District Østerdalen Area rank 116 in Norway Area 943 km² Population 2,406 (2004) | County Hedmark Administrative centre Alvdal Demonym(s) Alvdøl Local time Monday 11:33 AM | |
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Weather -1°C, Wind S at 13 km/h, 77% Humidity Points of interest Aukrustsenteret, Tronfjell, Storsølnkletten | ||
Alvdal is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Alvdal.
Contents
Map of Alvdal Municipality, Norway
Alvdal (along with the eastern part of Folldal municipality) was separated from the municipality of Tynset to become a municipality of its own in 1864. The western part of Folldal was transferred from Dovre (in Oppland county) to Alvdal (and Hedmark county) in 1884. Folldal was separated from the municipality of Alvdal in 1914.
The Rørosbane railway line passes through Alvdal.
Name
The Old Norse form of the name was (øfri) Elfardalr (meaning "(upper) river valley"). The first element is the genitive case of elfr which means "river" (here the Glomma river) and the last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".
Prior to 1918, the municipality was called Lille-Elvdalen ("the small Elvdalen") to distinguish it from Store Elvedalen ("the big Elvedalen") which is now called Stor-Elvdal.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 25 November 1988. The arms show the front ends of two silver skis on a blue background. They represent the history and importance of skiing in the area.
(See also Skien and Trysil)
Geography
Alvdal is bordered by Tynset to the north, Rendalen to the east and south, Stor-Elvdal to the south, and Folldal to the west. The highest mountain in the municipality is Storsølnkletten at 1,827 metres (5,994 ft) tall.
Notable residents
Writer and humorist Kjell Aukrust was born in Alvdal. The Aukrustsenteret in Alvdal is dedicated to him.
Aukrust is most famous for creating the fictional Norwegian village of Flåklypa and its cast of idiosyncratic characters.