Ulvik Municipality

The large parish of Graven (later spelled Granvin) was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt law). This large municipality/parish included two annexes: Ulvik and Eidfjord. On 1 January 1859, Ulvik Church became the main parish church, which in turn made Graven Church and Eidfjord Church annexes to the main Ulvik Church. Due to this change, the name of the large municipality was changed from Graven Municipality to Ulvik Municipality. On 1 May 1891, the large Ulvik Municipality was divided as follows: Ulvik Municipality () is one of only three municipalities in Norway that uses the word instead of in its name. Both Norwegian words can be translated to be "municipality", but herad is an older word that historically was only used for rural municipalities. Municipalities can choose to use one or the other, but most use the more modern kommune. From 1838 until the mid-20th century, most municipalities used herad or herred (using the Nynorsk or Bokmål spelling) for their name, but after some legal changes in the law on municipalities in the 1950s and onwards, most municipalities switched to kommune. The only other municipalities to use herad in 2026 are Voss Municipality and Kvam Municipality. There are also a few municipalities with herad in the name such as Kvinnherad Municipality. Coat of arms The coat of arms was granted on 19 December 1986. The official blazon is "Gules, eight lozenges in annulet Or" (). This means the arms have a red field (background) and the charge is a set of eight lozenges arranged around a point, making a symmetrical rosette design. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The figure is a traditional design seen in the local folk-art and in local textiles (including in the bunad of Ulvik). The pattern can be traced in local arts as far back as the 16th century, and is similar to the selburose. The arms were designed by Stein Davidsen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms. Churches The Church of Norway has one parish () within Ulvik Municipality. It is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. ==Geography==

The municipality is situated around the Hardangerfjord's northeastern arms: the Osafjorden and Ulvikafjorden, extending far into the Hardangervidda plateau. The northernmost part of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier is in Ulvik Municipality. The Finse and Hallingskeid areas lie just south of the Hallingskarvet National Park which partially sits inside Ulvik and includes the Hallingskarvet mountains. Lakes in the region include Finsevatnet and Flakavatnet. The headwaters of the Flåmselvi river also lie in Ulvik. The highest point in the municipality is the tall mountain peak at the highest point of the Hardangerjøkulen, just north of the border with Eidfjord Municipality. Aurland Municipality lies to the north, Hol Municipality (in Buskerud county) lies to the east, Eidfjord Municipality lies to the south, and Voss Municipality lies to the west. ==History==

After the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway in 1905, Ulvik Municipality was one of the few municipalities in all of Norway that returned a majority in favour of a republic rather than a monarchy in the national referendum on the issue. The village of Ulvik was nearly totally destroyed on 25 April 1940, during the German invasion of Norway, when fighting erupted between a German landing party arriving in boats, and a Norwegian force on land. Most of the village was burned down, and three civilians were killed. An unknown number of German soldiers were also killed in the fighting. ==Population==

Ulvik Municipality is 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. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Hordaland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal. Municipal council The municipal council of Ulvik Municipality is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four-year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party. {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table {{Kommunestyre table Mayors The mayor () of Ulvik Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. The following people have held this position: • 1838–1843: Capt. Nordbye • 1844–1845: Gjert Hansen Lindebrække • 1846–1849: Thorkild Poulsen Lekve • 1850–1857: Gjert Hansen Lindebrække • 1858–1859: Paul Sponheim • 1860–1873: Kristofer F.K. Hjeltnæs • 1874–1875: Sjur Sponheim • 1888–1889: Hans Lindebrække • 1890–1891: Hans Larsen Saakvitne (V) • 1892–1913: Hans Lindebrække • 1914–1916: Kristofer Kristofersson Hjeltnes (V) • 1917–1919: Gjert K. Lindebrække • 1920–1925: Kristofer F.K. Hjeltnes (V) • 1925–1928: Kristofer K. Hjeltnes (V) • 1929–1931: Gjert K. Lindebrække • 1932–1940: Kristofer K. Hjeltnes (V) • 1941–1941: Lars M. Øydvin • 1942–1945: Lars Børsheim (NS) • 1945–1945: Kristofer K. Hjeltnes (V) • 1945–1951: Olav Lindebrekke • 1951–1959: Magnus T. Øydvin (Bp) • 1959–1971: Lars O. Aurdal (V) • 1971–1983: Ragnvald Olav Fleten (Sp) • 1983–1987: Knut Nes (Sp) • 1987–1991: Lars Sponheim (V) • 1991–1995: Ragnvald Olav Fleten (Sp) • 1995–2001: Terje Breivik (V) • 2001–2007: Jon Olav Heggseth (Sp) • 2007–2011: Mona Haugland Hellesnes (V) • 2011–2023: Hans Petter Thorbjørnsen (Ap) • 2023–present: Jens Olav Holven (Sp) Police In 2016, the chief of police for Vestlandet formally suggested a reconfiguration of police districts and stations. He proposed that the police station in Ulvik be closed. ==Transportation==

It takes around two hours to drive from the city of Bergen to Ulvik via the European route E16 highway to Vossavangen and then taking Norwegian National Road 13 through the Vallavik Tunnel to Ulvik Municipality. The Norwegian National Road 13 continues through Ulvik before crossing the Hardanger Bridge which goes over the Hardangerfjord. The nearest airport is Bergen Flesland Airport in Bergen. The Bergen Line runs through the northern part of Ulvik Municipality. It runs through a region that has no road access, but is a popular with hiking and sports enthusiasts. The railway station at Finse on the Bergen Line at an elevation of is the highest station on the Norwegian railway system. The Finse Tunnel just outside Finse is one of the longest railway tunnels in Norway. The Rallarvegen "road" is an historic road that follows the Bergen Line through Ulvik. It is a popular biking and hiking route. Ulvik is also visited in the summer by numerous foreign cruise ships who travel along the fjord. ==Notable people==

• Catharine Hermine Kølle (1788–1859), an adventurer, writer, and artist who lived in Ulvik from 1807 • Lars Osa (1860 in Ulvik – 1958), an artist who worked on church restorations and noted fiddle player • Olav H. Hauge (1908 in Ulvik – 1994), a horticulturist, translator, and poet • Sigbjørn Bernhoft Osa (1910 in Ulvik – 1990), a fiddler and traditional folk musician • Gunnar Hjeltnes (1922 in Ulvik – 2013), an alpine skier who competed at the 1952 Winter Olympics • Lars Sponheim (born 1957), a Norwegian politician who was County Governor of Vestland and Mayor of Ulvik from 1988-1991 • Terje Breivik (born 1965), a Norwegian politician and entrepreneur who was Mayor of Ulvik from 1995-2001 ==References==