Oppdal Municipality Oppdal kommune | |
|---|---|
 Oppdal as seen from theAlmann Mountain in August 2008 | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Trøndelag within Norway | |
 Oppdal within Trøndelag | |
| Coordinates:62°34′25″N09°36′32″E / 62.57361°N 9.60889°E /62.57361; 9.60889 | |
| Country | Norway |
| County | Trøndelag |
| District | Dovre Region |
| Established | 1 Jan 1838 |
| • Created as | Formannskapsdistrikt |
| Administrative centre | Oppdal |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2023) | Peirson Wall (V) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,274.11 km2 (878.04 sq mi) |
| • Land | 2,201.39 km2 (849.96 sq mi) |
| • Water | 72.72 km2 (28.08 sq mi) 3.2% |
| • Rank | #24 in Norway |
| Highest elevation | 1,983.27 m (6,506.79 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 7,389 |
| • Rank | #139 in Norway |
| • Density | 3.2/km2 (8/sq mi) |
| • Change(10 years) |  +8.4% |
| Demonym | Oppdaling[2] |
| Official language | |
| • Norwegian form | Neutral |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| ISO 3166 code | NO-5021[4] |
| Website | Official website |
Oppdalⓘ is amunicipality inTrøndelagcounty, Norway. It is part of theDovre region. Theadministrative centre of the municipality is thevillage of Oppdal. Other villages in the municipality includeLønset,Vognillan,Fagerhaugen, andHolan. TheOppdal Airport, Fagerhaug is located in the northeastern part of the municipality.
The 2,274-square-kilometre (878 sq mi) municipality is the 24th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Oppdal is the 139th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 7,389. The municipality'spopulation density is 3.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (8.3/sq mi) and its population has increased by 8.4% over the previous 10-year period.[5][6]
Theprestegjeld of Oppdal was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (seeformannskapsdistrikt law). The municipal boundaries have not changed since that time.[7] On 1 January 2018, the municipality switched from the oldSør-Trøndelag county to the newTrøndelag county.
The municipality (originally theparish) is named after the oldOppdal farm (Old Norse:Uppdalr) since the firstOppdal Church was built there. The first element isupp which means "upper". The last element isdalr which means "valley" or "dale". Historically, the name was also spelledOpdal.[8]
Thecoat of arms was granted on 19 February 1982 (they were re-approved on 13 May 1983 after the government slightly changed the wording of the blazon). The officialblazon is"Azure, threepilesargent conjoinedin pall" (Norwegian:I blått tre motstøtende sølv spisser i form av et gaffelkors). This means the arms have a bluefield (background) and thecharge is three triangles that meet in the centre, forming a Y-shaped design. The triangle design has atincture ofargent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The design was nicknamed "meeting of ways" (Norwegian:vegamot) representing three important roads that meet in Oppdal, making it a major centre of commerce and transportation. One road comes fromDombås in the south going over theDovre Mountains, one road comes fromSunndalsøra inNordmøre from west, and the third road comes fromTrondheim in the north(east). Historically, this area was a gathering place due to its central location. The arms were designed by Einar H. Skjervold. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.[9][10][11]
TheChurch of Norway has three parishes (sokn) within Oppdal Municipality. It is part of theGauldal prosti (deanery) in theDiocese of Nidaros.
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fagerhaug | Fagerhaug Chapel | Fagerhaugen | 1921 |
| Lønset | Lønset Chapel | Lønset | 1863 |
| Oppdal | Oppdal Church | Oppdal | 1651 |
| St. Mikael's Chapel | south ofHolan | 2012 |
Oppdal is an alpine community which dates back to the NorwegianIron Age. It is located at a crossroads for traffic fromTrondheim, theDovrefjell mountain range, andSunndal Municipality on the west coast. This is reflected in the three rays in the coat-of-arms.
Oppdal was first settled sometime before 600CE. By then there were about 50 farms in the area, and this number grew by about 20 more in theViking Age. There are remnants of over 700Pagangrave mounds from the time at Vang, in which jewelry and other pieces from theBritish Isles were found. This indicates that the area was relatively affluent and participated in the Viking trade. Much of the affluence was likely derived from the availability of game, both in the area and from nearby mountain ranges. Several game traps can still be seen in mountains around Oppdal, particularly ditches forreindeer. There have been more than 80 finds of at least two different types ofarrowheads in the area.[12]
Archeological finds in Oppdal indicate that there were less pronounced economic disparities than elsewhere in Norway. Communal efforts to hold off famine and share burdens appear to have been common throughout several centuries.
