Munkeliv Abbey ( Norwegian : Munkeliv kloster ) was a Benedictine abbey located at Nordnes in Bergen , Norway . It was one of the oldest monasteries in Norway, and also one of the wealthiest and best-documented. There are no visible remains today.
83-403: Munkeliv Abbey was founded as a Benedictine abbey by King Eystein I of Norway ( Øystein 1 Magnusson , reigned 1103– 1123) in about 1110 and was dedicated to Saint Michael . The abbey was strategically positioned on the dominant height of Nordnes over the then newly established town of Bergen, with a view to encouraging the town's development. Its first centuries were successful and prosperous, but
166-518: A great escarpment . The main differences is that in Norway valley and fjord bottoms have been widened by glacier erosion, valley sides steepened, and the outer regions of valleys straightened, also by glacier erosion. The deglaciation patterns of the Bergen and Nordfjord – Sunnmøre areas in western Norway are described and correlated. In the Bergen area the coast was first deglaciated at 12,600 B.P., with
249-505: A central aspect of Norwegian history and more than 800,000 Norwegians emigrated to the United States. The first organized group of emigrants left Stavanger on the sloop Restoration on 4 July 1825. In 1837, Ægir left Bergen as the first ship with emigrants from Hordaland . The Emigration Center of Western Norway is a memorial to those who left and to their descendants. The emigrant archives now include 96,000 names of emigrants from
332-846: A common history with Denmark , the Faroe Islands and Iceland and to a lesser extent the Netherlands and Britain. For example, the Icelandic horse is a close relative of the Fjord horse and both the Faroese and Icelandic languages are based on the Old West Norse. In early Norse times, people from Western Norway became settlers at the Western Isles in the Northern Atlantic , Orkney , Shetland ,
415-419: A large fish-processing industry and offers seasonal employment for many farmers. Of all fishermen only half fish as their sole occupation. Most vessels are owned by the fishermen themselves, the necessary crew members being paid by shares of gross income in a continuation of a centuries-old tradition of the sea. A critical problem is how to avoid depleting the fish resources while maintaining the volume. About half
498-467: A large ship built which "in size and shape" resembled the great ship Ormen Lange once built by King Olaf Tryggvason . Eystein also improved the shelters in the mountain passes, notably at Hjerkinn in Dovre , to more comfortable houses with permanent supervision. In Snorri's mannjevning between Eystein and Sigurd, Eystein allegedly maintains that his own building-projects in Norway were "more useful for
581-504: A major retreat. No large re-advance of the inland ice occurred during the Younger Dryas . However, in the Sunnmøre – Nordfjord area many local glaciers formed outside the inland ice during the Younger Dryas . Limnic sediments outside one such cirque glacier have been cored and dated, proving that the glacier did not exist at 12,300–11,000 B.P., and that it was formed and disappeared in
664-464: A rich agricultural area. The inland fjord areas of Hardanger are sheltered, with rich fruit districts specializing in apples and cherries. Stavanger is a leading industrial area in Western Norway. Ålesund contains many engineering firms, and the bulk of Norway's furniture industry. Along the coast fishing plays the same role that forestry does elsewhere. At the same time, it forms the basis of
747-719: A single aisle the same width as the choir, which ended in an apse at the east end and also a crypt. A west tower was added in the 13th century. The conventual buildings were to the south of the church. Presumably under the Bridgettines, who carried out extensive building alterations, the cloisters were incorporated into the church. 60°23′42″N 5°18′54″E / 60.39500°N 5.31500°E / 60.39500; 5.31500 Eystein I of Norway Eysteinn Magnusson ( Old Norse : Eysteinn Magnússon , Norwegian : Øystein Magnusson ; c. 1088 – 29 August 1123)
830-628: A succeeding re-advance into the North Sea around 12,200 B.P. Later, during the Allerød, the inland ice retreated at least 50 km, but nearly reached the sea again during the Younger Dryas re-advance, ending at 10,000 B.P. Sunnmøre was ice-free during an interstadial 28,000–38,000 B.P. Later the inland ice reached the sea. The final deglaciation is poorly dated in Sunnmøre , while further south in Nordfjord , it started slightly before 12,300 B.P., followed by
