and Røldal had to be divided and starting on 1 January 1838, Røldal Municipality was established in Søndre Bergenhus county.[9]

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. The sparsely populated Røldal Municipality (population: 676) existed until 1 January 1964 when it was merged into the larger neighboring Odda Municipality (population: 9,487).[9]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Røldal farm (Old Norse: Rœrgudalr) since the first Røldal Church was built there. The village was named after the Røldalen valley in which it is located. The first element comes from the local river name, Røyrga (now known as the Storelva river). The river name is the genitive case of the word røyrr which means "rocky ground" or "rock heap". The last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".[10]

Churches

The Church of Norway had one parish (sokn) within Røldal Municipality. At the time of the municipal dissolution, it was part of the Røldal prestegjeld and the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.[8]

Churches in Røldal Municipality
Parish (sokn) Church name Location of the church Year built
Røldal Røldal Stave Church Røldal 1250

Geography

The municipality encompassed the Røldalen valley and some small side valleys, as well as a large area up on the vast Hardangervidda plateau. Historically, Røldal was an important trade and transportation route between Eastern and Western Norway. The large lakes Røldalsvatnet, Votna, and Valldalsvatnet were located in the municipality. The highest point in the municipality was the 1,721.2-metre (5,647 ft) tall mountain Sandfloegga.[1]

Ullensvang Municipality was to the north, Vinje Municipality (in Telemark county) was to the east, Suldal Municipality (in Rogaland county) was to the south, Sauda Municipality (also in Rogaland county) was to the southwest, and Odda Municipality was to the west.

Government

While it existed, Røldal Municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[11] The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Gulating Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Heradsstyre) of Røldal Municipality was made up of 13 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The tables below show the historical composition of the council by political party.

Røldal heradsstyre 1959–1963 [12]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 5
Total number of members:13
Note: On 1 January 1964, Røldal Municipality became part of Odda Municipality.
Røldal heradsstyre 1955–1959 [13]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:13
Røldal heradsstyre 1951–1955 [14]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 2
Total number of members:12
Røldal heradsstyre 1947–1951 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 4
  Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) 4
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 4
Total number of members:12
Røldal heradsstyre 1937–1941* [16]  
Party name (in Nynorsk) Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 5
Total number of members:12
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 mayor (Nynorsk: ordførar) of Røldal Municipality was the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position:[17]