During the Christian era, Pagan shrines and grave mounds were replaced by churches and chapels. Five rural churches were built in Oppdal at the time, in Vang, Ålbu, Lønset, Lo, and Nordskogen. TheOppdal Church, built to replace an earlierstave church in 1653, stands to this day.[13]
Oppdal was a stop for pilgrims on their way to theSt. Olav shrine at theNidaros Cathedral inTrondheim during theMiddle Ages. As a result of the heavy stream of pilgrims who followed thePilgrim's Route prior to theReformation, KingEystein erected mountain stations where the pilgrims could find food and shelter.Kongsvoll, located on theDriva River along the route where pilgrims passed from theGudbrandsdal valley into Oppdal was one of these stations, and is still an inn today. Drivstua, further north, was another.[13][14]
Oppdal was particularly affected by theBlack Plague, which led to the abandonment of a number of farms. With a worsening of the climate, the community hadn't recovered 170 years later, and there were only 35 farms and 350 people left. Only one church at Vang was still in use. As late as 1742, people in Oppdal died of hunger.
In the early 17th century, Oppdal's fortunes turned and population grew. By 1665, 2,200 people lived in Oppdal, and a new church was built at Vang, theOppdal Church, which stands to this day. TheLønset Chapel andFagerhaug Chapel have been re-established, and Oppdal houses several other religious communities. Since the 18th century, the inhabitants of Oppdal have made significant investments in education, leading to the establishment of several small rural schools and, recently, a high school.
In the 19th century, increased fertility and reduced mortality led to population growth that could not be sustained by agricultural resources. Many becametenant farmers, and eventually a large proportion of people from Oppdal emigrated to the United States. The population decreased until 1910, when therailroad fromOslo to Trondheim viaDovre (theDovre Line) created employment and opened the area for tourism. In 1952, the first ski lift opened, and with further expansions Oppdal now offers one of Norway's largest downhill networks.
During theGerman occupation of Norway (World War II), Oppdal andDombås were the locations of the Stalag 380prisoner-of-war camp, relocated in late 1942 fromSkarżysko-Kamienna inGerman-occupied Poland.[15]
In 2013,NRK said that a Labour Party politician was fighting against the establishment of a refugee center.[16]
Oppdal 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 theTrøndelag District Court and theFrostating Court of Appeal.
Themunicipal council (Kommunestyre) of Oppdal is made up of 25 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by politicalparty.
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 7 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 | |
| Green Party(Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 10 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 12 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 1 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 4 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 3 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Progress Party(Fremskrittspartiet) | 2 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 4 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 5 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 5 | |
| Socialist Left Party(Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 6 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 6 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| New People's Party(Nye Folkepartiet) | 1 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 1 | |
| Oppdal Free Voters(Oppdal Frie Velgere) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 11 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 3 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Centre Party(Senterpartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 2 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 2 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 9 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 2 | |
| Total number of members: | 25 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Conservative Party(Høyre) | 1 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 3 | |
| Total number of members: | 24 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 8 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 4 | |
| Local List(s)(Lokale lister) | 1 | |
| Total number of members: | 24 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 | |
| Christian Democratic Party(Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 7 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 5 | |
| Total number of members: | 24 | |
| Party name(in Norwegian) | Number of representatives | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party(Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 | |
| Farmers' Party(Bondepartiet) | 11 | |
| Liberal Party(Venstre) | 6 | |
| Total number of members: | 24 | |
| 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. | ||
Themayor (Norwegian:ordfører) of Oppdal is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:
Oppdal is bordered by two municipalities in Trøndelag county (Rennebu Municipality to the northeast andRindal Municipality to the west), two municipalities inMøre og Romsdal county (Surnadal Municipality to the north andSunndal Municipality to the west), and three municipalities inInnlandet county (Tynset Municipality to the east andFolldal Municipality andDovre Municipality to the south).
European route E6 passes straight through the commercial center of Oppdal going north and south, andNorwegian National Road 70 connects Oppdal toKristiansund in the west.[13]
The southeastern part ofTrollheimen mountain range is located in the municipality. The municipality covers an area equal to the entire county ofVestfold. Theadministrative centre is at 545 metres (1,788 ft) above sea level. In 2001, its drinking water was named the best in Norway.[38]
Most of Oppdal's area is mountainous, with large areas above thetreeline. The highest point in the municipality is the 1,983.27-metre (6,506.8 ft) tall mountainStorskrymten.[1] This mountain is atripoint on the border ofLesja Municipality (inInnlandet),Sunndal Municipality (inMøre og Romsdal), and Oppdal Municipality (inTrøndelag county. Other mountains includeBlåhøa andAllmannberget. TheSpeilsalen ice tunnel was a glacial formation near Blåhøa.