913-560: Is 2,405 meters high. It is situated on the border between the municipality of Luster and Årdal and is part of the Hurrungane range. The summit is a destination for mountaineers but is fairly difficult. First ascent by William Cecil Slingsby on 21 July 1876. There are a number of different routes, the most common being Heftye's renne (Heftye's couloir ). Another route of ascent is via Andrew's renne (Andrew's couloir ), first ascent A. W. Andrews and party in 1899. Store Skagastølstind and
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#1733086315606996-470: Is located in the north-central part of the region, while Hardanger Icecap ( Hardangerjøkulen ) and the Folgefonna Glacier are smaller ice fields in the south. Norway's longest fjord, Sogn Fjord (205 km [127 mi]), located in the central part of the region, nearly divides Vestlandet in two; farther south Hardanger Fjord stretches inland for 179 km (111 mi). Many waterfalls flow into
1079-498: Is one of the major agricultural areas in Norway. Farms in other areas of Western Norway are often small. The total area of agricultural in Western Norway is 2 650 square kilometers, which is 5.3% of the total area in the region. Western Norway is highly mountainous; in less than 10 kilometers from the Sognefjord , there are peaks that are over 2000 meters in height. The highest point is Store Skagastølstind (also known as Storen), which
1162-686: Is only recorded to have been of "low birth". Upon the death of his father in 1103 during one of his campaigns in Ireland , Eystein became king together with his two brothers Olaf and Sigurd. Sigurd was about a year younger than Eystein, while Olaf was more than ten years younger than him. Sigurd was the only son who had accompanied their father Magnus on his campaign in the West, but he returned to Norway after Magnus' death. Many accounts concerning Eystein in later sagas are characterized by literary motifs, and have little value as sources on his life. Snorri Sturluson ,
1245-630: Is the region along the Atlantic coast of southern Norway . It consists of the counties Rogaland , Vestland , and Møre og Romsdal . The region has no official or political-administrative function. The region has a population of approximately 1.4 million people. The largest city is Bergen and the second-largest is Stavanger . Historically the regions of Agder , Vest-Telemark , Hallingdal , Valdres , and northern parts of Gudbrandsdal have been included in Western Norway. Western Norway, as well as other parts of historical regions of Norway, shares
1328-520: Is thus written about him than about Sigurd, although Snorri notes that he "had also effected much in the country that was useful while King Sigurd was on his journey." While Sigurd gained fame in posterity as the "warrior king", although mainly because of his one-time crusade, Eystein was portrayed by the saga writers as the "peace king" who stayed at home and improved the country. Since Sigurd remained king for nineteen years after his crusade with little controversy, historian Claus Krag has considered that
1411-563: The Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. Vikings ' seaworthiness and wanderlust resulted in new areas being developed. Norwegian settlers moved into the North Sea westward to Iceland , the Faroe Islands , Greenland , Shetland , Orkney , Isle of Man and the Hebrides . Settlements were established in the southeast corner of Ireland including in Dublin , Waterford and Wexford . Norwegians settled along
1494-610: The Benedictine abbey Munkeliv Abbey at Nordnes , and the tithe to the church was introduced during the reign of Eystein and Sigurd. Eystein died on 29 August 1123, not long after he was "seized with an illness" during a feast at Hustad in Fræna in Romsdalen . Snorri tells that his body thereafter was taken to Nidaros, and buried in the Nidaros Cathedral . According to Snorri, it
1577-751: The British Isles , are descendants of Norsemen and Vikings who emigrated from Western Norway during the Viking Age . On the other hand, thousands of Western Norwegians are descendants of Dutch and German traders who arrived in the 16th and the 17th centuries, especially in Bergen. Vestland is also the name of a county consisting of two former counties, viz. Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The two counties were re-merged after having been split in 1763 (then called Søndre Bergenhus and Nordre Bergenhus , respectively). === Early history === Norway's history begins on
1660-693: The Faroe Islands and Iceland . During the Viking Age settlements were made at the Hebrides , Man and Ireland proper. In early modern times, Western Norway experienced much emigration to the United States , Canada , and to a lesser extent to the United Kingdom . This applies particularly to the US states of Minnesota , North and South Dakota , Wisconsin , Montana , and the Canadian province of Manitoba . The Icelandic and Faroese people , and many people in
