Gudbrandsdalen is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian fylke (county) of Oppland. The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer at Lake Mjøsa, extending 230 km toward Romsdal. The large river Gudbrandsdalslågen flows through the valley, starting from Lesjaskogsvatnet and ending in lake Mjøsa. Fljótsdalur in East Iceland, a rather flat valley A valley (in Scotland, a glen) is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles in area. ... Norway may be divided into a number of traditional districts. ... Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties (Norwegian: singular fylke, plural fylker (BokmÃ¥l) / fylke (Nynorsk); until 1918 known as amt, pl. ... Oppland is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ... The landmark Geiteryggen looking south from Hamar Mjøsa is Norways largest lake. ... Romsdal is the name of a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal. ... The GudbrandsdalslÃ¥gen river flows through Norways Gudbrandsdal valley, starting in Lesja municipality. ... Lesjaskogsvatnet (literally the Lesja woods lake) is a large lake which serves as the headwaters for GudbrandsdalslÃ¥gen (literally the Gudbrands valley water course). ... Map of Mjøsa with cities Lillehammer (North), Gjøvik (West), and Hamar (East) Mjøsa is Norways largest lake. ...

The long valley is divided into three parts: Norddalen (the municipalities of Lesja, Dovre, Skjåk, Lom, Vågå and Sel), Midtdalen (the municipalities of Nord-Fron, Sør-Fron and Ringebu), and Sørdalen (the municipalities of Øyer, Gausdal and Lillehammer). Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties (fylker, singular - fylke), and 431 municipalities/communes (kommuner). ... County Oppland Landscape Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0512 Administrative centre Lesja Mayor (2003) Per Dag Hole (Sp) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 22 2,259 km² 2,168 km² 0. ... County Oppland Landscape Dovre region Municipality NO-0511 Administrative centre Dombås Mayor (2003) Erland A. Løkken (Sp) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 65 1,364 km² 1,348 km² 0. ... County Oppland Landscape Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0513 Administrative centre Bismo Mayor (2005) Ola StensgÃ¥rd (Sp) Official language form Nynorsk Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 27 2,076 km² 1,969 km² 0. ... Missing image Image:Lom kart. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0515 Administrative centre VÃ¥gÃ¥ Mayor (2003) Rune Øygard (Ap) Official language form Nynorsk Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 68 1,330 km² 1,253 km² 0. ... SEL is a may refer to: Elitserien, Swedish League code in SEL. The Mercedes-Benz SEL, an Automobile. ... The municipality Nord-Fron in the county of Oppland, Norway, had 5,886 inhabitants as of 1 January 2002. ... County Oppland Landscape Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0519 Administrative centre Sør-fron Mayor (2003) Aksel Eng (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 147 745 km² 714 km² 0. ... The municipality Ringebu in the county of Oppland, Norway, had 4,644 inhabitants as of 2003. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0521 Administrative centre Tingberg Mayor (2003) Ole Hageløkken (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 176 640 km² 616 km² 0. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdalen Municipality NO-0522 Administrative centre Østre gausdal Mayor (2003) Olav Olstad (Sp) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 84 1,192 km² 1,149 km² 0. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ...

The name

The name Gudbrandsdalen means 'the valley/dale of Gudbrand'. Gudbrand (Norse Guðbrandr) is an old male name compounded of guð m 'god' and brandr m 'sword'. This was probably a title used by the kings of the valley living at Hundorp. Old Norse is the Germanic language spoken by the inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300. ... Hundorp is a village in Gudbrandsdal, Norway. ...

