Bykle Municipality
Bykle kommune
Municipality
Flag of Bykle Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms of Bykle Municipality
Coat of arms
Agder within Norway
Agder within Norway
Bykle within Agder
Bykle within Agder
Coordinates: 59°26′35″N 07°15′18″E / 59.44306°N 7.25500°E / 59.44306; 7.25500
CountryNorway
CountyAgder
DistrictSetesdal
Established1 Jan 1902
 • Preceded byValle Municipality
Administrative centreBykle
Government
 • Mayor (2011)Jon-Rolf Næss (Ap)
Area
 • Total1,467.10 km2 (566.45 sq mi)
 • Land1,253.92 km2 (484.14 sq mi)
 • Water213.18 km2 (82.31 sq mi)  14.5%
 • Rank#60 in Norway
Population
 (2022)
 • Total935
 • Rank#337 in Norway
 • Density0.7/km2 (2/sq mi)
 • Change (10 years)
Decrease −3.6%
DemonymsByklar (N)
Bykler (B)[1]
Official language
[2]
 • Norwegian formNynorsk
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeNO-4222[3]
WebsiteOfficial website
Data from Statistics Norway

Bykle is a municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Setesdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bykle. Other villages in Bykle municipality include Berdalen, Bjåen, Breive, Hoslemo, Hovden, and Nordbygdi. Bykle was established as a municipality on 1 January 1902 when it was separated from the municipality of Valle.

The 1,467-square-kilometre (566 sq mi) municipality is the 60th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Bykle is the 337th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 935. The municipality's population density is 0.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (1.8/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 3.6% over the previous 10-year period.[4][5]

General information

View of the village of Hovden in winter
View of the Old Bykle Church

The municipality of Bykle was created when it was separated from the older municipality of Valle on 1 January 1902 after a dispute over the costs of road building (Bykle was the bigger area, while Valle had more people and more money).[6] Initially, Bykle had a population of 476 residents in the new municipality. The boundaries of the municipality have not changed since that time.[7]

Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Byklum farm (Old Norse: Byklar) since the first Bykle Church was built there. The farm is named after Lake Bykil, but the meaning of that name is uncertain. The name possibly comes from the word bauka which means "to splash" or "to slosh". Historically, the name has been spelled Bøgle or Bøckle, but the spelling has been Bykle since the 19th century.[8]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 4 April 1986. The official blazon is "Vert, goutte d'eau" (Norwegian: Grøn grunn strødd med sølv dropar). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is droplets of water that are equally spaced all over the shield. The water droplets have a tincture of argent which means they are commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The green color in the field symbolizes the importance of agriculture in the municipality. The water droplets were chosen as a symbol for the water and rivers in the municipality, as well as for the hydropower plant which was founded in 1915. The plant has brought prosperity to the area since then. The arms were designed by Daniel Rike. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[9][10][11]

Churches

The Church of Norway has one parish (sokn) within the municipality of Bykle. It is part of the Otredal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

Churches in Bykle
Parish (sokn)Church nameLocation of the churchYear built
BykleBykle ChurchBykle2004
Old Bykle ChurchBykle1619
Fjellgardane ChurchHovden1955

Geography

Bykle sits in the northern part of the Setesdalen valley. It is bordered to the north by Vinje municipality and to the east by Tokke municipality both of which are in Vestfold og Telemark county. It is bordered to the south by Valle and Sirdal municipality, both in Agder county. It is bordered in the southwest by Sandnes municipality and in the west by Hjelmeland and Suldal municipalities–all in Rogaland county.

There are many lakes that are located within the mountainous municipality including Blåsjø, Botsvatn, Hartevatnet, Holmavatnet, Ormsavatnet, Reinevatn, Skyvatn, Store Urevatn, Svartevatnet, and Vatndalsvatnet, and Ytre Storevatnet.

The Setesdalsheiene mountain range runs through the municipality, including the tallest mountain in that range, Sæbyggjenuten at 1,507 metres (4,944 ft). The Byklestigen pass is a torturous trail up a steep cliff face. Until the 1870s, it was the only route to reach Bykle from the middle Setesdal valley to the south. It runs above the river Otra and was the site of numerous accidents on the hazardous route. The eastern side of the valley (and the municipal/county border) is lined by the mountains Gråsteinsnosi, Brandsnutene, Svolhusgreini, Sæbyggjenuten, and Støylsdalsnutene. The western side of the valley (and the municipal/county border) is lined by the mountains Storhellernuten, Skyvassnuten, Sveigen, and Kaldafjellet. The southern border of the municipality is marked by the mountain Steinheii. The mountains Urevassnutene, Djuptjønnuten, Snjoheinuten, and Kvervetjønnuten mark the highlands in the southwestern part of the municipality, northwest of the village of Bykle.

Climate

Climate data for Bykle
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.1
(21.0)		 −5.7
(21.7)		 −1.3
(29.7)		 2.5
(36.5)		 8.0
(46.4)		 13.1
(55.6)		 14.1
(57.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 9.0
(48.2)		 4.7
(40.5)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 3.8
(38.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 79
(3.1)		 55
(2.2)		 54
(2.1)		 37
(1.5)		 70
(2.8)		 73
(2.9)		 72
(2.8)		 97
(3.8)		 117
(4.6)		 127
(5.0)		 109
(4.3)		 69
(2.7)		 80
(3.1)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute[12]

Economy

Bykle has several hydroelectric power generation facilities. The second-largest sector of income for Bykle is the alpine skiing facility in Hovden. Due to its vast amount of hydroelectric power, Bykle is now the wealthiest of the municipalities in Setesdal.

Government

All municipalities in Norway are 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 is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[13] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Agder District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Bykle is made up of 13 representatives that are elected to four year terms. Currently, the party breakdown is as follows:

Bykle kommunestyre 2020–2023 [14]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 2016–2019 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 2012–2015 [16]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Progress Party (Framstegspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 2008–2011 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 3
  Progress Party (Framstegspartiet) 1
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 1
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
 Bykle local list (Bykle bygdeliste)1
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 2004–2007 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 1
  Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) 1
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 1
 Bykle local list (Bykle Bygdeliste)2
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 2000–2003 [15]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 3
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 4
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
 Bykle local list (Bykle bygdeliste)1
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1996–1999 [17]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 3
 Bykle local list (Bykle Bygdeliste)2
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1992–1995 [18]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 1
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
  Liberal Party (Venstre) 2
 Bykle local list (Bykle Bygdelist)1
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1988–1991 [19]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 2
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
 Bykle local list (Bykle Bygdeliste)2
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1984–1987 [20]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 4
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 1
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 2
 Bykle local list (Bykle Bygdeliste)3
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1980–1983 [21]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Conservative Party (Høgre) 3
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 3
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1976–1979 [22]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 3
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1972–1975 [23]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 6
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1968–1971 [24]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
Total number of members:13
Bykle kommunestyre 1964–1967 [25]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti) 2
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 5
Total number of members:13
Bykle heradsstyre 1960–1963 [26]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Centre Party (Senterpartiet) 7
Total number of members:13
Bykle heradsstyre 1956–1959 [27]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:13
Bykle heradsstyre 1952–1955 [28]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 5
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:12
Bykle heradsstyre 1948–1951 [29]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidarar, fiskarar, småbrukarar liste) 5
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 7
Total number of members:12
Bykle heradsstyre 1945–1947 [30]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 6
  Local List(s) (Lokale lister) 6
Total number of members:12
Bykle heradsstyre 1938–1941* [31]  
Party name (in Nynorsk)Number of
representatives
  Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet) 3
  Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgarlege Felleslister) 9
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.

Politics

Bykle has been run by one mayor, Kai Jeiskelid, from 1985 until 2011. In September 2011, a new mayor was elected: Jon-Rolf Næss. Due to a law implemented for 50 years ago by the Labour Party, the obligation of politicians' residence in this municipality is required.

Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Bykle (incomplete list):

  • 1985-2011: Kay Jeiskelid (Ap/H)
  • 2011-present: Jon-Rolf Næss (Ap)

History

At Storhedder, north of the lake Storheddervatnet near the mountain Storheddernuten, there are prehistoric runic inscriptions dating over 1000 years old.

The Hovden area was interconnected more with the districts to the west of the mountains than communities further down the Setesdal valley. The main mountain plateau trade route led west to Suldal municipality in Rogaland. The Byklestigen pass was the line of divisions between dialects; in Valle to the south the classic Setesdal tongue was spoken while in Bykle the dialect includes a significant mixture from neighboring Telemark county.

Falcons were trapped in the heights above Bykle. From as early as 1203 and as late as 1780 there are reports of English and Dutch trapping of falcons at Breivik in Bykle. One byproduct of the numerous Dutch visits in the 1560s was the discovery that the natives had no natural resistance to syphilis; a state physician had to be dispatched there to stem the disease.

Attractions

Notable people

  • Tore Segelcke (1901–1979), a Norwegian actress,[32] with husband, Anton Raabe, she bought and restored Huldreheimen in Bykle

References

  1. ↑ "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
  2. ↑ "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
  3. ↑ Bolstad, Erik; Thorsnæs, Geir, eds. (26 January 2023). "Kommunenummer". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget.
  4. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
  5. ↑ Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
  6. ↑ Stagg, Frank Noel (1958). South Norway. George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.
  7. ↑ Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå. ISBN 9788253746845.
  8. ↑ Rygh, Oluf (1905). Norske gaardnavne: Nedenes amt (in Norwegian) (8 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. pp. 211–213.
  9. ↑ "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Bykle, Aust-Agder (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 4 April 1986. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Weather statistics for Bykle (Aust-Agder)". Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
  13. ↑ Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Agder". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
  16. ↑ "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Aust-Agder". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  17. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1995" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  18. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1991" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  19. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1987" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  20. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1983" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  21. ↑ "Kommunestyrevalget 1979" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  22. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1975" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  23. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1972" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  24. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  25. ↑ "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  26. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1960. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  27. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1957. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  28. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1952. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  29. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1948. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  30. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1947. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  31. ↑ "Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1938. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  32. ↑ IMDb Database retrieved 31 December 2020
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