1743-572: The Faroe Islands lie to the west across the North Sea, while Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the North Sea . It is 675 km (419 mi) from the Faroe Islands to Western Norway while Unst in the Shetland Islands is about 300 km (190 mi) away. Western Norway has a 26,592 km (16,524 mi) long coastline. The southern part of the region is called Jæren . This
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#17330863156061826-425: The Icelandic author of the early 13th century Heimskringla mastered this literary style particularly well, stylistically and psychologically. His stories includes a so-called mannjevning (literally "comparison of men") between Eystein and Sigurd, in which the two boast about their skills and deeds in an attempt to outdo each other. In a similar fashion, Snorri also tells a story about how Eystein managed to cure
1909-463: The Paleic relief . A study of Sognefjord suggest that the fluvial and glacial erosion that made the fjords has followed structural weaknesses in the crust . The headvalleys in particular seem to located at structural weakness zones. Western Norway bears some resemblance to other passive margins at lower latitudes like eastern Australia . In both cases a table land is dissected by valleys forming
1992-773: The Vikings feared among contemporary Christian Europeans. But the images of Vikings as bloodthirsty plunderers are not always representative. The Vikings were involved in a wealthy merchant trade, not only in Europe but also including the Byzantine Empire and the Baghdad Caliphate. Historically Vikings are often introduced with the Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793, when they really made their mark in European history. The era ends with
2075-431: The sagas as the "peace king" who stayed home in Norway and improved the country. As Eystein never engaged in warfare, considerably less information is written and known about him than about his brother Sigurd, despite his twenty-year-long reign, just a few years short of Sigurd. Eystein nonetheless gained the affection of his people, and was highly regarded by the saga writers for his deeds. Eystein and Sigurd's reign became
2158-678: The 1460s, the occupants of Munkeliv were obliged to seek shelter in Hovedøya Abbey in Oslo . The monastery was re-constructed by the Cistercian Order and reoccupied by the Bridgettines in 1480. When the abbey was suppressed during the Protestant Reformation , the Bishop of Bergen took it over for his residence and used the church as the cathedral of Bergen. The entire building complex however
2241-506: The 9th century from his Castle Avaldsnes on Karmöy at Haugesund. Norway was named from the Way North by seafaring. Before the millennium , iron was introduced and used in agriculture, and there was a shortage of land to cultivate . In the same period, the kings' power increased, and large tax claims caused many to seek freedom and fortune abroad. Many emigrated, and looting became an alternative source of income. Effective boats and weapons made
2324-623: The Earth's crust, they dug out gorges and canyons that knifed deep into the jagged coast. To the east the land sloped more gently, and broader valleys were formed. During repeated periods of glaciation in the Great Ice Age of the Quaternary Period (i.e., about the last 2.6 million years), the scouring action of glaciers tonguing down the V-shaped valleys that were then part of the landscape created
2407-472: The Hardangervidda is above the tree line . Its alpine climate means that many species of Arctic animals and plants are found here, further south than anywhere else in Europe. Its wild reindeer herds are among the largest in the world, with some 15,000 animals recorded in 1996 and about 8,000 in 2008. They migrate across the plateau during the year, moving from their winter grazing lands on the east side of
2490-537: The Hardangervidda, where they graze on lichen , to their breeding grounds in the more fertile west of the plateau. 30,000 years ago glaciers covered vast areas of the Northern Hemisphere . As so much water was trapped on land, in the form of glacial ice, the sea lay 120 metres below its present level. This meant that the North Sea was dry land, a treeless tundra, with long, winding rivers, endless stretches of boggy land and wide, sandy heaths. Only as far south as
2573-650: The Mediterranean and the Black Sea were there any forests. As the climate slowly improved and the Scandinavian peninsula rose from the grip of the ice, plants and animals started to invade the new territory. As soon as there was dry land the first plants took root and with them came animals, birds and insects. The first of these were the Arctic animals such as wild reindeer , Arctic fox and wolverine (glutton), who followed