History

Gudbrandsdalen is shaped by the recent ice age and rivers from the present glacial areas in Jotunheimen and Dovre. Bones and teeth from mammoths and musk oxen, living in the area at that time, are found in the valley. The Wisconsin (in North America), Weichsel (in Scandinavia), Devensian (in the British Isles), Midlandian (in Ireland) and Würm glaciation (in the Alps) are the most recent glaciations of the Pleistocene epoch, which ended around 10,000 BCE. The general glacial advance began about 70,000 BCE, and reached its... View from Knutshøi towards central Jotunheimen Jotunheimen is a mountain range in southern Norway covering an area of roughly 3,500 km². It is part of the long Scandinavian Mountains range. ... County Oppland Landscape Dovre region Municipality NO-0511 Administrative centre Dombås Mayor (2003) Erland A. Løkken (Sp) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 65 1,364 km² 1,348 km² 0. ... Species Mammuthus africanavus African mammoth Mammuthus columbi Columbian mammoth Mammuthus exilis Pygmy mammoth Mammuthus jeffersonii Jeffersonian mammoth Mammuthus trogontherii Steppe mammoth Mammuthus meridionalis Mammuthus subplanifrons South African mammoth Mammuthus primigenius Woolly mammoth Mammuthus lamarmorae Sardinian Dwarf Mammoth A mammoth is any of a number of an extinct genus of proboscidean... Binomial name Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a bovine noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor of the male. ...

Stone Age - Several traces of hunters are found in the valley (and in the mountain areas around). Of special interest is a rock carving of elks in the northern part of Lillehammer. Stone Age fishing hook. ... Petroglyphs on a Bishop Tuff tableland Petroglyph on Petroglyph Point Petroglyphs on Petroglyph Point Petroglyphs on Petroglyph Point Petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument Petroglyphs from Scandinavia (Häljesta, Västmanland in Sweden). ... Elk may refer to two distinct species of large deer: In Europe it refers to Alces alces, which is called a Moose in North America In North America it refers to Cervus elaphus, which is called a Red Deer in Europe. ...

1015 - Gudbrandsdalen is mentioned extensively in the Heimskringla (The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway) by Snorri Sturlson. The account of King Olaf's (A.D. 1015-1021) conversion of Dale-Gudbrand to Christianity is popularly recognized. Events August: Canute the Great invades England. ... Heimskringla is the Old Norse name of a collection of sagas recorded in Iceland around 1225 by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179-1242). ... An early 20th century painting of Snorri Snorri Sturluson (1178 â€“ September 23, 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet and politician. ... Olaf II Haraldsson (995 – July 29, 1030), king from 1015–1028, (known during his lifetime as the Stout and after his canonization as Saint Olaf), was born in the year in which Olaf Tryggvason came to Norway. ... // Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ...

1206 The heir of the Norwegian throne, Håkon Håkonsson, is saved by birkebeiners with a ski-run from Lillehammer to Rena. Events Temujin is proclaimed Genghis Khan of the Mongol people, founding the Mongol Empire Qutb ud-Din proclaims the Mameluk dynasty in India, the first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. ... The Kingdom of Norway as a unified realm was initiated by King Harald Fairhair in 9th century. ... Haakon Haakonsson (1204 – December 16, 1263) (Norwegian HÃ¥kon HÃ¥konsson, Old Norse Hákon Hákonarson), also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. ... The Birkebein Party or Birkebeinar was the name for a rebellious party in Norway, formed in 1174 around the pretender Eystein Meyla. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

1349 to 1350 – The Black Plague halved the population in Gudbrandsdalen. This resulted in a temporary improvement for the lower classes as crofters became scarce and even the poor were able to rent the better farms in the bottom lands. // Events January 9 - The Jewish population of Basel, Switzerland is rounded up and incinerated, believed by the residents to be the cause of the ongoing bubonic plague. ... This article concerns the epidemic of the mid-14th century. ... A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land, usually small and arable with a crofters dwelling thereon. ...

1537 - During the Reformation the Church was subordinated to the “lendmenn” or sheriff. Church property was appropriated by the Crown and the King became the biggest Gudbrandsdalen landowner. Events January 6 - Alessandro de Medici assassinated August 25 - The Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest surviving regiment in the British Army, and the second most senior, was formed. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ...

