Voss Municipality Voss herad | |
|---|---|
| Voss kommune (historic name) | |
 Voss in March 2005 | |
.png) Flag | |
 Vestland within Norway | |
 Voss within Vestland | |
| Coordinates:60°42′09″N06°25′23″E / 60.70250°N 6.42306°E /60.70250; 6.42306 | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Vestland |
| District | Voss |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| • Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Administrative centre | Vossevangen |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2023) | Tonje Såkvitne (Sp) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,041.97 km2 (788.41 sq mi) |
| • Land | 1,957.87 km2 (755.94 sq mi) |
| • Water | 84.10 km2 (32.47 sq mi) 4.1% |
| • Rank | #35 in Norway |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 16,144 |
| • Rank | #76 in Norway |
| • Density | 8.2/km2 (21/sq mi) |
| • Change(10 years) |  +7.9% |
| Demonyms | Vossing Voss (male) Vosse (female)[1] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Nynorsk |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-4621[3] |
| Website | Official website |
Voss (pronunciationⓘ) is amunicipality and atraditional district inVestlandcounty,Norway. Theadministrative center of the municipality is the village ofVossevangen. Other villages includeBolstadøyri,Borstrondi,Evanger,Kvitheim,Mjølfjell,Oppheim,Stalheim, andVinje.
The 2,042-square-kilometre (788 sq mi) municipality is the 35th largest by area of Norway's 356 municipalities. Voss is Norway's 76th most populous municipality, with a population of 16,144. Itspopulation density is 8.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (21/sq mi) and its population has increased by 7.9% over the last 10 years.[4][5]
Theparish of Voss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (seeformannskapsdistrikt law). On 1 January 1867, a small area in northern Voss (population 28) was transferred to the municipality ofHosanger. On 1 January 1868, the municipality's northern district (population 2,009) was separated to form the new municipality ofVossestrand. This left 7,592 residents in Voss. On 21 August 1868, an unpopulated area of northern Voss was transferred to Vossestrand. On 1 January 1885, the western district of Voss (population 2,045) was separated to form the new municipality ofEvanger. This left Voss with 5,403 residents.[6]
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of theSchei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the municipality of Voss (population 10,575), the municipality ofVossestrand (population 1,573), and most of the municipality ofEvanger (population 1,075) were all merged into a new, larger municipality of Voss. (The rest of Evanger was merged into the new municipality ofVaksdal.)[6]
On 1 January 2020, the neighboring municipality ofGranvin merged with Voss, creating a larger Voss municipality. Before the merger, it was known asVoss kommune, but afterward it was calledVoss herad, using the titleherad which Granvin formerly had used.[7]
The municipality (originally theparish) is named after thetraditional district ofVoss (Old Norse:Vǫrs). The name is likely derived from the wordvǫrr which means "water" (likely the old district name was originally used as the name for the lakeVangsvatnet.[8]
The originalcoat of arms was granted on 8 July 1977 and was in use until 1 January 2020, when the municipality was enlarged. The officialblazon is"Gules, a deer stagargent" (Norwegian:På raud grunn ein opprett kvit hjort). This means the arms have a redfield (background) and thecharge is a deerstag with antlers. The charge has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The arms are based on the seal of Peter, who was the owner of the farmFinne in Voss, one of the largest farms inWestern Norway during theMiddle Ages. He used a silver deer on a red background as his personal coat of arms in 1303. His son also used a deer on his seals, as did most of their relatives until 1460. The shape and position of the deer varied, but it always was the main figure. The arms were designed byHallvard Trætteberg. The municipal flag was nearly the same design as the coat of arms, the main difference was the placement of the deer legs.[9][10][11][12]
A newcoat of arms was granted in 2019 for use starting on 1 January 2020 after the merger of Voss andGranvin. The decision was made to blend the old municipalities' previous arms, so the design from Granvin and the colors from Voss were chosen for the new arms. The officialblazon is"Gules, a fiddleargent inbend sinister" (Norwegian:På raud grunn ei sølv fele, skråstilt venstre-høgre). This means the arms have a redfield (background) and thecharge is ahardanger fiddle (Norwegian:Hardingfele), a Norwegian folk instrument. The fiddle has a tincture of argent. The area has an activefolk-music tradition. The arms were designed by Øyvind Kvamme. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[13][14]
TheChurch of Norway has seven parishes (sokn) in Voss. It is part of theHardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in theDiocese of Bjørgvin.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evanger | Evanger Church | Evanger | 1851 |
| Granvin | Granvin Church | Granvin | 1726 |
| Oppheim | Oppheim Church | Oppheim | 1871 |
| Raundalen | Raundalen Church | Raundalen | 1921 |
| Vinje | Vinje Church | Vinje | 1871 |
| Voss | Voss Church | Vossevangen | 1277 |
%2c_Voss.jpg)
After theGerman invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, Voss was the main point of mobilisation for theNorwegian Army in the west, since the city ofBergen had already fallen on 9 April. From Bergen and theHardangerfjord, the Nazis met stiff Norwegian resistance. In Hardanger, some of the Germans climbed up the mountains fromÅlvik; the rest went throughGranvin. To break down this resistance, theLuftwaffe bombed Vossevangen on 23 and 24 April, and the surrounding countryside on 25 April. Nine people died in the bombing, which completely destroyed the old wood-built town centre. German forces entered the municipality of Voss on 25 April and on 26 April, German forces entered Vossevangen, which remained occupied until 8 May 1945.