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2656-503: The Monk wrote about Eystein that he "was a paragon of honesty who governed himself no less than his subjects with moderation and wisdom. He was a king who loved peace, an assiduous manager of public affairs, and above all a fosterer of the Christian religion." Snorri Sturluson later wrote that Eystein "was wise, intelligent, and acquainted with the laws and history. He had much knowledge of mankind,
2739-512: The Museum of Cultural History ( Kulturhistorisk Museum ), part of Bergen Museum . These include the well-known marble head of King Eystein I discovered by Nicolay Nicolaysen , supposedly the oldest-known portrait of a Norwegian. At that time there were still remains of walls above ground up to a height of roughly 2.4 metres, but these were demolished after the excavations. The church was approximately 32 metres in length and 11 metres wide, consisting of
2822-453: The Pope's approval, and was occupied as a double house by both monks and nuns. This was a very disturbed period: the abbey was again damaged by fire in 1455, when it was attacked by Hanseatic merchants pursuing Olav Nilsson , commander of the royal castle in Bergen , who had sought sanctuary in the abbey. Both Olav Nilsson and Leif Thor Olafsson , Bishop of Bergen , died during the attack. During
2905-559: The archaeological record, nor has it contributed more than a handful of words to the Icelandic language , which was a Scandinavian dialect, more or less identical with the Viking Age Norse spoken in Western Norway, the Faroes , Shetland , Orkney , etc. Today it is estimated that 60% of the Icelandic population are descendants of people from Western Norway. For a century emigration was
2988-564: The arrival of the Black Death in the mid-14th century brought about a decline. In addition, the buildings suffered great damage in 1393 when the abbey was attacked by pirates known as the Victual Brothers ( vitaliebrødrene ). Thanks to its great wealth it managed to survive these catastrophes, but could not avoid a further decline. In the 1420s it was taken over by the Bridgettines , with
3071-532: The average precipitation is 2,250 mm per year [ 1 ]. The wet climate is partly due to the Gulf Stream , which also gives this region a milder winter than other parts of Norway, with rain being more common than snow in the winter. Late June to early August is when summer is at its peak. This is when the weather is at its most stable and warmest with sunny, long and bright days. It is not unusual with temperatures reaching 25 °C (77 °F) and above. During
3154-512: The beginning there has been sure short visits by people from the south who hunted along the coast. It is thought that people came from Doggerland , the North Sea land area between Denmark and England, which disappeared when the ice retreated and sea levels rose. The people who lived there must now find a new land. Some retreated south again, while a few passed the Norwegian Trench (which was considerably smaller than now) in its hunt for deer and
3237-455: The bureaucracy. At Holmen, he built a Church of the Apostles (probably a stave church ) and a St. Nicholas Church, as well as a royal palace which according to Snorri Sturluson was the most imposing wooden building ever raised in Norway (although Theodoric the Monk who wrote earlier already noted it was "now almost collapsed from excessive age"). He also built a St. Michael's Church and founded
3320-435: The bust. Since Snorri may have seen the bust in Bergen himself, it is unclear if his account represents an independent source on Eystein's physical appearance. Today, the bust is located in the collections of Bergen Museum . To commemorate his status as founder of the fishing village of Kabelvåg (although it had been an important centre for at least a century), a huge statue of Eystein ( Øysteinstatuen ) by Arthur Gustavson
3403-423: The catch goes into fish meal and oil, but some is processed for human consumption in freezing plants. In the northwest the city of Ålesund thrives on fishing. Ålesund is one of the world's largest and most important ports for cod . By the mid-1990s Norway had become the world's second largest oil exporter (behind Saudi Arabia ). The first commercially important discovery of petroleum on Norway's continental shelf
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3486-533: The congregation donated their fully furnished church to the Emigration Center. It was taken down, transported to Sletta and reconstructed there by volunteers from Radøy . The church was reconsecrated by the Bishop of Bjørgvin , Ole Danholt Hagesæther, 6 July 1997. Western Norway is the third largest region in Norway by area. It covers an area of 58,582 km (22,619 sq mi). The United Kingdom and