1612 - Near Otta in Gudbrandsdalen, was the Battle of Kringen where local peasants in 1612 defeated the Scottish mercenary army. The legends of this battle live on to this day, including the story of how the peasant girl Prillar-Guri lured the Scots into an ambush by playing the traditional ram's horn. Events January 20 - Mathias becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... Combatants Scotland, under Swedish allegiance Norway Commanders Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Ramsay Lars Hage Strength 300 soldiers 500 soldiers Casualties at least 370 about 15 The Battle of Kringen was an ambush perpetrated by a Norwegian peasant militia against Scottish soldiers who were on their way to enlist in the Swedish... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity(English) Wha daur meddle wi me? (Scots)[1] Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots[2] Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... Pillar-Guri, Prillarguri or Pillarguri played a key role as heroine in the defeat of the Scottish force under the command of George Sinclair. ...

1670 to 1725 – Most of the royal property was sold off to pay for war debts, first to established property holders, but increasingly to peasant proprietors. A freeholder’s era began and a new “upper class” of land holders was formed. 1670 was a common year beginning on a Saturday in countries using the Julian calendar and a Wednesday in countries using the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 8 - Catherine I became empress of Russia February 20 - The first reported case of white men scalping Native Americans takes place in New Hampshire colony. ...

1789 "Storofsa" - the greatest flood recorded in Gudbrandsdalen: Several farms devastated, and many people killed. 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

1827 the city of Lillehammer is established. Naval Battle of Navarino by Carneray 1827 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ...

1904 The outdoor museum of Maihaugen, exhibiting old houses from all parts of Gudbrandsdalen, opens at Lillehammer. Year 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Maihaugen is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Lillehammer. ...

1921 Dovrebanen, the railway between Oslo and Trondheim through Gudbrandsdalen, is finished and opens. Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for full calendar). ... Dovrebanen is the main line of the Norwegian railway system between Oslo and Trondheim. ... County Oslo NO-03 District Viken Municipality NO-0301 Administrative centre Oslo Mayor (2004) Per Ditlev-Simonsen (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 224 454 km² 426 km² 0. ... County Sør-Trøndelag District Municipality NO-1601 Administrative centre Trondheim Mayor (2005) Rita Ottervik (AP) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 258 342 km² 322 km² 0. ...

1940 Severe fighting in Gudbrandsdalen at Tretten and Kvam (Nord-Fron), trying to stop the German advance. 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Tretten is the administrative centre of Øyer municipality, Norway. ...

1994 The 1994 Winter Olympics are celebrated at Lillehammer. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, were celebrated in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway. ... County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ...

Towns

• Lillehammer
• Ringebu
• Otta

County Oppland District Gudbrandsdal Municipality NO-0501 Administrative centre Lillehammer Mayor (2005) Synnøve Brenden Klemetrud (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 211 477 km² 450 km² 0. ... The municipality Ringebu in the county of Oppland, Norway, had 4,644 inhabitants as of 2003. ... Otta may refer to: A working name leading to what became the SI prefix for 1024. ...

Mountain areas close to the valley

• Jotunheimen
• Rondane
• Dovre

View from Knutshøi towards central Jotunheimen Jotunheimen is a mountain range in southern Norway covering an area of roughly 3,500 km². It is part of the long Scandinavian Mountains range. ... Rondane National Park (Norwegian: Rondane nasjonalpark) was the first national park in Norway, established on December 21, 1962. ... County Oppland Landscape Dovre region Municipality NO-0511 Administrative centre Dombås Mayor (2003) Erland A. Løkken (Sp) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 65 1,364 km² 1,348 km² 0. ...

Named for Gudbrandsdal

• Gudbrandsdalsost
• Gudbrandsdalsbunad
• Dølahest (Dole Gudbrandsdal)
• Dølafe

Gudbrandsdalsost Gjetost is usually sliced very thinly using a metal cheese slicer. ... Woman in a traditional bunad, 1892. ... Dølahest is a type of draught horse from eastern Norway. ... The Dole Gudbrandsdal or Dole is a heavy-horse type from Norway. ...

Alpine/Skidestinations

• Hafjell
• Kvitfjell
• Skeikampen
• Gålå

External links

• Information about Gudbrandsdalen
• The Battle of Kringen, 1612
• The Scottish Expedition in Norway in 1612