In the valleys there are creeks and rivers which are surrounded by spruce and pine woods; closer to the treeline,birches dominate. There are several lakes in the municipality, the most famous beingGjevillvatnet, a particularly scenic lake with hiking and cross-country skiing trails around it. The lakeFundin is located in the southern part of the municipality.
Heather andalpine meadows provide grazing for sheep in the summer. About 1,161 square kilometres (448 sq mi) of the mountains has been held since time immemorial as a collective (almenning) by farmers in the area, giving them the right to hunt, fish, and rent cabins.
Oppdal has aboreal climate, with spring as the driest season and summer as the wettest season. The climate is slightly continental with an average annual precipitation of only 600 millimetres (24 in). Considering the inland location and the altitude of 600 metres (2,000 ft) above sea level, the winters are fairly mild. The all-time high 30.1 °C (86.2 °F) was recorded 26 July 2019. The all-time low −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) is from February 2010. The weather station at Oppdal-Sæther (elevation: 604 metres [1,982 ft]) started recording December 1999. The earlier weather station Oppdal-Bjørke (elevation: 625 metres [2,051 ft]) recorded from 1975 to August 1992. Data for precipitation days is from Oppdal-Mjøen (elevation: 512 metres [1,680 ft]), which averaged just 470 millimetres (19 in) annually in 1961–1990.
Snakes have never made it to Oppdal, and snowy weather is not that unusual on the17 May National Day celebrations.
| Climate data for Oppdal 1991-2020 (604 m, avg high/low 2004-2020, precip days 1961-90, extremes 1975-2024 incl earlier station) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.4 (52.5) | 11.7 (53.1) | 14.6 (58.3) | 18.9 (66.0) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.7 (81.9) | 30.1 (86.2) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.2 (79.2) | 20.3 (68.5) | 14.8 (58.6) | 12.1 (53.8) | 30.1 (86.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1 (30) | 0 (32) | 2 (36) | 7 (45) | 11 (52) | 16 (61) | 18 (64) | 17 (63) | 13 (55) | 8 (46) | 3 (37) | 0 (32) | 8 (46) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −2.9 (26.8) | −3.5 (25.7) | −1.8 (28.8) | 2.3 (36.1) | 6.4 (43.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 13 (55) | 12.1 (53.8) | 8.5 (47.3) | 3.3 (37.9) | 0 (32) | −2.8 (27.0) | 3.7 (38.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6 (21) | −6 (21) | −5 (23) | −1 (30) | 3 (37) | 6 (43) | 9 (48) | 8 (46) | 6 (43) | 1 (34) | −2 (28) | −5 (23) | 1 (33) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −25.8 (−14.4) | −26.1 (−15.0) | −21.8 (−7.2) | −15 (5) | −8.6 (16.5) | −3.2 (26.2) | 0.2 (32.4) | −0.8 (30.6) | −5.5 (22.1) | −15 (5) | −20.9 (−5.6) | −22.5 (−8.5) | −26.1 (−15.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 57.8 (2.28) | 51.4 (2.02) | 45.3 (1.78) | 30.7 (1.21) | 29.1 (1.15) | 55.2 (2.17) | 78 (3.1) | 85 (3.3) | 45.2 (1.78) | 42.1 (1.66) | 47 (1.9) | 48.7 (1.92) | 615.5 (24.27) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 87 |
| Source 1: yr.no and eklima/Norwegian Meteorological Institute[39] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: weatheronline climate robot (avg high/low)[40] | |||||||||||||
The main industries in Oppdal today are agriculture, tourism, and some light manufacturing. It has the largest sheep population of any municipality in Norway, with 45,000 head of sheep put out to graze in the mountains every year.Oppdal Ski Center is one of Norway's bestski resorts and is surrounded bynational parks. Aslatequarry exists.[41]
Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from Commons
Travel guides from Wikivoyage
Data from Wikidata
| |||||||||||||||
 | Towns and cities | ||||||||||||||
| Municipalities |
| ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Artists | |
