Alstahaug

Infobox_Kommune
name=Alstahaug
idnumber=1820
county=Nordland
landscape=Helgeland
capital=Sandnessjøen
governor=Stig Sørra (H)
governor_as_of=2007
arearank=336
area=187
arealand=186
areapercent=0.06
population_as_of=2004
populationrank=134
population=7,378
populationpercent=0.16
populationdensity=40
populationincrease=-2.4
language=Neutral
lat_deg=65| lat_min=57| lat_sec=24| lon_deg=12| lon_min=34| lon_sec=22
utm_zone=33W| utm_northing=7317218 |utm_easting=0389677| geo_cat=adm2nd

munwebpage=www.alstahaug.kommune.no

Alstahaug is a municipality in the county of Nordland, Norway.

Alstahaug was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Three other municipalities were later separated from it: Herøy (1862), Tjøtta (with Vevelstad) (1862) and Sandnessjøen (with Leirfjord) (1899). Tjøtta (without Vevelstad) and Sandnessjøen (without Leirfjord) were, however, again merged with Alstahaug January 1, 1965. The area of Nordvik was transferred from Alstahaug to Herøy 1864. The mainland area of Alstahaug was transferred to Vefsn 1995.

The centre of Alstahaug is the town Sandnessjøen situated on the island of Alsten. The characteristic mountain range of the Seven Sisters is to be found on the island. Local legend has made this chain of peaks into seven sisters, two adjacent peaks representing twin sisters.

The island is connected to the mainland via the impressive Helgeland Bridge along route Rv17.

The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Alstahaug (Norse "Alastarhaugr"), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case of the name of the island "Alöst" (now Alsten), the last element is "haugr" m 'hill; mound'.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1986). The blue line represents the Seven Sisters, and its reflection in the sea.

History

At Alstahaug, at the opposite end of the island, one finds the medieval church of Alstahaug, where the poet and minister Petter Dass worked around 1700. Tjøtta, another island, is the place where the famous viking Hårek resided in the 11th century.

Birdlife

Lying just south of the arctic circle in an area that is known as Outer Helgeland, Alstahaug offers the visiting bird watcher a chance to do some birding in spectacular scenery, be it coastal or inland where the mountain chain The Seven Sisters marks the boundary between the habitats. One of the better areas to birdwatch is Tjøtta. Here you will find the small nature reserve Ostjønna.

External links

* [http://exviking.net/lowland/small/Cow.htm Picture: Beach south of Sandnessjøen]
* [http://exviking.net/lowland/small/SevenSisters.htm Summer picture with the mountains in the background]
* [http://nordland.miljostatus.no/msf_themepage.aspx?m=1659#4526 Skeilia nature reserve with rich deciduous forest - Norwegian txt]