Editing Leikanger

{{short description|Former municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway}}
{{about|the municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway||}}
{{Infobox kommune
|name                   = Leikanger
|former                 = yes
|native_name            = 
|native_name_lang       = 
|other_name             = 
|official_name          = 
|image_skyline          = Leikanger hermansverk.jpg
|image_caption          = View of Hermansverk
|idnumber               = 1419
|county                 = Sogn og Fjordane
|district               = Sogn
|capital                = [[Hermansverk]]
|established            = 1 Jan 1838
|preceded               = none
|disestablished         = 1 Jan 2020
|succeeded              = [[Sogndal Municipality]]
|demonym                = Systrending
|language               = Nynorsk
|coatofarms             = Leikanger komm.svg
|mayor                  = Jon Håkon Odd
|mayor_party            = [[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]]
|mayor_as_of            = 2015-2019
|area_rank              = 342
|area_total_km2         = 180.10
|area_land_km2          = 177.44
|area_water_km2         = 2.66
|area_water_percent     = 1.5
|population_as_of       = 2019
|population_rank        = 302
|population_total       = 2,331
|population_density_km2 = 13.1
|population_increase    = 8.1
|coordinates            = {{coord|61|13|51|N|06|47|23|E|region:NO|display=inline,title}}
|utm_zone = 32V |utm_northing = 6790521 |utm_easting = 0381342 | geo_cat = adm2nd
}}

'''Leikanger''' ({{IPA|no-NO-03|ˈlæ̂ɪkɑŋər|lang|Leikanger.ogg}}) is a [[List of former municipalities of Norway|former municipality]] in [[Sogn og Fjordane]] [[Counties of Norway|county]], [[Norway]]. It was located on the northern shore of the [[Sognefjorden]] in the [[Districts of Norway|traditional district]] of [[Sogn]]. The [[administrative center]] was the village of [[Hermansverk]], which also was the administrative center of the old [[Sogn og Fjordane]] county.

The Leikanger/Hermansverk urban area had 2,144 inhabitants (2019), about 90% of the municipal population.<ref name="ssb">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |date=1 January 2016 |title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality. |url=https://www.ssb.no/286025/urban-settlements.population-and-area-by-municipality.1-january-2016}}</ref>  This urban area is often called Systrond, which is why a person from Leikanger is often called ''Systrending''.

The {{convert|180|km2|adj=on}} municipality is the 342nd largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Leikanger is the 302nd most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,331. The municipality's [[population density]] is {{convert|13.1|PD/km2}} and its population has increased by 8.1% over the last decade.<ref name="ssb pop">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |year=2018 |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |access-date=2019-12-08 |language=no}}</ref><ref name="ssb area">{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/09280/ |access-date=2019-12-08 |language=no}}</ref>

==General information==
[[File:Systrond.JPG|thumb|left|View of Systrond]]
[[File:Kvinnafossen.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Kvinnafossen in western Leikanger]]
[[File:Skagasete.jpg|thumb|left|View of a small mountain farm]]
Leikanger was established as a [[List of municipalities of Norway|municipality]] on 1 January 1838 (see [[formannskapsdistrikt]] law). The original municipality was large and it was identical to the old Leikanger [[Church of Norway|parish]] ''([[prestegjeld]])'' with the six sub-parishes ({{lang|no|sokn}}) of Leikanger, [[Fresvik]], [[Feios|Rinde]], [[Vangsnes]], [[Tjugum]], and [[Fjærland|Mundal]]. In 1849, the sub-parishes of Vangsnes, Tjugum, and Mundal were transferred into the newly created [[Balestrand]] parish ''(prestegjeld)''. The new parish was separated from Leikanger municipality in 1850 to form the new [[Balestrand Municipality]]. This split left Leikanger with 2,368 residents.<ref name="Dag">{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |year=1999 |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |publisher=[[Statistics Norway|Statistisk sentralbyrå]] |language=no |isbn=9788253746845}}</ref>

