Hvalba
Encyclopedia
Hvalba is a village and a municipality, which consists of Hvalba, Nes-Hvalba and Sandvík
. The total population of Hvalba Municipality (Hvalbiar Kommuna) was 723 as of 1 January 2010; the population of Hvalba and Nes was 626 and the population of Sandvík
was 97. Hvalba is one of the larger village
s in the Faroe Islands
. The village spreads around the bottom of a deep inlet, Hvalbiarfjørður, northeast of Suðuroy
. The small village Nes, is often called Nes-Hvalba, because there are two other villages with the same name. Nes is located on the southern arm of the fjord Hvalbiarfjørður, opposite of Hvalba. Nes does not have its own postal code. Hvalba has one supermarket, a fast food shop and a few more shops. People there do many different kind of jobs, a few of them are coalminers, Hvalba is the only place in the Faroes, which still has active coalmine industry, although in very small scale. There are two harbours and some fish factories in Hvalba, both harbours are on the northern side of the bay. There is a boat harbour in Nes and a small harbour in Sandvík
. The municipality plans to make a new marina between the two harbors on a place which is called Á Hamranesi. Some trawlers belong to the village, they deliver fish for the fish factory. Some people work in other villages i.e. at the Suduroy Hospital in Tvøroyri
or at the Faroe Islands Ferry and Buss Transportation Company including the ferry Smyril
, which sails between Suðuroy and Tórshavn, but there are also a few independent small companies in Hvalba, i.e. IT supporters, carpenters, transport company, dietitian, internet shop etc. Hvalba is located on the east side of the island but the inlet is so deep that the distance to the west coast is quite short, so the island almost splits into two islands. There are two isthmuses in Hvalba: Hvalbiareiði
(also called Fiskieiði) and Norðbergseiði (also called Á Drátti). There is a memorial in Hvalba, it is located on the northern side of the fjord, just before one comes to the first harbour, not far from the bottom of the bay. The memorial is made of stone, the stone work was made by Lars and Helmut Larsen from Tórshavn, it was raised in 1963 in memory of people from Hvalba who lost their life at sea or by other accidents, i.e. by accidents in the coal mines or by falling down from the island Lítla Dímun
or from one of the mountains which surround the village.
/Tvøroyri
, it was made in 1963 and was the first road tunnel ever made in the Faroe Islands. The northbound one (1500 m) leads to Sandvík
, the northernmost village; it was made in 1969.
or Fiskieiði. The name Hvalbiareiði refers to the name of the village Hvalba, Fiskieiði refers to the fact that this place used to be a fish harbour. There are still a few boat houses there, but most of them are ruins. Most of the men of Hvalba are member of the crews of one of the trawlers of the village. Many people from Hvalba own their share of these trawlers. There is another "Eiði" in Hvalba, it is called Norðbergseiði, named after a mountain nearby, which is called Norðberg. Norðbergseiði is the northern one of the two "eidi". Norðbergseiði and Hvalbiareiði are separated by the mountain Grímsfjall (the Mountain of Grímur).
in 2009, and the same year some men from Hvalba started to offer síging, which is a kind of rappelling (Abseiling) for tourists on Norðbergseiði. There has also been arranged BBQ evening with blues music on Fiskieiði combined with boat trips along the cliffs of Hvalba and rappelling. The coal mines are also a tourist attraction. There are high mountains around Hvalba, some tourists enjoy to go for hiking trips from Nes-Hvalba via the gorge Káragjógv to Trongisvágur. There are cairns, which people can follow. Before the tunnel came in 1963 the path along the cairns was the only way to get from Hvalba to Trongisvágur
and the part of the island which is south of Hvalba. There are now public toilets in Hvalba and in Sandvík
.
was an important source of energy on the Faroe Islands until the end of World War II
. A few miners are still extracting coal from the mines. Today there is only one active coal mine left. They closed down one of the older mines early in 2010 and started to excavate a new one in 2010.
, in the 17th century. In 1629 three North-African pirate ships attacked the village. When they left the village after the ravage two of the ships ran aground on some rocks and were shattered by the surf. Tradition says that more than 300 bodies washed ashore. By the shore there is a place called ‘Turkargravir’. Here all the bodies were buried. 30 women and children were taken away to be sold as slaves in North Africa. On the Faroe Islands a collection was organized to raise enough money to buy back the people. This was not successful and the people never returned to the islands.
