:''There is also Norwegian region called
Dalane.
'' is a historical
province or ''landskap'' in central
Sweden. A common English name form is ''Dalecarlia'' or ''Dalekarlia''. Places involving the element ''Dalecarlia'' still exist in the
United States.
Dalarna adjoins
HĂ€rjedalen,
HĂ€lsingland,
GĂ€strikland,
VĂ€stmanland and
VĂ€rmland. It is also bounded by
Norway in the west.
The word "Dalarna" means "the dales" (valleys). It is a region full of historical associations, and possesses strong local characteristics in respect of its products, and especially of its people. In one small region in Dalecarlia named
Ălvdalen, the people speak their own
dialect, the
Dalecarlian language and have a traditional clothing. Historically, they are famed for their sturdy love of independence.
[Volume V07, Page 764 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. (online link)]
County
Provinces serve no administrative function in Sweden today. Instead, that function is served by the
counties of Sweden. However, Dalarna has virtually the same boundaries as the corresponding
Dalarna County, except for a part of the north-east (
Hamra parish, also known as
Orsa Finnmark) which is part of
Ljusdal Municipality,
GĂ€vleborg County.
Geography
The geography is distinguished by lake
Siljan in the middle part, and the
VĂ€sterdal River and
Ăsterdal River that join into the
Dal River.
The northern part of the province are within the
Scandinavian mountain range, and are mountainous with many lakes. The southern part consists of plains, with several mines, most notably
copper, traditionally forming part of
Bergslagen.
Highest point is
StorvÀtteshÄgna with 1,204 meters. Lowest point is at 55 meters, in the south-east part.
Cities
Dalarna was historically divided into
chartered cities and districts.
★
Avesta (
1641 -
1686, renewed
1919)
★
BorlÀnge (
1944, as BorlĂŠngio By
1390)
★
Falun (
1641)
★
Hedemora (approximately
1400)
★
Ludvika (
1919)
★
SĂ€ter (
1642)
Other towns
★
Leksand
★
Mora
★
Orsa
★
Ălvdalen
★
RĂ€ttvik
★
TĂ€llberg
★
Malung
★
SĂ€len
★
Idre
National parks
★
FÀrnebofjÀrden
★
FulufjÀllet
★
Hamra
★
Töfsingdalen
History
The province was part of
Svealand before
Sweden was consolidated in the 11th century.
Two historically notorious rebellions started in the Dalarna province: In 1434, led by
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson, the miners rose against the oppression of the officers of
Eric of Pomerania, and in 1519â1523 it was among the miners that
Gustavus Vasa found his staunchest supporters in his patriotic task of freeing Sweden from the yoke of the Danes.
[Another 1911 reference]
Heraldry
Arms granted in 1560 , the use of two crossed arrows as a symbol precedes this. The province is also a duchy and the arms is represented with a dukal coronet. Blazon: "Azure, two Dalecarlian Arrows Or in saltire point upwards pointed Argent and in chief a Crown of the first."
Culture
A giant Dalahorse in central
Avesta.
A woman from
Leksand in traditional folk dress, 1911
Historically, Dalarna has enjoyed a rich and unique folk culture, with distinct music, paintings (often centered on Biblical themes) and handicraft. The province was also the last province to abandon the use of the
Runic alphabet, a local dialect of which, the so called Dalrunes, survived into the 19th century
[1].
A famous symbol of the province is the
Dalecarlian horse, in Swedish ''DalahÀst'', a painted and decorated wooden horse.
The
Vasaloppet, a
cross country skiing race over 90 km, is held annually, on the first Sunday of March, between
SĂ€len and
Mora, in commemoration of the ski-borne escape of Gustav Vasa, who would later become king
Gustav I of Sweden, from the
Danish troops in 1520.
The mining area of the
Stora Kopparberg ("Great Copper Mountain") in
Falun has been named a
UNESCO World heritage site.
Notable natives
★
Lars Frölander, swimmer
★
Jussi Björling, opera singer
★
Nils Karlsson, "
Mora-Nisse", skier
★
Gunnar Myrdal, politician
★
Charlie Norman, pianist
★
Björn Skifs, singer, actor
★
Gunde Svan, skier, "celebrity".
★
Hans Werthén, former
CEO of
Electrolux
★
Anders Zorn, artist (painter)
★
Gustaf de Laval (1845-1913), inventor and engineer
★
Lars "Kuprik" BĂ€ckman, chef; and consequently The Muppets'
Swedish Chef
★
Mats "Dalmas" BÀckström, Top Shooter
★
Jultomten (Santa Claus), fictional figure believed to live in Mora
★
Tord Nygren, illustrator of children's books
Dukes
Since 1772 , Swedish Princes have been created Dukes of various provinces. This is solely a nominal title.
★
Prince August (
1831-
1873)
★
Prince Carl Johan (from his birth in 1916 until his loss of succession rights in
1947)
★ See also:
List of Swedes
Districts
The Swedish provinces were subdivided into
Hundreds of Sweden, in effect until early 20th century.
In some provinces the sub-dividing was through ''districts''. Dalarna had only one
chartered hundred – the others were court districts.
Footnotes
References
★
article ''Dalarna'' from
Nordisk familjebok. In Swedish.
★
External links
★
Dalarna - Tourist site
★
Pictures from Dalarna
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