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the [[Schei Committee]]. On 1 January 1964, the Hella-Eitorn area (population: 31) was transferred from [[Balestrand]] back to Leikanger. Also, the Tingstad area (population: 5) was transferred to neighboring [[Sogndal]] municipality. These changes left Leikanger with 2,680 residents. On 1 January 1992, the sub-parishes of Leikanger lying south of the [[Sognefjorden]], including [[Feios]] and [[Fresvik]] (total population: 572) were transferred to the municipality of [[Vik, Sogn|Vik]]. This move left Leikanger with only one sub-parish: Leikanger.<ref name="Dag" /><ref name="em">{{Cite web |last=Natvik |first=Oddvar |date=9 February 2005 |title=Some historical data on the 26 Kommunes |url=http://www.emigration.no/sff/emigration3.nsf/0/326D0346278A5909C1256F570048962C?OpenDocument |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613141425/http://www.emigration.no/sff/emigration3.nsf/0/326D0346278A5909C1256F570048962C?OpenDocument |archive-date=13 June 2008 |access-date=23 June 2008}}</ref>

On 1 January 2020, Leikanger was merged with the neighboring municipalities of [[Balestrand]] and [[Sogndal]] to form a much larger municipality called Sogndal.

===Name===
The municipality (originally the [[prestegjeld|parish]]) is named after the old ''[[Leikanger (village)|Leikanger]]'' farm ({{langx|non|Leikvangir}}) since the first [[Leikanger Church]] was built there. The first element is {{wikt-lang|non|leikr}} which means "[[game]]", "[[Sport|sports]]", or "contest". The last element is the plural form of {{wikt-lang|non|vangr}} which means "[[Field (agriculture)|field]]" or "[[meadow]]". Thus it means a meadow used for sports or games. Prior to 1889, the name was written ''Lekanger''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lN1LAQAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Nordre Bergenhus amt |date=1919 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=12 |location=Kristiania, Norge |page=124 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}}</ref>

===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] was granted on 5 September 1963. The official [[blazon]] is ''"[[Vert (heraldry)|Vert]], two apples on a branch with three leaves [[Or (heraldry)|Or]]"'' ({{langx|no|På grøn botn to gull eple på kvist med tre lauv}}). This means the arms have a green [[field (heraldry)|field]] (background) and the [[charge (heraldry)|charge]] is an [[Apple|apple tree]] branch with two apples and three leaves attached. The charge has a [[tincture (heraldry)|tincture]] of [[Or (heraldry)|Or]] which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The apple tree branch is a symbol for the many orchards in the municipality and thus for the local economy. The three leaves symbolised the three parishes (Leikanger, Feios, and Fresvik) that used to make up the municipality (before two of them were transferred to [[Vik, Sogn|Vik Municipality]] in 1992). The arms were designed by K. Fotland. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Leikanger |access-date=2023-06-20 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leikanger, Sogn og Fjordane (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-14-19.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Flags of the World}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1963-09-05 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LFO/forskrift/1963-09-05-10 |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}</ref> 

===Churches===
The [[Church of Norway]] had one parish ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Leikanger. It was part of the [[Sogn prosti]] ([[deanery]]) in the [[Diocese of Bjørgvin]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ style="font-size:medium"|'''''Churches in Leikanger'''''
!Parish ({{lang|no|sokn}})!!Church name!!Location of the church!!Year built
|-
|Leikanger||[[Leikanger Church]]||[[Leikanger (village)|Leikanger]]||1166
|}

==Government==
While it existed, this municipality was responsible for [[primary education]] (through 10th grade), outpatient [[Health care|health services]], [[old age|senior citizen]] services, [[unemployment]], [[Social work|social services]], [[zoning]], [[economic development]], and municipal [[road]]s. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] of [[Direct election|directly elected]] representatives. The [[mayor]] was [[Indirect election|indirectly elected]] by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |publisher=[[Kunnskapsforlaget]] |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |access-date=2023-01-01 |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=no |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene}}</ref> The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the [[Sogn og Fjordane District Court]] and the [[Gulating Court of Appeal]].