3569-465: The country," than "you [Sigurd] killing bluemen for the devil in Serkland ." Eystein was particularly active in Bergen, and his role in the development of the city was probably more important than that of King Olaf Kyrre , the founder of the city according to the sagas. He moved the royal seat in the city from Alrekstad to Holmen on the eastern shore of Vågen , in the city core, thereby rationalising
3652-503: The course of September the landscape is painted in golden colours. Red clusters of rowan berries hang on naked branches. Autumn also means harvest time along the fjords. Gales, rain and cloud are likely along the west coast and the rainfall is frequent and heavy. Thanks to the warming Gulf Stream , the Norwegian fjords enjoy a relatively mild climate and remain virtually ice-free even during the winter. Wintertime, usually from November, turns
3735-475: The domestic peace probably could be attributed equally to Sigurd. In order to contrast Eystein with Sigurd, Snorri tells a story that Eystein instead subdued Jämtland to the Norwegian crown peacefully through the use of gifts and diplomacy. Despite Snorri's account, historical records indicate that Jämtland did not succumb to Norwegian rule until much later, during the reign of King Sverre in 1178. Eystein and Sigurd are, however, known to have claimed monopoly on
3818-410: The edge of the glacier up to the mountains. The trees came later, accompanied by a rich flora and fauna including bears, elk , marten , fox, hare , European beaver and otter . This influx reached its climax around 3000 BC when the climate improved considerably, giving rise to the postglacial period of warmth. The average temperature rose 3 degrees. This may not sound very much, but in the mountains
3901-486: The end of the century approached. It was estimated that the high rate of oil production could be sustained at least into the second decade of the 21st century, while that of natural gas was projected to increase dramatically and be sustained much longer. More than one-fourth of the huge investment made in Norwegian offshore operations by the mid-1990s went toward the development of the Troll gas field just west of Bergen , one of
3984-938: The fjords, with the Syv Systre , Toka Gorge , and Vørings Falls (Vøringsfossen) among the best known. The rugged coastline is protected by thousands of offshore islands in a nearly continuous line. Occasionally, the northern parts of Møre og Romsdal are considered to be part of Trøndelag . Map references: Europe Area: total: 58,582 km Area – comparative: slightly larger than Croatia , but slightly smaller than West Virginia . Coastline: 26,592 km Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 10 nmi (18.5 km; 11.5 mi) continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) Rivers running westward acquired tremendous erosive power. Following fracture lines marking weaknesses in
4067-614: The higher mountain areas. Numerous glaciers are still found in Western Norway. Elevation extremes: lowest point: North Sea 0 m highest point: Store Skagastølstind 2,405 m The fjords of western Norway formed in connection to the east-ward tilting of much of Norway during the Cenozoic uplift of the Scandinavian Mountains . This uplift, that occurred long before the Quaternary glaciations , enabled rivers to incise deeply
4150-783: The interior mountain region. The major exception is the wide Jæren Plain, south of Stavanger . Glaciation and other forces wore down the surface and created thick sandstone , conglomerate , and limestone deposits known as sparagmite . Numerous extensive areas called peneplains, whose relief has been largely eroded away, also were formed. Remains of these include the Hardanger Plateau —1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level—Europe's largest mountain plateau, covering about 6,500 km (2,500 sq mi). Glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented by fjords. Frozen ground all-year can also be found in
4233-669: The internet we are linked to the national digital records of emigrants from Norway to the United States that have been developed by the University of Bergen and the Bergen Public Archives. The center's Emigrant Church was originally the Brampton Lutheran Church in Sargent County, North Dakota , built by Norwegian emigrants at the turn of the 19th century. The Brampton congregation was formed 1 July 1908. and 22 June 1996,
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#17330863156064316-527: The longest joint rule in Norwegian history. Although the later saga literature narrates stereotypical accounts about the two kings, Eystein is known to have improved the infrastructure and raised buildings and churches, particularly across the coast in Western Norway and Trøndelag , from Bergen to the fishing centre of Lofoten in the north. Eystein's activities were especially centered in Bergen, which became an important international trade hub for fish at
