Notodden
Description
Notodden is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Øst-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Notodden.
Notodden was separated from the municipality of Heddal in 1913 to become a separate city and municipality. On 1 January 1964, the rural municipalities of Heddal and Gransherad were merged into Notodden to form a new enlarged municipality.
Notodden is on the shore of Heddalsvatnet lake, and the Tinn River runs through the town into the lake. Norway's biggest stave church, Heddal stave church, can be seen a few kilometres from the city centre.
Notodden Airport, Tuven, is located west of the city centre. Norsk Hydro was founded in this town. Notodden is well known for the annual Notodden Blues Festival, which is considered one of the best blues festivals in Europe. It also has a well-known metal festival called Motstøy Festivalen.
The football club Notodden FK is headquartered here.
Name
The first element of the name is not which means "to fish using a seine" and the last element is the finite form of odde meaning "headland". Thus the general meaning of the name is "the fishing place".
Coat-of-arms
The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 11 August 1939. The arms show a silver-colored river and four lightning strikes. One of the first hydroelectric power stations in Norway was established in the late 19th century at the Tinnfoss waterfall on the Tinn River.