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is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien.
The county is located in southeastern Norway, extending from Hardangervidda to the Skagerrak coast. The coastline extends from Langesundsfjorden to Gjernestangen at the border to Aust-Agder. Telemark has a very broken and heterogeneous landscape, including many hills and valleys.
The largest population centres are Skien, Porsgrunn, Notodden, Rjukan and Kragerø. Other important places are Stathelle, Ulefoss, Brevik, Langesund, Bø, Fyresdal and Vinje.

Contents

The name

Coat-of-arms

History

Districts

Municipalities

External links

The name

The Norse form of the name was ''Þelamörk''. The first element is the genitive plural case of ''þelir'', the name of an old Germanic tribe. The last element is ''mörk'' f 'woodland, borderland'. (See also Hedmark and Finnmark.)
Until 1919 the county was called ''Bratsberg amt''. The amt was named after the farm Bratsberg (Norse ''Brattsberg''), since this was the seat of the ''amtmann'' ('governor'). The first element is the genitive case of ''brattr'' m 'steep mountain', the last element is ''berg'' n 'mountain'. (The name is referring to a steep mountainside behind the farm.)
Telemark loaned its name to Telemark skiing, a style invented by Sondre Norheim, and the characteristic Telemark landing of ski jumping.

Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1970). It shows an old type of battle axe, significant for the county.

History

Some old historians used to believe that in the early Viking Age, before Harald Fairhair, Telemark was a petty kingdom. This is, however, unfounded.
The film ''The Heroes of Telemark'' is loosely based on the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, a raid on a heavy water plant at Rjukan during World War II. Ray Mears made a documentary titled ''The Real Heroes of Telemark'' as a response to the inaccuracies of the film, giving an account more focused on the outdoor skills that were required for the operation (spending months in remote cabins).
Until 1919 the county was known as ''Bratsberg amt''.
'Notable people from Telemark'

★ Myllarguten (1801 - 1872), legendary fiddler born in Sauherad

★ Aasmund Olavsson Vinje (1818–1870), author born in Vinje.

★ Sondre Norheim (1825–1897), father of skiing born in Morgedal, Kviteseid

★ August Cappelen (1827 - 1852), national romantic painter born in Skien.

★ Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906), author born in Skien

★ Theodor Kittelsen (1857 - 1914), artist born in Kragerø

★ Vidkun Quisling (1887–1945), politician, quisling born in Fyresdal

★ Aslaug Vaa (1889–1965), author born in Rauland

★ Tarjei Vesaas (1897–1970), author born in Vinje

★ Anne Grimdalen (1899–1961), sculptor born in Skafså, Tokke

★ Eivind Groven (1901–1977), composer born in Lårdal, Tokke

★ Klaus Egge (1906–1979), composer born in Gransherad, Notodden

★ Hans Herbjørnsrud (1938–), author born in Heddal, Notodden

★ Tor Åge Bringsværd (1939–), author born in Skien

★ Gisle Kverndokk (1967-), composer born in Skien

★ Jørn Lier Horst, (1970 -), author of crime fiction born in Bamble

★ Odd Nordstoga (1972-), musician born in Vinje.

★ Tommy Svindal Larsen (1973-), footballer born in Skien

★ Frode Johnsen (1974-), footballer born in Skien.

Districts

The county is conventionally divided into traditional districts. These are Grenland, Vest-Telemark, Midt-Telemark, Øst-Telemark and Vestmar.

Municipalities

Telemark County has a total of 18 municipalities:
#Bamble
#Bø
#Drangedal
#Fyresdal
#Hjartdal
#Kragerø
#Kviteseid
#Nissedal
#Nome
#Notodden
#Porsgrunn
#Sauherad
#Seljord
#Siljan
#Skien
#Tinn
#Tokke
#Vinje

External links

★ Homepage of Telemark County

★ County map

★ Rjukan lag av Norske Redningshunder, K9 saves lives

★ The reality behind the movie