4399-624: The magnificent U-shaped drowned fjords that now grace the western coast of Norway. Enormous masses of soil , gravel , and stone were also carried by glacial action as far south as present-day Denmark and northern Germany . The bedrock , exposed in about 40 percent of the area, was scoured and polished by the movements of these materials. From the southernmost point a swelling complex of ranges, collectively called Langfjellene , runs northward to divide eastern Norway , or Østlandet, from western Norway. The narrow coastal zone of Vestlandet has many islands, and steep-walled, narrow fjords cut deep into
4482-458: The main motivation for abolishing the taxes was to gain the support of the population for Sigurd's planned crusade. In 1107 or 1108, after years of preparations, Sigurd sailed with a large fleet on a crusade to the Holy Land , the first European king ever to do so. Sigurd arrived back in Norway in 1111. Eystein, on the other hand, did not engage in any warfare, and considerably less information
4565-415: The melancholy of a friend, by agreeing to regularly clear time to talk with him about what troubled him. On his physical appearance, Snorri wrote that Eystein "was the handsomest man that could be seen. He had blue open eyes; his hair yellow and curling; his stature not tall, but of the middle size." More reliable information, particularly about Eystein's building-projects, is offered in earlier sagas such as
4648-502: The middle of the 12th century, was found during excavations at Munkeliv Abbey in 1853, and it represents the oldest known preserved portrait of a Norwegian king. The bust has the inscription "EYSTEIN REX", and was originally probably part of a full figure statue built into the wall. The headpiece worn on the bust has been said to resemble a German Imperial crown , or to be of a Byzantine type . According to Snorri Sturluson, Eystein had "somewhat large eyes", which seems to correspond with
4731-666: The mountain areas of Western Norway into highly favourable skiing conditions. During springtime the most amazing colours burst forth to honour the warmth of the rising sun. Orchards of flowering fruit trees can be seen along the Hardangerfjord in May. Western Norway is rich in natural resources. Today Stavanger the oil capital of Norway. Before petroleum, fishing and agriculture were the most important economic activities in Western Norway. Some areas of Western Norway such as Jæren , Karmøy , Vindafjord , Voss , Sunnfjord and Fræna comprise
4814-495: The mountaineering of the late 19th century in Norway is traditionally linked to the historical hotel Turtagrø. There are many fjords in Western Norway, Hardangerfjorden , Boknafjorden and Sognefjorden are the longest. The Sognefjord ( Sognefjorden ) is the largest fjord in Norway, and the second longest in the world, after Scoresby Sund on Greenland . Located in Sogn og Fjordane it stretches 205 km (127 mi) inland to
4897-633: The new country. The region includes most of the scope of the old Gulating , which was founded around the year 900. The Gulating Act divided the country into the Western counties, which consisted of the former småkongedømmene that existed in the area before the unification of the 800's and then was converted to jarle judge. These were Sunnmørafylke ( Sunnmøre ), Firda County ( Fjordane ), Sygna County ( Sogn ), Hordafylke ( Hordaland ), Rygjafylke ( Rogaland ) and Egdafylke ( Agder ). Harald Hairfair united Norway and parts of Sweden west of Lake Vänern and Götaälv in
4980-470: The northwest area of England, principally in the area of modern-day Cumbria . The Norwegian Vikings also discovered Vinland , present-day America, long before Christopher Columbus . Christianity became the dominant religion in Norway in the 11th century, but the religion was probably known among Norwegians already in the 7th century. While Eastern Norway was introduced to Christianity by missionaries and monks from Germany and Friesland , Western Norway
5063-662: The settlement period in Iceland is the Book of Settlements (Landnámabók), written in the 12th century, which gives a detailed account of the first settlers. According to this book, Western Norwegian sailors accidentally discovered the country. A few voyages of exploration were made soon after that and then the settlement started. Ingólfur Arnarson was said to be the first settler. He was a chieftain from Norway, arriving in Iceland with his family and dependents in 874. He built his farm in Reykjavík ,
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#17330863156065146-535: The site of the present capital. During the next 60 years or so, Viking settlers from Scandinavia and also from Norse colonies in the British Isles —Ireland, Scotland and the Scottish Isles —settled in the country. There was therefore a Celtic element among the first inhabitants. The settlement of Iceland may also be viewed in the context of the general Viking expansion of the period, plausibly linked to population pressure in Western Norway and increasing scarcity of farming land. It has thus left few traces in
