Frei
Encyclopedia
Frei is a village, island, and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal
county, Norway
. It is located in the present-day municipality of Kristiansund
between the Kvernesfjord
and Freifjord. The island of Frei is connected to the city of Kristiansund
by the Omsund Bridge
, and it is connected to the mainland by the Freifjord Tunnel
(part of the Krifast
system).
The island of Frei has an area of 62.5 square kilometres (24.1 sq mi). The village of Frei (or Nedre Frei) is located on the southern end of the island, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Kvalvåg
. Frei's largest village is Rensvik
, the former municipal center, which is located at the north end of the island.
The Viking
-era Battle of Rastarkalv
, between Haakon I of Norway
and the sons of Eric I of Norway, took place here in 955 AD.
: Freiðr). The meaning of the name is unknown, but is maybe derived from fríðr which means "good" or "beautiful". Until 1889, the name was written Fredø.
). On 1 January 1882, a small part of Fredø (population: 40) was merged into Øre
. On 1 September 1893, an area of Frei (population: 231) was merged into the new municipality of Gjemnes
. On 1 January 1964, the northern part of the island of Frei was transferred from Bremsnes
to Frei, also the part of Frei on the island of Aspøya
(population: 147) was transferred to Tingvoll
. On 1 January 2008, the municipality of Frei ceased to exist when it was merged into the municipality of Kristiansund
to the north.
is from modern times. They were granted on 11 September 1987, and they were designed by local architect and painter Nils Fiske. The two gold crowns
on a red background symbolize the relationship between Frei and two Norwegian Kings: King Håkon
the Good had a hunting lodge in the area in the 10th century, and the King and the villagers took part on the Battle of Rastarkalv
in the municipality in 955. King Håkon VII has visited the village in 1955 at the 1000th anniversary of the battle.
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located in the present-day municipality of Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
between the Kvernesfjord
Kvernesfjord
Kvernesfjord is a fjord between the municipalities of Gjemnes, Kristiansund, Averøy, and Eide in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The fjord is about long....
and Freifjord. The island of Frei is connected to the city of Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
by the Omsund Bridge
Omsund Bridge
Omsund Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Omsundet between the islands of Frei and Nordlandet, in the municipality of Kristiansund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is actually made up of two bridges, since the main bridge does not span the entire strait...
, and it is connected to the mainland by the Freifjord Tunnel
Freifjord Tunnel
The Freifjord Tunnel is a long undersea tunnel under the Freifjorden in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The tunnel begins on the island of Frei in the municipality of Kristiansund and then descends below the Freifjorden and ends on the island of Bergsøya in the municipality of Gjemnes...
(part of the Krifast
Krifast
The Kristiansund Mainland Connection is a road system on the highways and that connects the municipality of Kristiansund to the islands of Frei, Bergsøya, and Aspøya to mainland Norway. Krifast opened in 1992 and consists of of road and of bicycle paths...
system).
The island of Frei has an area of 62.5 square kilometres (24.1 sq mi). The village of Frei (or Nedre Frei) is located on the southern end of the island, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of Kvalvåg
Kvalvåg
Kvalvåg is a village in the municipality of Kristiansund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village has a population of 230. The village lies on the southeast side of the island of Frei, along the Freifjorden, about northeast of the village of Frei and southeast of Rensvik....
. Frei's largest village is Rensvik
Rensvik
Rensvik is a village in the municipality of Kristiansund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located on the northern part of the island of Frei, just west of the Omsund Bridge which connects to the island of Nordlandet. The village has a population of 2,067...
, the former municipal center, which is located at the north end of the island.
The Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
-era Battle of Rastarkalv
Battle of Rastarkalv
The Battle of Rastarkalv took place in AD 955 on the island of Frei in the county of Møre og Romsdal, Norway.This was one of several battles between the forces of King Haakon the Good and those of the sons of Eirik Bloodaxe...
, between Haakon I of Norway
Haakon I of Norway
Haakon I , , given the byname the Good, was the third king of Norway and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair and Thora Mosterstang.-Early life:...
and the sons of Eric I of Norway, took place here in 955 AD.
Name
The municipality was named after the island of Frei (Old NorseOld Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
: Freiðr). The meaning of the name is unknown, but is maybe derived from fríðr which means "good" or "beautiful". Until 1889, the name was written Fredø.
Municipality
The municipality of Fredø was established on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistriktFormannskapsdistrikt
Formannskapsdistrikt was the name for a Norwegian local self-government districts put into force in 1838. This system of municipality was created in a bill approved by the Storting and signed into law by King Carl Johan on 14 January 1837...
). On 1 January 1882, a small part of Fredø (population: 40) was merged into Øre
Øre, Norway
Øre is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is located along the Batnfjorden in the present-day municipality of Gjemnes. The village lies about half-way between the villages of Batnfjordsøra and Torvikbukt. The Øre church is located here.-History:The...
. On 1 September 1893, an area of Frei (population: 231) was merged into the new municipality of Gjemnes
Gjemnes
Gjemnes is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway on the Romsdal peninsula. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is Batnfjordsøra, which lies along the Batnfjorden and is a former steamship landing place...
. On 1 January 1964, the northern part of the island of Frei was transferred from Bremsnes
Bremsnes
Bremsnes is a village and former municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village is on the northeastern coast of the island of Averøya, about north of the village of Kvernes and across the Bremnesfjord from the city of Kristiansund. The village is connected to Kristiansund via the...
to Frei, also the part of Frei on the island of Aspøya
Aspøya
Aspøya is an island in the municipality of Tingvoll in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located between the Freifjorden and the Tingvollfjorden. The highway crosses Aspøya and connects it to the nearby island of Bergsøya to the west by the Bergsøysund Bridge–part of the Krifast...
(population: 147) was transferred to Tingvoll
Tingvoll
Tingvoll is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Tingvoll. Other villages include Meisingset, Kvisvik, and Torjulvågen.-General information:...
. On 1 January 2008, the municipality of Frei ceased to exist when it was merged into the municipality of Kristiansund
Kristiansund
Kristiansund is a city and municipality on the western coast of Norway, in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. It was officially awarded township status in 1742, and it is still the major town for the region. The administrative center of the municipality is the city of Kristiansund...
to the north.
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is from modern times. They were granted on 11 September 1987, and they were designed by local architect and painter Nils Fiske. The two gold crowns
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
on a red background symbolize the relationship between Frei and two Norwegian Kings: King Håkon
Haakon I of Norway
Haakon I , , given the byname the Good, was the third king of Norway and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair and Thora Mosterstang.-Early life:...
the Good had a hunting lodge in the area in the 10th century, and the King and the villagers took part on the Battle of Rastarkalv
Battle of Rastarkalv
The Battle of Rastarkalv took place in AD 955 on the island of Frei in the county of Møre og Romsdal, Norway.This was one of several battles between the forces of King Haakon the Good and those of the sons of Eirik Bloodaxe...
in the municipality in 955. King Håkon VII has visited the village in 1955 at the 1000th anniversary of the battle.