  • 1838–1841: Helleik Nielsen Rabbe[18]
  • 1842–1843: Nils Amundsen Tufte[17]
  • 1844–1850: Ole Jacobsen Tufte[19]
  • 1850–1851: Helleik Nielsen Rabbe[20]
  • 1852–1853: Ole Jacobsen Tufte[21]
  • 1854–1855: Svend Olsen Berge[22]
  • 1856–1861: Ole Jacobsen Tufte[23]
  • 1862–1865: Eivind Osmundsen Berge[24]
  • 1866–1867: Ole Nielsen Haarenæs[25]
  • 1868–1869: Eivind Osmundsen Berge[17]
  • 1870–1871: Ole Olsen Hagen[17]
  • 1872–1873: Ole Nilsen Hamre[17]
  • 1874–1877: Eivind Osmundsen Berge[17]
  • 1878–1891: Ole Nilsen Hamre[26]
  • 1892–1898: Rev. Peder S. Ringdal[27]
  • 1899–1901: Usmund Seim[28]
  • 1902–1907: Asmund J. Tvedt[29]
  • 1908–1911: O. Gryting[30]
  • 1912–1913: Asmund J. Tvedt[31]
  • 1914–1919: H.N. Prestegaard[32]
  • 1920–1925: Jakob Tveit[33]
  • 1926–1929: H.N. Prestegaard[34]
  • 1930–1931: Jakob Tveit[35]
  • 1932–1934: H.N. Prestegaard[36]
  • 1935–1941: Nils G. Grave (V)[37]
  • 1942–1945: Nils Medhus[38]
  • 1945–1945: Nils G. Grave[39]
  • 1946–1947: Olav Tufte (Ap)[40]
  • 1948–1951: Obert Øverland (V)[41]
  • 1952–1956: Nils K. Hagen (Ap)[42]
  • 1956–1959: Obert Øverland (V)[43]
  • 1959–1961: Ingvald Øvregaard (Ap)[44]
  • 1962–1963: Nils Medhus (Sp)[45]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Høgaste fjelltopp i kvar kommune" (in Norwegian). Kartverket. 16 January 2024. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  3. ^ "Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1932. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m". Norsk Lovtidend (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norway: Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri: 453–471. 1932.
  4. ^ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  5. ^ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (9 January 2024). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon.
  6. ^ Thorsnæs, Geir, ed. (26 November 2024). "Røldal (tidlegare kommune)". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  7. ^ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  8. ^ a b Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 1951). Norges Sivile, Geistlige, Rettslige og Militære Inndeling 1. Januar 1951 (PDF). Norges Offisielle Statistikk (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: H. Aschehoug & Co.
  9. ^ a b Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  10. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1910). Norske gaardnavne: Søndre Bergenhus amt (in Norwegian) (11 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri.
  11. ^ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (25 November 2024). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  13. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  14. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  15. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  16. ^ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Sjurseth, Karl (1937). Hordaland fylke 1837-1937 (in Norwegian). Bergen: Hordaland fylke.
  18. ^ "Amtsformandskabs-Forhandlinger". Den Norske Rigstidende (in Norwegian). 16 August 1838. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  19. ^ "Bergen, den 4de Juli". Bergens Stiftstidende (in Norwegian). 5 July 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Bergen, den 4de Juli". Bergens Stiftstidende (in Norwegian). 5 July 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  21. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsformandskab". Bergenske Blade (in Norwegian). 13 June 1852. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  22. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsformandskab Forhandlinger". Bergensposten (in Norwegian). 25 June 1854. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  23. ^ "Bergen, den 17de Juni". Bergensposten (in Norwegian). 18 June 1858. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  24. ^ "14de Juni 1862". Bergensposten (in Norwegian). 20 June 1862. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  25. ^ "Bergen". Bergensposten (in Norwegian). 7 June 1866. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  26. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsformandskab". Søndre Bergenhus Folkeblad (in Norwegian). 4 July 1878. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  27. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsformandskab". Vossebladet (in Norwegian). 22 June 1892. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  28. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsting". Hordaland (in Norwegian). 7 June 1899. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  29. ^ "Amtsthinget for Søndre Bergenhus". Bergens Aftenblad (in Norwegian). 4 June 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  30. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus Amtsting". Søndhordland (in Norwegian). 25 March 1908. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  31. ^ "Amtstinget for Søndre Bergenhus". Bergens Annonce Tidende (in Norwegian). 26 November 1912. p. 1. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  32. ^ "Søndre Bergenhus amtsting". Hordaland Folkeblad (in Norwegian). 25 March 1914. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  33. ^ "Ordførere i Hordaland for treaarsperiode". Arbeidet (in Norwegian). 17 January 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  34. ^ "Hordaland fylkesting besluttet igaar". Dagen (in Norwegian). 29 June 1927. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  35. ^ "Hordaland fylkesting aapnet iformiddag". Bergens Aftenblad (in Norwegian). 2 June 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  36. ^ "Hordaland fylkesting åpner i rådhuset på mandag". Bergens Aftenblad (in Norwegian). 28 May 1932. p. 4. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  37. ^ "Ordførerskifte i 10 kommuner i Hordaland". Bergens Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 13 January 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  38. ^ "Ny ordfører i Røldal". Haugesunds Avis (in Norwegian). 18 February 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  39. ^ "De nye ordførere i Hordaland". Bergens Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). 12 May 1945. p. 6. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  40. ^ "Olav Tufte ny ordførar i Røldal". Hardanger (in Norwegian). 8 January 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  41. ^ "Obert Øverland ny ordførar i Røldal". Haugesunds Dagblad (in Norwegian). 5 January 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  42. ^ "Ordførervalet i Røldal". Hardanger (in Norwegian). 8 January 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  43. ^ "Ny ordførar i Røldal". Hardanger (in Norwegian). 4 January 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  44. ^ "Ingvald Øvregaard (A) ny ordførar i Røldal". Hardanger (in Norwegian). 23 December 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  45. ^ "Ordførarskifte i Røldal". Haugesunds Dagblad (in Norwegian). 12 December 1961. p. 2. Retrieved 18 January 2026.

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