Leknes

Leknes
View of Leknes in winter (Bulitinden and Guratinden mountains in background)
View of Leknes in winter (Bulitinden and Guratinden mountains in background)
Map
Leknes is located in Nordland
Leknes
Leknes
Leknes is located in Norway
Leknes
Leknes
Coordinates: 68°08′51″N 13°36′41″E / 68.1475°N 13.6115°E / 68.1475; 13.6115
CountryNorway
RegionNorthern Norway
CountyNordland
DistrictLofoten
MunicipalityVestvågøy Municipality
Established as 
Town (By)2002
Area
 • Total2.7 km2 (1.0 sq mi)
Elevation10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2023)[2]
 • Total3,763
 • Density1,394/km2 (3,610/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
8370 Leknes

is a town[1] in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The town is also the administrative centre of Vestvågøy Municipality (with 11,619 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality in Lofoten and Vesterålen). Leknes was designated a "town" (Norwegian: by) in 2002.[4] The 2.7-square-kilometre (670-acre) town has a population (2023) of 3,763 and a population density of 1,394 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,610/sq mi).[2]

Main street of Leknes by night
Leknes in winter: view towards Skottinden
Gravdal, which together with Fygle have grown together with Leknes, creating an urban area with over 5,400 inhabitants.

The town is situated in the geographical middle of the Lofoten archipelago on the island of Vestvågøya. It is approximately 68 kilometres (42 mi) west of the town of Svolvær and 65 kilometres (40 mi) east of the village of Å in Moskenes Municipality. Leknes is one of the few towns in Lofoten that does not depend on fisheries and does not have its town centre by the sea. Because of this, and because of its rapid growth in recent years, it does not have the same traditional wooden architecture as most fishing villages in Lofoten. However, the natural surroundings are among the most stunning in Norway, with mountains, peaks, cliffs, and white sandy beaches.

The town's harbour Leknes Havn is one of Norway's most important and visited harbours for cruise ships. The old school in the Fygle neighborhood has been converted into a museum. Hol Church is located on the eastern edge of the town. Leknes and the neighboring villages of Fygle and Gravdal have grown together over the years through conurbation. One branch of the Nordland Hospital is located in Gravdal, which is located about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) southwest of the centre of Leknes. In Leknes, the sun (midnight sun) is above the horizon from May 26 to July 17, and in the winter, the sun does not rise in Leknes from December 9 to January 4.

  1. ^ a b In the Norwegian language, the word by can be translated as "town" or "city".
  2. ^ a b c Statistisk sentralbyrå (2023-12-23). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  3. ^ "Leknes, Vestvågøy (Nordland)". yr.no. Retrieved 2018-12-13.
  4. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Leknes – tettsted i Vestvågøy" (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2013-02-23. Retrieved 2012-06-25.

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