Hol, Norway

Hol is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway.

Administrative history

The area of Hol was separated from Ål Municipality in 1877 to become a separate municipality. In 1937 a part of neighboring Uvdal Municipality with 220 inhabitants moved to Hol Municipality. The area was transferred from Uvdal to Hol in 1944. Uvdal was reunited with Nore to form the new municipality of Nore og Uvdal Municipality.

Ancestry

Number

Poland

General information

Name

The municipality is named after the old Hol farm, since the first church was built here. The name is identical with the word hóll, which means 'round hill'.

Villages and hamlets in Hol municipality

Dagali
Geilo
Hagafoss
Hol
Hovet
Kvisla
Myrland
Strønde
Sudndalen
Vedalen

Geography

Hol is bordered to the north by Lærdal Municipality, to the north and east by Ål Municipality, to the south by Nore og Uvdal Municipality, and to the west by Eidfjord Municipality, Ulvik Municipality and Aurland Municipality.

Lakes

Ustevatn – in the municipality of Hol
Nygardsvatnet – in the municipality of Hol
Strandavatnet – in the municipality of Hol
Ørteren – in the municipality of Hol
Nyhellervatnet – on the border between Hol and Aurland, Vestland county
Pålsbufjorden – in the municipalities of Hol and Nore og Uvdal
Øvre Hein – in the municipalities of Hol and Nore og Uvdal
Djupsvatnet – in the municipalities of Hol and Ål
Flakavatnet – in the municipalities of Hol and Ulvik

Mountains

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Hol is from modern times; the arms were granted on 5 July 1991. They show three silver anvils on a blue background and were designed by Trond Andersson. The three anvils are stacked one above the other, with the top one being largest and the bottom one smallest. The anvil was chosen to symbolize the former smithies in the municipality, which were famous for the production of axes, blades, and knives. Iron mining was already practiced in the area in the Viking Age.

Notable residents

In sport

Margit Hvammen alpine skier
Aud Hvammen, alpine skier
Anne Brusletto, alpine skier
Martin Hole, former cross country runner
Ådne Søndrål, former speed skater and gold medallist at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Håvard Bøkko , speed skater
Roger S. Kleivdal, snowboarder
Christoffer Fagerli Rukke, speed skater
Hege Bøkko, speed skater
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, biathlete
Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen, freestyle skier

Other people

Knut Henriksen Dybsjord, mayor and temperance movement activist
Pål Olson Grøt, Rosemåling painter
Olav Sletto, novelist and educator
Knut Bry, fine-art photographer and film director
Terje Isungset, musician, percussionist and composer

Attractions

Hallingskarvet National Park – national park in the municipalities of Hol, Ulvik and Aurland
Hol Bygdemuseum – located along the road from Ål to Geilo in the small village of Hagafoss. The museum is built as an old farm with buildings of the local type. There are a total of 17 buildings, of which two, Nestegardsstugu and Raunsgardsstugu, have decorative wall paintings on the walls.
Dagali Museum – museum with ten buildings located in the middle of Dagali, on the edge of Hardangervidda. The buildings came from Dagali, Skurdalen, Tunhovd, and Uvdal; the oldest dates to the 18th century.
Dagali Skisenter – alpine resort in Dagali, also offering sled-racing, with one of Norway's longest sled-racing hills.
Dr Holms Hotel – resort hotel in the ski resort town of Geilo

Sister cities

The following cities are twinned with Hol: