Torsnes

When bishop J.Neumann was on a visitation in Hardanger in 1825 he also visited Torsnes, the seat of the Galtung family. They were then in the process of pulling down the old dwelling house on the farm. As the committed observer of ancient monuments and antiquarian buildings that he was, bishop Neumann has provided us with interesting details:

Vik

The farm Vik in Jondal has been one of the earliest settled farms in Jondal; a good and fertile farm east of the river. Legends hold that mighty men have lived in Vik, and it is easy to imagine that the farm may have been a chieftain’s seat for some time.

Bolstad

The village at Bolstadøyri acquired its structure around the middle of the 1800s, but from the old days there has been a meeting place here; court location and trading post. The guesthouse place stems from the second half of the 17th century, and in the previous century Bolstadøyri was one of the largest rural trading posts in Nordhordland.

Finne

Peter Bonde, who owned Finne towards the end of the 1200s, had a jumping stag in his family emblem. This stag is the origin for the heraldic blazon of Voss. Peter Bonde and his descendants acquired possession of many farms and farm parts; the so-called Finne properties became some of the largest land properties in the country.

Fjose

The farm Fjose lies uppermost in Tjukkebygdi, one of the good grain farms on the sunny side here. The woodcarver Styrk Fjose (1873-1937) came from this farm, which is now protected as a cultural heritage.

Mølster

Oppheim

In the slope above Oppheim church lies the old vicarage at OPPHEIM. If you stroll up the road from the church you will arrive in a farmyard marked by traces of building style and living traditions from the Middle Ages.

Stalheim

Stalheim is situated between Stalheimsfossen and Sivlefossen, in a community with the farms Sivle and Brekke. The most likely explanation of the name is “the farm by Stadall”, from “standa” (stand), probably with background in the steep Stalheimskleivi. The farm has for a long time been divided into several units. At Stalheim there has been a transport exchange from the Middle Ages and the farm has been a postal farm since 1647.

Tvinne

Following the introduction of fixed postal deliveries in Norway from 1647, post farms were appointed where the farmer was under obligation to bring the post to the next post farm. The farm Ttvinne is situated 12km from Rogne, the next post farm to the west, and about the same distance from Vinje. Later on a transport station was established at Vinje with the possibility for overnight stay for travellers, and from the 1830s, a hotel.

Bru

Bruosen is one of the few river harbours in the county. As landing place for the churchgoers, this place and the boatshed environment follow a tradition that goes back to the Middle Ages, but the country store of today is much younger.