Balestrand (village)

Balestrand (locally called Holmen) is a village in Sogndal Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The village is located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden, at the mouth of the small Esefjorden. It sits about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of the village area of Leikanger-Hermansverk and about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) northwest of the village of Vangsnes (on the southern shore of the Sognefjorden). The small village of Tjugum lies less than 700 metres (2,300 ft) north of Balestrand, across the Esefjorden. The local Tjugum Church is located there, serving the people of the village of Balestrand.

Balestrand
Village
View of the village (looking south)
Balestrand
Location of the village
Balestrand
Balestrand (Norway)
Coordinates: 61°12′34″N 06°32′09″E
CountryNorway
RegionWestern Norway
CountyVestland
DistrictSogn
MunicipalitySogndal Municipality
Area
 • Total1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi)
Elevation8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • Total824
 • Density777/km2 (2,010/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
6899 Balestrand

The 1.06-square-kilometre (260-acre) village has a population (2019) of 824 and a population density of 777 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,010/sq mi).[1]

The village was the administrative centre of the old Balestrand Municipality until 2020. It is also a major tourist stop since the 1800s with several hotels including the Kviknes Hotel. The Sognefjord Aquarium and The Norwegian Museum of Travel and Tourism are located in the village. There are ferry routes each summer from Balestrand to the Fjærlandsfjorden and to the village of Flåm. There is also fast boat service from Balestrand to the city of Bergen. Balholm AS, a fruit juice processing company is based in Balestrand.[3]

Name

The compounded name Balestrand was created by the Norwegian writer Henrik Wergeland as he traveled in Sogn in 1832 and wrote the poem "Framnæs-Balestrand". The first element is the name of the old farm Bale (Old Norse: Bali) and the last element is "strand" (Old Norse: strönd) which means "beach". The name of the farm is identical with the word bali which means "hillside along a beach".[4][5] Historically, the village area was also known as Balholm or simply Holmen.

  • Looking at Balestrand from the mountain above
  • Kviknes Hotel along the water in downtown Balestrand
  • View of Balestrand, including the English Church
  • View from the fjord, looking north
  • View of the main road leading through Balestrand

References
  1. Statistisk sentralbyrå (1 January 2019). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  2. "Balestrand" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  3. Store norske leksikon. "Balestrand tettsted" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  4. Rygh, Oluf (1919). Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Bergenhus amt (in Norwegian) (12 ed.). Kristiania, Norge: W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri. p. 137.
  5. "Om Balestrand" (in Norwegian). Balestrand kommune. Retrieved 4 September 2010.
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