Gudbrandsdalen is one of the large valleys in Eastern Norway,
between Valdres in the west and Østerdalen in the east. The entire
Gudbrandsdalen is located in Innlandet (before 2020 formerly
Oppland) county. The valley stretches 230 km from Lillehammer by
Lake Mjøsa, 124 m above sea level and up to Lesjaskogsvatnet, 612 m
above sea level. Gudbrandsdalslågen flows through the entire valley.
The district also includes side valleys with Lågen's bielver.
Gudbrandsdalen including Ottadalen and Gausdal considered as one
district consists of twelve municipalities with a total of 71,037
inhabitants (1 January 2015) and a total area of 15,342 km². The
three towns in Gudbrandsdalen are Otta, Lillehammer and Vinstra.
Name
The name probably derives from a Gudbrand in the military
family at Hundorp. According to Snorre, the valley was also referred
to as "in Dalom" with reference to the many valleys that make up the
entire district.
History
Gudbrandsdalen was
historically a county in the Oppland region and belonged to
Eidsivatinget's jurisdiction. The valley and side valleys were hit
by Storflåmen in 1938.
Timeline
1015 - Gudbrandsdalen is
mentioned in Heimskringla, among other things at the
Christianization of Dale-Gudbrand.
1349–50 - The population is
halved during the Black Death.
1537 - As a result of the
Reformation, the king takes control of church property. The crown
thus becomes the largest landowner in Gudbrandsdalen.
1612 - A
Scottish mercenary army under Captain George Sinclair is stopped by
locals at the Battle of Kringen.
1670–1725 - Most of the crown
estate is sold away and this provides the basis for a new local
upper class.
1789 - Storofsen - Flood in Lågen, especially in
Vågå and Fron. Led to a large emigration to Inner Troms.
1850s -
New road through the valley improves communications to Lillehammer,
which is a transit port for the valley's trade with Eastern Norway.
The road was among the better roads in Europe at this time, but the
cloud system was deficient.
1896 - Hamar-Selbanen opens to Otta
(called Eidsvold-Ottabanen)
1921 - Railway Dombås-Oppdal opened,
continuous railway connection Oslo-Trondheim through Gudbrandsdalen.
The Rauma line to Bjorli opens, to Åndalsnes in 1924.
1940 -
Fights in several places in Gudbrandsalen during the attack on
Norway in 1940: Dombås, Dovre, Vinstra, Kvam, Fåvang. British
infantry and British aircraft took part in the fighting. Eiliv
Austlid falls in battle when government members flee by car at
Dombås.
1994 - The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer,
with alpine exercises on Hafjell and Kvitfjell.
Mountain
areas around Gudbrandsdalen
Jotunheimen
Rondane
Dovrefjell
Huldreheimen
Reinheimen
Transport
Important roads
and railways run through Gudbrandsdalen. The main road south-north
Europavei 6 runs in the valley floor from Lillehammer to Dombås,
where it takes off over the mountain towards Oppdal. At Otta,
Riksvei 15 takes off through Ottadalen towards Strynefjell and
Nordfjord. At Dombås, Europavei 136 takes off from the E6 and goes
through the Lesja villages to the county border at Bjorli.
Similarly, the Dovre line runs in the valley floor to Dombås where
the main line goes over the mountain to the north, while the Rauma
line goes over Lesja towards Åndalsnes.