5229-403: The small village of Skjolden . Providing the most spectacular fjord and mountain scenery in Norway, the region has been a tourist mecca for centuries. Except for the Jæren plain located at the extreme southern end of the region, Vestlandet is mountainous, with the Jotunheim Mountains and the Hardanger Plateau being the highest areas. The Jostedals Glacier , the largest glacier in Europe,
5312-487: The species which can withstand short periods of frost and snow in winter. These are found both a little further north, and in the fjords. Typical examples are the foxglove (digitalis purpurea) and the holly (ilex aquifolium), which in Norway grow only in the southwest. Western Norway is one of the wettest regions in Europe, with precipitation in the mountains near the coast of about 3,500 mm per year on average, and exceeding 5,000 mm in peak years. In Bergen city
5395-399: The time interval 11,000–10,000 B.P. ( Younger Dryas ). The erosion rate of the cirque glacier was 0.9 mm/year. Western Norway has similar flora and fauna as the rest of Norway, but there are some major differences. While almost all red deer in Norway are found here, there are few moose . Reindeer are a common sight on the Hardangervidda and in other large mountain areas. The whole of
5478-469: The time, helped by his construction projects. His activities in Bergen included moving the royal seat to a more central location in the city and building a new royal palace, as well as constructing churches and the Munkeliv Abbey . Eystein died of illness in August 1123, and his brother Sigurd thereby became the sole Norwegian king. Eystein was born in 1088 or 1089 as the first son of the future king Magnus Barefoot , born to an otherwise unknown mother who
5561-437: The trade and taxation in Finnmarken . Fish became an increasingly important commodity during Eystein's reign, as more cod was fished in Northern Norway and the demand for stockfish soared in Europe. As the most suitable port, Bergen became the main trade hub for exporting stockfish, including trade connections with Grimsby in England , while it also served to import much needed goods such as grain and flour. To further
5644-408: The trade, Eystein had fishing booths and a church built in the fishing centre near present-day Kabelvåg in Lofoten in Northern Norway, and he sailed north to Lofoten and Trondenes himself in 1114. He also secured the route along the coast by constructing a port in Agdenes on the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord , as well as smaller beacons along the coast. Eystein's port construction in Agdenes
5727-412: The tree line rises about 100 metres up the mountainside for each degree M so the consequences were dramatic. Most of the mountains of Western Norway which today occupy about three quarters of the land mass M became covered with dense forests of pine and birch. The glaciers had thawed and vanished, and extensive oak forests, not unlike those we see today in Central Europe, spread over the low-lying land. Life
5810-434: The two counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane up to 1924. This has been possible thanks to the work of many years by Jahn Sjursen, who has also collected books and other publications, pictures and objects related to Norwegian emigrants in the United States. He officially donated his collections to the Emigration Center at the opening in 1997. The Center continues to receive publications and objects for its collection. Via
5893-430: The west coast, particularly in Rogaland . Excavations and rock art tells us that it was in Rogaland that the first humans settled in Norway, when the ice retreated after the last ice age ca. 10,000 years ago. There are many artifacts from the Stone Age in Rogaland . The preliminary oldest traces of humans are found in a settlement on Galta , Rennesøy , near the ferry terminal Mortavika and Vista on Randaberg . In
5976-495: The work of Theodoric the Monk , a Norwegian chronicler who wrote in the late 12th century. The co-rule between Eystein, Sigurd and Olaf entailed a shared kingship, and the kingdom itself was not divided into fixed borders. During the early years of their reign, Eystein is nonetheless said to have stayed mostly in Western Norway and Trøndelag , while Sigurd was in Viken . In practice, only Eystein and Sigurd ever ruled as kings, as Olaf