In 1964, Voss was enlarged with the incorporation of the neighbouring municipalitiesVossestrand andEvanger, which had until then been separate municipalities within thetraditional district also known as Voss.
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| Note: The municipal borders were changed in 1868, 1885, 1964, and 2020, all of which caused a significant change in the population. Source:Statistics Norway[4][15] and Norwegian Historical Data Centre[16] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Voss Municipality is responsible forprimary education (through 10th grade), outpatienthealth services,senior citizen services,welfare and othersocial services,zoning,economic development, and municipalroads and utilities. The municipality is governed by amunicipal council ofdirectly elected representatives. Themayor isindirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.[17] The municipality is under the jurisdiction of theHordaland District Court and theGulating Court of Appeal.
Themunicipal council(Heradsstyre) is made up of 43 representatives who are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by politicalparty.
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 8 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 2 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet Dei Grøne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 9 | |
| Industry and Business Party(Industri‑ og Næringspartiet) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Red Party(Raudt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 10 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 2 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet Dei Grøne) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Red Party(Raudt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 14 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Note: In 2020,Granvin municipality became part of Voss. | ||
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 16 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 2 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet Dei Grøne) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Red Party(Raudt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 4 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Red Party(Raudt) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 13 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Red Party(Raudt) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 10 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 4 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 16 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 5 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Red Electoral Alliance(Raud Valallianse) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 18 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Red Electoral Alliance(Raud Valallianse) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Red Electoral Alliance(Raud Valallianse) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 13 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Voss local list(Voss Bygdeliste) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 6 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Red Electoral Alliance(Raud Valallianse) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 15 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Voss local list(Voss Bygdeliste) | 8 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 20 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Red Electoral Alliance(Raud Valallianse) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 7 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Joint list of theLiberal Party(Venstre) and Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 18 | |
| Progress Party(Framstegspartiet) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 7 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Liberal People's Party(Liberale Folkepartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 16 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| New People's Party(Nye Folkepartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 18 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 5 | |
| New People's Party(Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 18 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 4 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
| Socialist People's Party(Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 19 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 11 | |
| Socialist People's Party(Sosialistisk Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 20 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 12 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 43 | |
| Note: In 1964,Evanger andVossestrand municipalities became part of Voss. | ||
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 17 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 35 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 17 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 35 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 12 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 28 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høgre) | 1 | |
| Communist Party(Kommunistiske Parti) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristeleg Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 28 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
| Communist Party(Kommunistiske Parti) | 2 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 5 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 28 | |
| Party name(in Nynorsk) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeidarpartiet) | 10 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 10 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 8 | |
| Total number of members: | 28 | |
| Note: Due to theGerman occupation of Norway duringWorld War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. | ||
Themayors (Nynorsk:ordførar) of Voss:[37][38][39]
Voss is in the innermost part ofBolstadsfjorden and includes the valleys that head inland from there. Voss has several large lakes:Evangervatnet,Hamlagrøvatnet,Lønavatnet,Oppheimsvatnet,Torfinnsvatnet, andVangsvatnet. In the north, Voss reaches to theNærøydalen valley, which leads to theNærøyfjorden. TheStalheimsfossen waterfall nearStalheim sits just above that valley. TheRaundalen valley in the east is the main route of theBergensbanen railway line, which connects eastern and western Norway.
