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Dalen, Telemark

Dalen
Village
View of the Dalen Hotel (opened in 1894)
View of the Dalen Hotel (opened in 1894)
Map
Interactive map of Dalen
Coordinates: 59°26′42″N 8°00′18″E / 59.44499°N 8.00492°E / 59.44499; 8.00492
CountryNorway
RegionEastern Norway
CountyTelemark
DistrictVest-Telemark
MunicipalityTokke Municipality
Area
 • Total
0.76 km2 (0.29 sq mi)
Elevation75 m (246 ft)
Population
 (2025)[1]
 • Total
572
 • Density753/km2 (1,950/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Post Code
3880 Dalen

Dalen[3] is the administrative centre of Tokke Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The village is located at the flat river delta where the river Tokke flows into the west end of the lake Bandak. The village of Eidsborg lies about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of Dalen and the village of Åmdals verk lies about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the south of Dalen.[4]

Dalen, Telemark, Norway, 1890s

The 0.76-square-kilometre (190-acre) village has a population (2025) of 572 and a population density of 753 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,950/sq mi).[1]

The village of Dalen is the westernmost endpoint of the Telemark Canal which runs from Dalen to the town of Skien to the southeast. Dalen became a tourist site due to all the canal traffic. The Dalen Hotel, built in 1894, is among the largest wooden buildings in Norway.[4]

The Tokke Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power station that is located on the east side of Dalen. The power station exploits the change in height from the lake Vinjevatn to the lake Bandak at Dalen. Statkraft's regional headquarters for Eastern Norway are located in Dalen. This headquarters oversees and manages 38 power stations in the region.[5] Dalen's population increased as the power systems were constructed during the 1950s, but then declined again after this finished by the 1960s.[4]

Name

[edit]

The village is named Dalen. In Norwegian, the preposition used for locations can vary depending on the name. "In Dalen" is translated på Dalen—literally "on Dalen".[6]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 Statistisk sentralbyrå (27 October 2025). "Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality".
  2. ↑ "Dalen, Tokke". yr.no. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "Informasjon om stadnamn". Norgeskart (in Norwegian). Kartverket. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Lundbo, Sten; Mæhlum, Lars, eds. (2 March 2026). "Dalen (tettstad i Tokke)". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Grimstvedt, Thorleif (31 August 2006). "Samlet trådene på Dalen" (in Norwegian). Telemarksavisa. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  6. ↑ Lomheim, Sylfest (5 August 2015). "Dølar på Dalen". Klassekampen. p. 10.