6059-451: Was king of Norway (as Eystein I ) from 1103 to 1123 together with his brothers Sigurd the Crusader and Olaf Magnusson , although since Olaf died before adulthood, only Eystein and Sigurd were effective rulers of the country. While Sigurd gained fame as the "warrior king" (although owed almost exclusively to his three-year crusade to the Holy Land ), Eystein was in contrast portrayed in
6142-475: Was "generally said that so many mourners never stood over any man's grave in Norway as over King Eystein's," at least since the death of Magnus the Good . The reign of Eystein and Sigurd was the longest joint rule in Norwegian history. Sigurd ruled alone after Eystein's death, until Sigurd's own death in 1130. Eystein married Ingebjørg Guttormsdatter , from a prominent noble family of Gudbrandsdalen . Their marriage
6225-646: Was compared by Theodoric the Monk to that of Augustus Caesar at Brundisium , an association readily reflected by Theodoric's use of the Latinised name form "Augustinus" for Eystein. (Otherwise, Pope Callixtus II calls Eystein "Aistano" in a letter.) The existence of a now lost port in Agdenes dated to around Eystein's reign has been supported by recent archaeological surveys in the area. Snorri also says that Eystein had several large dry-docks built in Nidaros , and that he had
6308-574: Was considerably younger and died when he was only seventeen years old, and virtually nothing is known about him beyond his name. One of the earliest acts by the kings was passing a retterbot , a special law ordained by the king, which among other things abolished various royal taxes that originated from the Danish rule of Sweyn Knutsson and Ælfgifu (under Cnut the Great ) in the early 1030s. The kings became very popular because of this. According to some sources,
6391-579: Was destroyed by fire in 1536. The monks' herb garden near Puddefjord was later cultivated by the Bergen pharmacist, Løveapoteket , for medicinal plants, until the surrounding areas were built up in the 19th century. The monastery remains today are beneath the open space known as "the Monastery" ( Klosteret ) at Nordnes, near numbers 2–6, and nothing is visible. Excavations of the site took place in 1857 and 1860, during which many extremely well crafted structural fragments were recovered. These artifacts are now in
6474-525: Was hard for the animals and plants in the high mountains, as they were pressed up towards the highest peaks, which rose like islands from a sea of forest. Along the west coast the winter is mild and snowfalls rare. Here are a number of the plants which cannot tolerate frost, for example the star hyacinth (scilla verna) and the purple heather (erica purpurea), which are otherwise only found in England, Ireland and further south. A little further inland we come upon
6557-455: Was made at the Ekofisk field in the North Sea late in 1969, just as foreign oil companies were about to give up after four years of exploratory drilling. Intensified exploration increased reserves faster than production. Nevertheless, by the mid-1990s about half of export earnings and nearly one-tenth of government revenues came from offshore oil and gas, and these revenues continued to increase as
6640-428: Was mainly introduced to the religion by English, Scottish, Irish people and Vikings who had converted to Christianity. Norse paganism existed in some areas in Western Norway until being totally replaced by Christianity by the 13th century. The coastal areas were the first to be introduced to the new faith, and then the inland areas. Churches were established throughout the country. The main source of information about
6723-549: Was part of Eystein's strategy of building alliances in Eastern Norway . They had a daughter, Maria, who became the mother of the future royal pretender Olaf Ugjæva by her marriage to the lendmann Gudbrand Skavhoggsson. Olaf was named king in 1165, during the Norwegian civil war era , but was subsequently defeated by Magnus Erlingsson and forced to flee the country. Opinions on Eystein have been strongly favourable. Theodoric
6806-412: Was quick in counsel, prudent in words, and very eloquent and very generous. He was very merry, yet modest; and was liked and beloved, indeed, by all the people." The view of Eystein as a peaceful and domestically active king has been supported by modern historians such as Claus Krag, although noting that the literary embellishments should be disregarded. A stylized marble bust of Eystein, dated to before
6889-567: Was raised at Breidablikk in Vågan Municipality in 1935, after an idea of architect Harald Sund . At Hjerkinn in Dovre, a church dedicated to Eystein ( Eysteinskyrkja ) was constructed in 1969 according to a design by Magnus Poulsson , in commemoration of Eystein's construction of a sælehus or shelter near the village. Western Norway Western Norway ( Bokmål : Vestlandet, Vest-Norge ; Nynorsk : Vestlandet, Vest-Noreg )
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