NOTODDEN

is a city and municipality in the county of Telemark, Norway.
Notodden was separated from Heddal as a city, and a municipality of its own, in 1913. The rural municipalities of Heddal and Gransherad were merged with Notodden January 1, 1964.
Norsk Hydro was founded in this town.
Norway's biggest stave church Heddal stave church can be seen a few kilometres from the town centre.
Notodden Airport, Tuven, is located west of the city centre.
Notodden is famous for the annual Notodden Blues Festival, which is considered one of the best blues festivals in Europe, but they also have a famous metal festival called Motstøy Festivalen.

Contents

The name

Famous residents

The name

The first element of the name is ''not'' f 'seine (fishing)', the last element is the finite form of ''odde'' m 'headland'. The meaning is 'the fishing place'.

Famous residents

Notodden is also the hometown of Norway's fine organist Kåre Nordstoga, the internationally known author Hans Herbjørnsrud, born in Heddal and the Hardanger fiddlemaker Olav Gunnarsson Helland (1875 - 1939), by many considered the finest in the twentieth century. Composer Klaus Egge, born 1906 in Gransherad also lived in Notodden.
American bluesman Seasick Steve, who is achieving fame in the UK, currently resides in Notodden.
Also, one of the most influential Norwegian black metal bands, Emperor, comes from Notodden, as does Mortiis, Mind Grinder and Zyklon.