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Øyer

 
Wikipedia: Øyer
 
Øyer kommune
—  Municipality  —
Coat of arms of Øyer kommune
Coat of arms
Official logo of Øyer kommune
Oppland within
Norway
Øyer within Oppland
Øyer within Oppland
Coordinates: 61°18′23″N 10°31′54″E / 61.30639°N 10.53167°E / 61.30639; 10.53167
Country Norway
County Oppland
District Gudbrandsdal
Municipality ID NO-0521
Administrative centre Tingberg
Government
 - Mayor (2007) Mari Botterud (H)
Area (Nr. 176 in Norway)
 - Total 640 km2 (247.1 sq mi)
 - Land 616 km2 (237.8 sq mi)
Population (2004)
 - Total 4,870
 - Density 8/km2 (20.7/sq mi)
 - Change (10 years) 3.9 %
 - Rank in Norway 196
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Official language form Neutral
Demonym Øyværing [1]
Data from Statistics Norway
Website www.oyer.kommune.no

Øyer is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tingberg.

The parish of Øier was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). It is one of very few municipalities in Norway with unchanged borders since that date.

Contents

General information

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was Øyja (accusative case and dative case) which comes from the word Øyi (nominative case). Two lakes in Norway had the name Øyi(r) in Norse times (now called Øymark and Øyeren), and these names are derived from the word øy which means "flat and fertile land along the edge of the water". This name is probably given to this area because the Lågen river widens out in the central part of the municipality and creates two river-lakes (called the Jemnefjorden and Gildbusfjorden). Øyi was probably the old name of one (or both) of these "fjords". Prior to 1918, the name was spelled "Øier".[2]

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 29 April 1983. The arms show a silver-colored wooden ring, or hærder, on a green background. It was made of wood and was used to fasten a tree trunk to a rope in order to haul it over the land. Similar devices were used all over Norway, but this shape is typical for the area.[3][4]

History

The Black Death reached Norway in the winter of 1349/50. Øyer was one of the parishes most severely impacted; estimates based on tax payments suggest that between 2/3 and 3/4 of all residents died. Many of the farms there became deserted (øygarder), which remained vacant until the late 1600s. The parish of Tretten was merged into Øyer after the Black Death, because the decimated population of Tretten no longer could maintain their own priest.

Geography

Øyer town hall.

In Oppland, Øyer is bordered by Ringebu municipality to the north, Ringsaker to the southeast, and Lillehammer to the south. To the east lies Stor-Elvdal municipality (located in Hedmark county). The municipality is divided in two parishes: Øyer in the south and Tretten in the north.

Economy

Øyer has traditionally been a farming and logging municipality.

Recreation is increasingly important economically. Since it opened in 1989, Øyer's Hafjell Alpine Ski Center has grown to include over 14 lifts and 28 runs as wells as extensive cross-country skiing runs. It is 15 kilometers from Lillehammer, making it very accessible. Tobogganing, luge, and bobsled racing (on the 1994 Olympic course) are also found in the area.

Sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Øyer:[5]

References

  1. ^ "Personnemningar til stadnamn i Noreg" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet. http://www.sprakrad.no/Sprakhjelp/Rettskriving_Ordboeker/Innbyggjarnamn. 
  2. ^ Rygh, Oluf (1900). Norske gaardnavne: Kristians amt (4 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. pp. 160. http://books.google.com/books?id=DohBAAAAIAAJ.  (Norwegian)
  3. ^ Norske Kommunevåpen (1990). "Nye kommunevåbener i Norden". http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/o/oyer.htm. Retrieved on 2009-01-03. 
  4. ^ "Om Øyer". Øyer kommune. http://www.oyer.kommune.no/artikkel/11227/11663:. Retrieved on 2009-01-03.  (Norwegian)
  5. ^ "Vennskapskommuner". Øyer kommune. http://www.oyer.kommune.no/artikkel/11977/11663:11227:. Retrieved on 2009-01-03.  (Norwegian)

External links


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