Bygland

Infobox_Kommune
name = Bygland
idnumber = 0938


county = Aust-Agder
landscape = Setesdal
capital = Bygland
demonym = Byglending
language = Nynorsk


munwebpage = www.bygland.kommune.no
governor = Knut A. Austad (Sp)
governor_as_of = 2004
arearank = 70
area = 1312
arealand = 1150
areapercent = 0.41
population_as_of = 2004
populationrank = 384
population = 1,318
populationpercent = 0.03
populationdensity = 1
populationincrease = -6.9
lat_deg = 58 | lat_min = 55 | lat_sec = 27 | lon_deg = 7 | lon_min = 45 | lon_sec = 53
utm_zone = 32V | utm_northing = 6532278 | utm_easting = 0428881 | geo_cat = adm2nd

Bygland is a municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Bygland was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt).

It is bordered on the north by Valle, in the east by Fyresdal (Telemark) and Åmli (Vest-Agder), in the south by Froland and Evje og Hornnes, and in the west by Åseral (Vest-Agder), Kvinesdal (Vest-Agder) and Sirdal (Vest-Agder).

General information

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old "Bygland" farm (Old Norse: "Byggland"), since the first church was built there. The first element is "bygg" which means "barley" and the last element is "land" which means "land" or "farm".

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 15 November 1991. The arms show a European lynx "(Lynx lynx)", which symbolises the wild and rich nature and forests in the municipality. [cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/int/nor/b/bygland.htm|author=Norske Kommunevåpen|date=1990|title=Nye kommunevåbener i Norden|accessdaymonth=3 October|accessyear=2008] see also|Hamarøy|Hemsedal

Geography

Bygland lies in the middle of Setesdal, a valley and a traditional district in Aust-Agder that included the municipalities of Bykle, Valle, Bygland, Iveland, and Evje og Hornnes. The Otra river flows from the glacially scoured Hardanger plateau ( _no. Hardangervidda) in Telemark to the north, through the valley of Setesdal (and through Bygland), into the sea near Kristiansand.

Bygland is Aust-Agder's second largest municipality in area. The majority of the municipality lies about 700 meters above sea level. The municipality stretches from the small town Byglandsfjord in the south to the farms at Langeid in the north. Lake Byglandsfjorden is 40 kilometer long and lies on the river Otra.

History

The Setesdal Railroad ( _no. Setesdalsbanen) was a narrow gauge steam railway which went between Vennesla and Byglandsfjord in Bygland. It was built in 1896. Setesdalsbanen operation was terminated in 1962 and the track was removed between Byglandsfjord and Beihølen.

Other transport up the Setesdal valley was provided by the steamships Bjoren and Dølen. First placed in operation in 1866, the Bjoren is still in operation as a tourist attraction on lake Byglandsfjord.

Attractions

* Byglandsfjord Station – train station constructed in 1896
* Bygland tower – a folk museum.
* Iveland and Vegusdal Bygdemuseum – a folk museum.
* Nomeland Power Station – a hydroelectric generation facility in an impressive structure
* Setesdalmuseet – a familiarization with the cultural history of the Setesdal valley

References

External links

* [http://www.kulturnett.no/geografisknavigering/geografisknavigering_visning.jsp?fylke=T921062&kommune=T911607 Culture in Bygland on the map] no icon
* [http://www.setesdal.com/index.php?m=produkt&m_action=vis_prod&id=12&parent=10&spraakSet=no The Steamboat Bjoren] no icon