Alvdal


Alvdal is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Alvdal.
Alvdal was separated from the municipality of Tynset to become a municipality of its own in 1864. The western part of Folldal was transferred from Dovre to Alvdal in 1884. Folldal was separated from the municipality of Alvdal in 1914.
The Rørosbane railway line passes through Alvdal.

General information

Name

The Old Norse form of the name was Elfardalr. The first element is the genitive case of elfr which means "river" and the last element is dalr which means "valley" or "dale".
Prior to 1918, the municipality was called Lille-Elvdalen to distinguish it from Store Elvedalen which is now called Stor-Elvdal.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 25 November 1988. The arms show the front ends of two silver skis on a blue background. They represent the history and importance of skiing in the area.

Geography

Alvdal is bordered by Tynset to the north, Rendalen to the east and south, Stor-Elvdal to the south, and Folldal to the west. The highest mountain in the municipality is Storsølnkletten at tall.

Notable residents

Writer and humorist Kjell Aukrust was born in Alvdal. The Aukrustsenteret in Alvdal is dedicated to him.
Aukrust is most famous for creating the fictional Norwegian village of Flåklypa and its cast of idiosyncratic characters.