Hjartdal

Hjartdal

Pop. 1,723; Area 798 sq. km. (310 sq. mi.)

The valley of Hjartdal is easily reached on E 134. This beautiful valley is guarded to the south by the Hekse and the Mæle mountains. Looking north the valley seems cultivated in layers, with one farm lying over the other. And down in the bottom of the valley Lake Hjartsjå and the Hjartøla River glitter in the sun. The main employment is farming and forestry. The township's administrative center is Sauland. Another valley, Tuddal, stretches north from Sauland up toward Mount Gausta. Both these valleys contain a number of protected historic buildings most of which are still in their original settings.

BONDAL is a rural area innermost in Tuddal beneath the western slope of Mt. Gausta. Impressive and beautiful scenery surround many old farm buildings.

SAULAND has a church, built in 1857, which is on the sight of a former stave church, and a storehouse built in 1718.

TUDDAL has many fine old buildings listed as historical monuments in their original settings. The narrow Tuddal valley stretches in scenic beauty from Sauland and up towards Mount Gausta. The highway through Tuddal which crosses the slopes of Mount Gausta is an attraction in the summer.

SIGHTS TO SEE:
The Tuddal District Museum lies in the middle of the village. It has a fine collection of buildings and folk art. The buildings include two cottages from the 1600's, a kitchen hut, storehouses, a complete cotter's farm and a summer mountain farm.

Bøenloftet, the oldest house in Tuddal, was built about 1200.

HOTELS:
Bondal Fjellstue, 3697 Tuddal; Tel.35023733

Skogheim Pensjonat, 3690 Hjartdal; Tel.35024813

Tuddal Høyfjellshotell.3697 Tuddal; Tel.35024103

LOCAL AUTHORITY OFFICE: 3692 Sauland; Tel. 35028000

Hjartdal Turist og Bygdesentral.3690 Hjartdal; Tel 35024868

Bygdebøker for Hjartdal

Gamle sagn om Hjartdølene,1880/1985. M.B.Landstad

Holta, O. H. Hitterdals Boken. Porsgrunn: Brødr Dyrings Boktrykkeri, 1926.

Hjartdalsoga Gard og ætt 1 Tuddal,1987

Hjartdalsoga Gard og ætt 2 Sauland,1992

Hjartdalsoga Gard og ætt 3A Hjartdal Nordbygda,not published.