Ibestad
Encyclopedia
Ibestad is a municipality
in Troms
county
, Norway
. It is part of the Hålogaland
traditional region
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hamnvik. Some of the larger villages in Ibestad include Sørvika, Å
, and Laupstad.
The municipality encompasses the two islands of Andørja
and Rolla
, which are connected by the Ibestad undersea tunnel
. The Mjøsund Bridge
connects Andørja to Salangen
on the mainland. The highest point in Ibestad is the mountain Langlitinden
at a height of 1276 m (4,186.4 ft) above sea level.
). In 1854, the Bardu
area was separated from Ibestad to form a municipality of its own. This left Ibestad with 4,741 residents. Then, on 1 January 1871, the Salangen
area was separated from Ibestad to form a separate municipality, leaving Ibestad with 4,301 inhabitants. On 1 January 1907, the Lavangen
area became a separate municipality, with 5,709 residents remaining in Ibestad. In 1926, the municipality of Ibestad was divided into 4 separate municipalities: Andørja
, Astafjord
, Gratangen
, and (a much smaller) Ibestad. The new municipality of Ibestad had 1,768 inhabitants. On 1 January 1964, a merger took place between the municipalities of Andørja and Ibestad, along with the part of Skånland
on the island of Rolla
, creating a new municipality of Ibestad with 3,294 residents.
) is named after the old Ibestad farm (Old Norse
: Ívarsstaðir), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case
of the male name Ívarr and the last element is staðir which means "homestead" or "farm
". Prior to 1918, the name was spelled Ibbestad.
is from modern times. They were granted on 19 December 1986. The arms symbolize that one of the oldest Norwegian stone churches was built in Ibestad. It dates from around 1200. As a symbol for this church, the arms show a cross
on a medieval
tombstone that was found at the church in 1960.
Municipalities of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties , and 430 municipalities...
in Troms
Troms
or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea...
county
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
, 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 part of the Hålogaland
Hålogaland
Hålogaland was the northernmost of the Norwegian provinces in the mediaeval Norse sagas. In the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Hålogaland was a petty kingdom extending between Namdalen in Nord-Trøndelag and Lyngen in Troms.-Etymology:...
traditional region
Districts of Norway
The country Norway is historically divided into a number of districts. Many districts have deep historical roots, and only partially coincide with today's administrative units of counties and municipalities. The districts are defined by geographical features, often valleys, mountain ranges, fjords,...
. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Hamnvik. Some of the larger villages in Ibestad include Sørvika, Å
Å, Ibestad
Å is a village in the municipality of Ibestad in Troms county, Norway. It is located about east of the city of Harstad on the southwest side of the island of Andørja, along the Bygda strait which goes between the Vågsfjord and the Astafjord...
, and Laupstad.
The municipality encompasses the two islands of Andørja
Andørja
Andørja is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the northeastern part of the present-day municipality of Ibestad. The largest population area on Andørja island is the Å - Ånstad - Laupstad area with 205 residents ....
and Rolla
Rolla (Troms)
Rolla is an island in the municipality of Ibestad in Troms county, Norway. It has an area of . The highest point is Drangen at a height of . The population on Rolla is 1,078....
, which are connected by the Ibestad undersea tunnel
Undersea tunnel
An undersea tunnel is a tunnel which is partly or wholly constructed under a body of water. They are often used where building a bridge or operating a ferry link is impossible, or to provide competition for existing bridges or ferry links...
. The Mjøsund Bridge
Mjøsund Bridge
Mjøsund Bridge is a cantilever bridge in Ibestad and Salangen municipalities in Troms county, Norway. It crosses the Mjøsundet between the mainland and the island of Andørja.The bridge is long. Mjøsund Bridge was opened in 1994. It cost ....
connects Andørja to Salangen
Salangen
Salangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sjøvegan, where most of the people in the municipality live. The municipality is situated along the Sagfjord, and also includes some inland valleys...
on the mainland. The highest point in Ibestad is the mountain Langlitinden
Langlitinden
Langlitinden is the highest mountain on the island of Andørja and is also the highest mountain on any Norwegian island . It is located on the northeastern part of the island in the municipality of Ibestad in Troms county, Norway, just to the south of the Mjøsund Bridge. The mountain is tall....
at a height of 1276 m (4,186.4 ft) above sea level.
General information
Ibestad was established as a municipality 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...
). In 1854, the Bardu
Bardu
Bardu is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Setermoen, the largest urban area in the municipality.Norway's largest military garrison is located at Setermoen...
area was separated from Ibestad to form a municipality of its own. This left Ibestad with 4,741 residents. Then, on 1 January 1871, the Salangen
Salangen
Salangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sjøvegan, where most of the people in the municipality live. The municipality is situated along the Sagfjord, and also includes some inland valleys...
area was separated from Ibestad to form a separate municipality, leaving Ibestad with 4,301 inhabitants. On 1 January 1907, the Lavangen
Lavangen
Lavangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Tennevoll. The municipality is situated around the area of the river Spansdalelva og Lavangen fjord...
area became a separate municipality, with 5,709 residents remaining in Ibestad. In 1926, the municipality of Ibestad was divided into 4 separate municipalities: Andørja
Andørja
Andørja is a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the northeastern part of the present-day municipality of Ibestad. The largest population area on Andørja island is the Å - Ånstad - Laupstad area with 205 residents ....
, Astafjord
Astafjord
Astafjord is strait and a former municipality in Troms county in Norway. It is located in the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Skånland. The administrative center of the former municipality is the village of Grov...
, Gratangen
Gratangen
Gratangen is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. It is part of the Hålogaland traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Årstein. The municipality encompasses the land on both sides of the Gratangen fjord. European route E6 runs through the...
, and (a much smaller) Ibestad. The new municipality of Ibestad had 1,768 inhabitants. On 1 January 1964, a merger took place between the municipalities of Andørja and Ibestad, along with the part of Skånland
Skånland
Skånland is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Evenskjer.- General information :...
on the island of Rolla
Rolla (Troms)
Rolla is an island in the municipality of Ibestad in Troms county, Norway. It has an area of . The highest point is Drangen at a height of . The population on Rolla is 1,078....
, creating a new municipality of Ibestad with 3,294 residents.
Name
The municipality (originally the parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
) is named after the old Ibestad farm (Old Norse
Old 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....
: Ívarsstaðir), since the first church was built there. The first element is the genitive case
Genitive case
In grammar, genitive is the grammatical case that marks a noun as modifying another noun...
of the male name Ívarr and the last element is staðir which means "homestead" or "farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
". Prior to 1918, the name was spelled Ibbestad.
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 19 December 1986. The arms symbolize that one of the oldest Norwegian stone churches was built in Ibestad. It dates from around 1200. As a symbol for this church, the arms show a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
on a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
tombstone that was found at the church in 1960.
External links
- Municipal fact sheet from Statistics NorwayStatistics NorwayStatistics Norway is the Norwegian statistics bureau. It was established in 1876.Relying on a staff of about 1,000, Statistics Norway publish about 1,000 new statistical releases every year on its web site. All releases are published both in Norwegian and English...