Sandvík
Sandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913...
. The total population of Hvalba Municipality (Hvalbiar Kommuna) was 723 as of 1 January 2010; the population of Hvalba and Nes was 626 and the population of Sandvík
Sandvík
Sandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913...
was 97. Hvalba is one of the larger village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. The village spreads around the bottom of a deep inlet, Hvalbiarfjørður, northeast of Suðuroy
Suðuroy
Suðuroy is the southernmost of the Faroe Islands. The island covers 163.7 km². In 2010 there were 4763 inhabitants, but there has been a gradual decline in the population numbers ever since the 1950s....
. The small village Nes, is often called Nes-Hvalba, because there are two other villages with the same name. Nes is located on the southern arm of the fjord Hvalbiarfjørður, opposite of Hvalba. Nes does not have its own postal code. Hvalba has one supermarket, a fast food shop and a few more shops. People there do many different kind of jobs, a few of them are coalminers, Hvalba is the only place in the Faroes, which still has active coalmine industry, although in very small scale. There are two harbours and some fish factories in Hvalba, both harbours are on the northern side of the bay. There is a boat harbour in Nes and a small harbour in Sandvík
Sandvík
Sandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913...
. The municipality plans to make a new marina between the two harbors on a place which is called Á Hamranesi. Some trawlers belong to the village, they deliver fish for the fish factory. Some people work in other villages i.e. at the Suduroy Hospital in Tvøroyri
Tvøroyri
Tvøroyri lies picturesquely on the north side of the Trongisvágsfjørður on the east coast of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands....
or at the Faroe Islands Ferry and Buss Transportation Company including the ferry Smyril
Smyril
The Smyril is a passenger / car ferry owned and operated by the Faroese transport company Strandfaraskip Landsins. She is the largest ferry in the fleet and the 5th vessel to carry the name Smyril, which is the Faroese word for Merlin....
, which sails between Suðuroy and Tórshavn, but there are also a few independent small companies in Hvalba, i.e. IT supporters, carpenters, transport company, dietitian, internet shop etc. Hvalba is located on the east side of the island but the inlet is so deep that the distance to the west coast is quite short, so the island almost splits into two islands. There are two isthmuses in Hvalba: Hvalbiareiði
Hvalbiareiði
Hvalbiareiði is also called Fiskieiði, it is located on the west coast of Suðuroy, west of the village Hvalba.- History :Hvalbiareiði has been an important harbour for Hvalba in Suðuroy. Hvalba is located on an isthmus in the northern part of the island of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands...
(also called Fiskieiði) and Norðbergseiði (also called Á Drátti). There is a memorial in Hvalba, it is located on the northern side of the fjord, just before one comes to the first harbour, not far from the bottom of the bay. The memorial is made of stone, the stone work was made by Lars and Helmut Larsen from Tórshavn, it was raised in 1963 in memory of people from Hvalba who lost their life at sea or by other accidents, i.e. by accidents in the coal mines or by falling down from the island Lítla Dímun
Lítla Dímun
Lítla Dímun is a small island between the islands of Suðuroy and Stóra Dímun in the Faroe Islands. It is the smallest of the main 18 islands, being less than in area, and is the only uninhabited one...
or from one of the mountains which surround the village.
Connected by tunnels
Two tunnels connect Hvalba to its neighbouring villages. The southbound tunnel (1450 m) leads to TrongisvágurTrongisvágur
Trongisvágur is a village on the island of Suduroy in the Faroe Islands.*Population: 415*Postal code : FO 826*Location: *Municipality: Tvoroyrar...
/Tvøroyri
Tvøroyri
Tvøroyri lies picturesquely on the north side of the Trongisvágsfjørður on the east coast of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands....
, it was made in 1963 and was the first road tunnel ever made in the Faroe Islands. The northbound one (1500 m) leads to Sandvík
Sandvík
Sandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913...
, the northernmost village; it was made in 1969.
