Gudvangen
Encyclopedia
Gudvangen is a village in the municipality of Aurland
in Sogn og Fjordane
county, Norway
. It is a popular tourist destination and is located at the end of the Nærøyfjord
where the Nærøydalselvi river empties into the fjord. The highway passes by the village. Heading southwest on the highway leads to Voss
while heading northeast the E16 enters the Gudvanga Tunnel on its way to Flåm
, Undredal
, and Aurlandsvangen
. The nearby village of Bakka
lies about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the north. The Kjelfossen
waterfall is located just to the southeast of the village.
: Guðvangir) comes from the old farm name. The first element is gud meaning a "heathen god". The vang(en) word is still in use referring the open space in front of a place of worship like Aurlandsvangen
and Vossevangen
. In Gudvangen, there have been several places of worship since pre-Christian times.
Aurland
Aurland is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative center is the village of Aurlandsvangen. Other villages include Bakka, Flåm, Undredal, and Gudvangen....
in Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
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 a popular tourist destination and is located at the end of the Nærøyfjord
Nærøyfjord
The Nærøyfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. The narrow fjord is a branch of the large Sognefjord, and it is featured on the "Norway in a Nutshell" daytrips for tourists...
where the Nærøydalselvi river empties into the fjord. The highway passes by the village. Heading southwest on the highway leads to Voss
Voss
is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Voss. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen....
while heading northeast the E16 enters the Gudvanga Tunnel on its way to Flåm
Flåm
Flåm is a village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The village is located in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway...
, Undredal
Undredal
Undredal is a small village in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It is located along the Aurlandsfjord, about south of the Nærøyfjord...
, and Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
. The nearby village of Bakka
Bakka, Sogn og Fjordane
Bakka is a tiny village in the municipality of Aurland, Norway. It is located on the western shore of the Nærøyfjord, about north of Gudvangen and the highway . The village is home to the Bakka Church. In 2000, the Bakka Tunnel was constructed on the road from Gudvangen to Bakka.-Name:The name...
lies about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the north. The Kjelfossen
Kjelfossen
Kjelfossen is one of the highest waterfalls in Norway. The falls are located near the village of Gudvangen in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county. With a total fall height of , the waterfall is listed as the 18th tallest waterfall in the world. The tallest single drop is...
waterfall is located just to the southeast of the village.
Name
The name Gudvangen (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....
: Guðvangir) comes from the old farm name. The first element is gud meaning a "heathen god". The vang(en) word is still in use referring the open space in front of a place of worship like Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen
Aurlandsvangen is the administrative center of the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. The village is located on the east side of the Aurlandsfjord where the Aurlandselvi river flows into the fjord. The village of Undredal and the famous Nærøyfjord are located just a few...
and Vossevangen
Vossevangen
Vossevangen is the centre of Voss municipality in Hordaland, Norway. The population is about 5500. It's located in the center of Voss at the north-east edge of Vangsvatnet....
. In Gudvangen, there have been several places of worship since pre-Christian times.