Munkedal Municipality facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Munkedal Municipality
Munkedals kommun
|
||
|---|---|---|
Munkedal town hall
|
||
|
||
 |
||
| Country | Sweden | |
| County | Västra Götaland County | |
| Seat | Munkedal | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 679.51 km2 (262.36 sq mi) | |
| • Land | 638.43 km2 (246.50 sq mi) | |
| • Water | 41.08 km2 (15.86 sq mi) | |
| Area as of January 1, 2010. | ||
| Population
(June 30, 2012)
|
||
| • Total | 10,225 | |
| • Density | 15.0476/km2 (38.9731/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | |
| ISO 3166 code | SE | |
| Province | Bohuslän and Dalsland | |
| Municipal code | 1430 | |
| Website | www.munkedal.se | |
Munkedal Municipality (Munkedals kommun) is a cool area in western Sweden. It is located in Västra Götaland County. The main town and administrative center is Munkedal. This place has a long and interesting history, going back thousands of years!
Contents
History of Munkedal Municipality
The municipality of Munkedal was formed over time through several changes. In 1952, a big reform created larger rural municipalities like Munkedal, Svarteborg, Sörbygden, and Ödeborg.
Later, in 1967, Ödeborg joined Munkedal. Finally, in 1974, Svarteborg and Sörbygden also merged with Munkedal. This is how the Munkedal Municipality we know today was created.
What's in a Name? The Etymology of Munkedal
The name "Munkedal" comes from an old farm. This farm used to belong to the monks of Dragsmark Abbey. The word dal means "valley" in Swedish. So, "Munkedal" means "Monk's Valley."
The municipality's coat of arms also shows a medieval scroll and a writing pen. These symbols represent the monks who lived there long ago.
Geography of Munkedal
Munkedal is about 110 kilometers (or 68 miles) north of Gothenburg, a major city in Sweden. The area has a very interesting and varied landscape. You can find forests, mountains, open plains, and many lakes and streams.
Main Towns and Villages
Here are some of the main towns and villages in Munkedal Municipality, with their populations from 2005:
- Munkedal – 3,838 people (This is the main town!)
- Dingle – 889 people
- Hällevadsholm – 723 people
- Hedekas – 358 people
Local Parishes
Munkedal Municipality also has 8 parishes. These are smaller areas used by the Church of Sweden. Here are their populations from January 1, 2005:
- Foss – 5,020 people
- Svarteborg – 2,683 people
- Krokstad – 1,043 people
- Håby – 468 people
- Hede – 495 people
- Bärfendal – 248 people
- Valbo Ryr – 262 people
- Sanne – 186 people
Ancient History of Munkedal
The area where Munkedal is located has been lived in for a very long time. It might even be one of the oldest inhabited places in all of Sweden!
Around the year 1900, some special tools were found at a farm called Herregårda. These tools are super old, dating back to about 8000 BC!
There's also a cool place with petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings) called Lökeberg på Tungenäset. These carvings were made during the Nordic Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago.
During the Middle Ages, a monastery called Dragsmark Abbey was located within the current borders of the municipality. This monastery is why the area got its name, Munkedal.
Things to See and Do
Munkedal has some interesting attractions:
- The Munkedal Railroad: This is a narrow gauge museum railroad that first opened in 1896. There's also a railroad museum nearby where you can learn about old trains.
- Historic Defense Structures: This area was once a place where Norwegian and Swedish armies fought battles. Because of this, you can visit several old defense structures.
- Medieval Churches: There are also many old churches from the Middle Ages that are worth seeing.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Munkedal para niños