Hvalbiareiði and Norðbergseiði
On the west coast there is a place of call that makes it possible to go fishing in small boats from both sides of the island. The place has two names; it is called HvalbiareiðiHvalbiareiði
Hvalbiareiði is also called Fiskieiði, it is located on the west coast of Suðuroy, west of the village Hvalba.- History :Hvalbiareiði has been an important harbour for Hvalba in Suðuroy. Hvalba is located on an isthmus in the northern part of the island of Suðuroy, Faroe Islands...
or Fiskieiði. The name Hvalbiareiði refers to the name of the village Hvalba, Fiskieiði refers to the fact that this place used to be a fish harbour. There are still a few boat houses there, but most of them are ruins. Most of the men of Hvalba are member of the crews of one of the trawlers of the village. Many people from Hvalba own their share of these trawlers. There is another "Eiði" in Hvalba, it is called Norðbergseiði, named after a mountain nearby, which is called Norðberg. Norðbergseiði is the northern one of the two "eidi". Norðbergseiði and Hvalbiareiði are separated by the mountain Grímsfjall (the Mountain of Grímur).
Tourism
Tourism has been developing over the past few years. Some people from Hvalba started to arrange boat trips to the uninhabited island Lítla DímunLítla Dímun
Lítla Dímun is a small island between the islands of Suðuroy and Stóra Dímun in the Faroe Islands. It is the smallest of the main 18 islands, being less than in area, and is the only uninhabited one...
in 2009, and the same year some men from Hvalba started to offer síging, which is a kind of rappelling (Abseiling) for tourists on Norðbergseiði. There has also been arranged BBQ evening with blues music on Fiskieiði combined with boat trips along the cliffs of Hvalba and rappelling. The coal mines are also a tourist attraction. There are high mountains around Hvalba, some tourists enjoy to go for hiking trips from Nes-Hvalba via the gorge Káragjógv to Trongisvágur. There are cairns, which people can follow. Before the tunnel came in 1963 the path along the cairns was the only way to get from Hvalba to Trongisvágur
Trongisvágur
Trongisvágur is a village on the island of Suduroy in the Faroe Islands.*Population: 415*Postal code : FO 826*Location: *Municipality: Tvoroyrar...
and the part of the island which is south of Hvalba. There are now public toilets in Hvalba and in Sandvík
Sandvík
Sandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913...
.
Coal Mines
In the mountains around the southbound tunnel brown coal has been extracted from mines since the 1770s. The coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
was an important source of energy on the Faroe Islands until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A few miners are still extracting coal from the mines. Today there is only one active coal mine left. They closed down one of the older mines early in 2010 and started to excavate a new one in 2010.
Pirates and "Turkargravir"
Pirates ravaged Hvalba, as other villages on SuðuroySuðuroy
Suðuroy is the southernmost of the Faroe Islands. The island covers 163.7 km². In 2010 there were 4763 inhabitants, but there has been a gradual decline in the population numbers ever since the 1950s....
, in the 17th century. In 1629 three North-African pirate ships attacked the village. When they left the village after the ravage two of the ships ran aground on some rocks and were shattered by the surf. Tradition says that more than 300 bodies washed ashore. By the shore there is a place called ‘Turkargravir’. Here all the bodies were buried. 30 women and children were taken away to be sold as slaves in North Africa. On the Faroe Islands a collection was organized to raise enough money to buy back the people. This was not successful and the people never returned to the islands.
- PopulationPopulationA population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
: 723 - 626 in Hvalba and Nes and 97 in SandvíkSandvíkSandvík is the northernmost village of the island of Suðuroy in the Faroe Islands. It is situated on the northern side of a shallow fjord. The small village was earlier known as Hvalvík until 1913... - Postal codePostal codeA postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...
(Zip): FO 850 - Location: 61°36′7"N 6°56′58"W
- MunicipalityMunicipalityA municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
: Hvalbiar - Football teamFootball teamA football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
: Royn HvalbaRoyn HvalbaRoyn Hvalba or Bóltfelagið Royn or just Royn is a Faroese football and sports association from Hvalba in Suðuroy, founded 23 October 1923. Chairman for Royn Hvalba is Maud Næs. Manager is Ingi Mortensen. Royn has currently a team in the Faroese second division and several teams for girls and boys...
(Bóltfelagið Royn)
External links
- Faroeislands.dk: Hvalba Images and description of all cities on the Faroe Islands.
- The Municipality of Hvalba
- Photos on Flickr tagged with Hvalba
- Website of Lítla Dímun