Pop. 2,987; Area 715 sq. km. (275 sq. mi.)

Kviteseid is a tourist area with a landscape of mountains, forest ridges and lakes. The village of Kviteseid is the administrative center. The farm Austenå has two storehouses which have been dated at 1775 and 1795. North of Austenå is Knutsås, where the houses seemed to be wedged between boulders. Anne Knutsdotter, the heroine of a Norwegian folksong, is supposed to have lived here.

KVITESEID village lies along highway 39 south of Brunkeberg. It is the township's administrative, business and service center. It has a beautiful, peaceful location on the Sundkilen, a bay opening off Lake Kviteseid. The Kviteseid Seminary , opened in 1819, was the first teachers' college in Norway. Kvitsund High School, the first Lutheran boarding school in Norway, was built in 1917. The canal boat "Victoria" makes scheduled stops here during the summer.

MORGEDAL is known nationally as "the cradle of skiing." At a small crofter's farm high up in the hills, now a museum, lived a man called Sondre Nordheim. He was a craftsman but also an enthusiastic and gifted skier. He made two important contributions to skiing: first, a simple sort of ski binding that held the heel of the boot on the ski; and second, a ski that was slightly narrower towards the middle and thus easier to swing. This was all that men from Morgedal needed in order to dominate the first decades of Norwegian skiing as a sport. One of these men was Olav Bjaaland, whose reputation as a skier and a carpenter caused Roald Amundsen to choose him to be one of the South Pole Expedition team.

VRÅDAL is the center of the tourist industry in Kviteseid. Tourists can participate in a program of activities which emphasize the fine terrain on the northern shore of Lake Nisser. Boat tours can be arranged on Lake Nisser and on Vråvatn. The ferryboat "M/S Fram" also has a regular schedule on lakes Nisser and Vråvatn. A chair lift brings tourists up to a magnificent view and to excellent skiing in the winter. A special hikers' map of Vrådal, showing trails and paths is available.

Straand Hotel and Conference Center features Summerland with water sports activities on Lake Nisser and horseback riding. Winterland has skiing, ski-jumping, sledding, and sleighriding. The old Straand was built in 1864 with logs in the typical Telemark style. It is used today as a lounge area for the new hotel. There is also a fishing school at Vrådal.

VRÅLIOSEN is little village in innermost Vrådal, where you will find a hotel, campground, cottages, and apartments for rent.

KILEN is a village on the shore of Lake Flåvatn. Nearby are Trollebotn (Troll Valley) and the Overlandsheiene (Heaths) where the saga of Sterke-Nils took place. On the north shore of Lake Flåvatn is Jutulbrua (Giant's Bridge), a wharf which legend says was built by a giant who was tired of getting his feet wet crossing the lake.

SIGHTS TO SEE:
Olav Bjaalands Museum in Morgedal contains displays of mementos and equipment both from the pioneer age of Norwegian ski sport and from the South Pole Expedition.

Brunkeberg Church stands on the same site as a stave church built about 1200. This stave church, known as "Bruggaberga Kirkja" was torn down sometime before 1790 when the present wooden cruciform church was built. The church is beautifully decorated with biblical motifs painted on the center section of the ceiling and has fittings from medieval times. It was restored in 1939/40 by the artist Ulrik Henriksen. In the churchyard are the graves of veteran skiers Mikkel and Torjus Hemmestveit and Olav Bjaaland, veteran of the South Pole Expedition.

The Kviteseid District Museum contains 8 buildings collected from different parts of the township. Most remarkable is the Flekstveit Cottage from what was once Western Telemark's largest farm. The interior was decorated by rosemaler Talleiv Mølar. The museum grounds also display traditional storehouses, a stall, a cowbarn, and a crofter's cottage.

The Old Church of Kviteseid lies near the District Museum on a beautiful site sloping down towards the lake. It is a stone church built about 1150. The ceiling was decorated by Thomas Blixius in 1714. The original portal with a carved wooden arch showing two fighting dragons remains.

Utsondhalli is part of the District Museum but stand slightly apart from it. It has been built to commemorate a local sculptor, Gunnar Utsond (1864-1950). On display are sculptures, plaster casts and drawings by this fine artist. Utsond retired to his place of birth after his many years as a professor at the Academy of Art in Oslo.

Kviteseid Church lies at Hamaren, just opposite the village center. It is built of local granite and was consecrated in 1916. Sondre Norheimstogo, the cotter's cottage where Sondre Norheim was born, is a museum with ski artifacts.

Moen Storehouse built in 1666 and rebuilt in 1762 has many carved decorations.

HOTELS:
Brokefjell Hotell, 3850 Kvitseseid; Tel. (036) 46 100 /Kviteseid 165
Furuly herberge.
Heglandsodden Camping, Vråliosen.
Kviteseid Gjestgiveri.
Kvitsund High School; rooms rent to tourists in the summer.
Morgedal Camping.
Morgedal Turisthotell, 3848 Morgedal; Tel. (036) 46 100 /2944
Straand Turisthotell, 3853 Vrådal; Tel. (036) 46 100 /Vrådal 721
Syftestad Camping.
Versto Turistheim.
Vrådal Turisthotell, 3853 Vrådal; Tel. (036) 46 100 /Vrådal 727
Vråliosen hotel.

LOCAL AUTHORITY OFFICE: 3850 Kviteseid; Tel. (036) 53 111

Skarprud, John. Kviteseid, Heimbygdsoge til skolebruk. Kviteseid 1976-1977.