Voss has ahumid continental climate (Dfb in theKöppen climate classification if 0 °C (32 °F) is used as winter threshold. If the original −3 °C (27 °F) is used, then Voss will be classified as an oceanic climate (Cfb). The wettest time of year is October - January, and the driest season is April - July. The all-time high temperature is 34.1 °C (93.4 °F) recorded 24 July 2014; the all-time low is −30.4 °C (−22.7 °F) recorded 8 January 2010.
| Climate data for Vossevangen 1991-2020 (54 m, extremes 2002-2024) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 9.8 (49.6) | 11.7 (53.1) | 16.3 (61.3) | 23.4 (74.1) | 29.4 (84.9) | 31.1 (88.0) | 34.1 (93.4) | 32.4 (90.3) | 27 (81) | 23 (73) | 15.4 (59.7) | 11.6 (52.9) | 34.1 (93.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2 (28) | −2.1 (28.2) | 1.1 (34.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 9.8 (49.6) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.8 (60.4) | 14.8 (58.6) | 11 (52) | 5.8 (42.4) | 1.6 (34.9) | −1.6 (29.1) | 6.1 (42.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −30.4 (−22.7) | −25.09 (−13.16) | −24.1 (−11.4) | −10.6 (12.9) | −3.5 (25.7) | −0.6 (30.9) | 2.7 (36.9) | 3.1 (37.6) | −1.3 (29.7) | −9.6 (14.7) | −17 (1) | −29.7 (−21.5) | −30.4 (−22.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 158.4 (6.24) | 126 (5.0) | 109 (4.3) | 71 (2.8) | 58.7 (2.31) | 64.1 (2.52) | 80.6 (3.17) | 100.3 (3.95) | 128.7 (5.07) | 149.8 (5.90) | 151.9 (5.98) | 170.6 (6.72) | 1,369.1 (53.96) |
| Source 1: yr.no/Norwegian Meteorological Institute[41] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: eklima/met.no[42] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Voss, Norway 1961-1990 (125 m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | 0.3 (32.5) | 4.5 (40.1) | 8.7 (47.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.0 (66.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 9.3 (48.7) | 3.2 (37.8) | 0.6 (33.1) | 9.4 (48.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.5 (23.9) | −3.8 (25.2) | 0.2 (32.4) | 3.9 (39.0) | 9.3 (48.7) | 13.2 (55.8) | 14.2 (57.6) | 13.4 (56.1) | 9.4 (48.9) | 5.9 (42.6) | 0.3 (32.5) | −3.0 (26.6) | 4.9 (40.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.0 (19.4) | −7.2 (19.0) | −3.4 (25.9) | −0.4 (31.3) | 4.0 (39.2) | 7.9 (46.2) | 9.8 (49.6) | 9.2 (48.6) | 6.0 (42.8) | 2.8 (37.0) | −2.1 (28.2) | −5.5 (22.1) | 1.2 (34.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 123 (4.8) | 89 (3.5) | 97 (3.8) | 49 (1.9) | 56 (2.2) | 71 (2.8) | 78 (3.1) | 95 (3.7) | 160 (6.3) | 161 (6.3) | 150 (5.9) | 151 (5.9) | 1,280 (50.2) |
| Average precipitation days | 15.5 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 9.1 | 10.1 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 13.0 | 16.5 | 17.5 | 16.1 | 16.4 | 158.5 |
| Source: Weatherbase.com[43] | |||||||||||||
Voss is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, forests, lakes and fast-flowing whitewater rivers. This has led to its development as a notable center ofskiing,water sports,skydiving,paragliding and other adventure sports. Every year in the last week of June the area hosts theEkstremsportveko[44] (Extreme Sports Week), which is regarded as the world's premierextreme sports festival. Bømoen, the local airstrip, is home to Skydive Voss, one of the largest dropzones in Norway, as well as a gliding club. The rivers provide various levels of white water, attracting kayaking, rafting and river boarding. Kite surfing andpara-bungee may be seen on lake Vangsvatnet. The ski area, to the north of the town, is accessible via acable car,Hangursbanen. There is alsochair lift access fromBavallen, a short distance northeast of Voss.
The town's proximity to theSognefjord and its position between Bergen andFlåm on thescenic railway have made it popular with tourists. One of the sights on the road to Flåm is the waterfallTvindefossen.
The Voss Museum displays several old farmsteads, including a larger-than-life stone statue of Lars O. Kindem. Next to the open-air part, there is a museum with over 20,000 items from traditional farm life.
Voss has a wide range of habitats, from high barren mountains to rich fertile valleys. The large areas of coniferous forests provide food and shelter for a host of species, while the many wetland areas are regarded as some of the most interesting birding habitats in the county. There is a bird reserve at Lønaøyane with marked paths and a tower hide. Over 155 species have been seen there. Many are common in Scandinavia, but the area has also produced such unexpected species as thegreat egret, European hobby, andwoodlark.
Voss is a winter sports center and has in recent times been the home of many world-class athletes in several winter sports, most prominentlybiathlon, but alsoalpine skiing,nordic skiing andfreestyle skiing. In all, athletes from Voss have won 6 gold medals, 5 silver medals and 7 bronze medals at winter Olympic games. Athletes from Voss have been present, representing Norway, at every winter Olympic games except one since1948 Winter Olympics, the exception being1972.
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Like the rest ofWestern Norway, Voss saw large-scale emigration, particularly to the United States, in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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