===Municipal council===
The [[Municipal council (Norway)|municipal council]] {{lang|no|(Kommunestyre)}} of Leikanger was made up of 17 representatives that were elected to four year terms. The [[Political party|party]] breakdown of the final municipal council was as follows:
{{div col|colwidth=33em|style=column-count:2}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 2016
|end                       = 2019
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg">{{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}</ref>
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 5
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 2012
|end                       = 2015
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Sogn og Fjordane |url=https://valgresultat.no/sogn%2Bog%2Bfjordane/leikanger?type=ko&year=2011 |access-date=2019-10-29 |publisher=Valg Direktoratet}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 2008
|end                       = 2011
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 2004
|end                       = 2007
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 2000
|end                       = 2003
|reference                 = <ref name="ssb valg" />
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 1
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1996
|end                       = 1999
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-02-16 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 17
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 7
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1992
|end                       = 1995
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-02-16 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1988
|end                       = 1991
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-02-16 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Høyre                     = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1984
|end                       = 1987
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Høyre                     = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 2
|otherparty                = Cross-party common list
|otherparty_no             = Tverrpolitisk Samlingsliste
|otherparty_number         = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1980
|end                       = 1983
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|DLF                       = 1
|Høyre                     = 4
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Venstre                   = 2
|otherparty                = Cross-party common list
|otherparty_no             = Tverrpolitisk Samlingsliste
|otherparty_number         = 1
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1976
|end                       = 1979
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|DLF                       = 1
|Høyre                     = 3
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1
|Venstre                   = 2
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1972
|end                       = 1975
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 3
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Venstre                   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1968
|end                       = 1971
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 2
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Venstre                   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|start                     = 1964
|end                       = 1967
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|Høyre                     = 2
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Sosialistisk_Folkeparti   = 1
|Venstre                   = 6
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1960
|end                       = 1963
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Høyre                     = 1
|Kristelig_Folkeparti      = 1
|Senterpartiet             = 3
|Venstre                   = 7
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1956
|end                       = 1959
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 21
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 9
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Venstre                   = 7
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 3
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1952
|end                       = 1955
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 32
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 13
|Senterpartiet             = 4
|Venstre                   = 10
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 5
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1948
|end                       = 1951
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 32
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 15
|Venstre                   = 4
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 13
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1945
|end                       = 1947
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 32
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 8
|AFS                       = 8
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 16
|}}
{{Kommunestyre table
|name                      = Leikanger
|herad                     = yes
|start                     = 1938
|end                       = 1941* 
|reference                 = <ref>{{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-05-14 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}</ref>
|collapsed                 = yes
|nynorsk                   = yes
|Total                     = 32
|Senterpartiet             = 2
|Venstre                   = 5
|Borgerlige_Felleslister   = 11
|Arbeiderpartiet           = 11
|Local_Lists               = 3
|}}
{{div col end}}

===Mayors===
The [[Mayor#Scandinavia|mayors]] ({{langx|nn|ordførar}}) of Leikanger:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-01-06 |title=Ordførarar i Leikanger kommune |url=https://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/nrk_sogn_og_fjordane/fylkesleksikon/3402995.html |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=NRK Fylkesliksikon |language=no}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*1838-1839: [[Christian Garup Meidell]]
*1840-1843: Søren Lem
*1844-1847: Herman Brun
*1848-1849: [[Harald Ulrik Sverdrup (politician)|Harald Ulrik Sverdrup]]
*1849-1851: Herman Brun
*1852-1853: Hans Johannes Brun
*1854-1857: Johan David Haslund
*1858-1868: Sjur Sæterlid
*1868-1868: Hans Lem
*1868-1869: Johan Herman Brun
*1870-1873: Nils J. Njøs
*1874-1881: Lars M. Husabø
*1882-1884: [[Jakob Liv Rosted Sverdrup]] 
*1885-1901: Jakob Bøthun
*1902-1907: Lars M. Husabø
*1908-1916: Nils Tjønn
*1917-1919: Hans N. Grinde
*1920-1922: Hans Fleche
*1922-1922: Knut Jordal
*1923-1934: Hans N. Grinde
*1935-1951: Olav Tveit ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*1952-1957: Per H. Bøthun ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*1958-1961: Hans Husabø ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*1962-1963: Leiv Loen ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*1964-1975: Arne Grepstad ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*1975-1975: Olav Straume ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
*1976-1977: [[Lars Lefdal]] ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
*1978-1979: Kåre Næss ([[Christian Democratic Party (Norway)|KrF]])
*1980-1983: Ola A. Vestrheim ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
*1984-1987: Erling Olsen ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
*1988-1991: Ola A. Vestrheim ([[Conservative Party (Norway)|H]])
*1992-1993: Kjell Helleland ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
*1994-1995: Åsta Magni Hauge ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
*1996-1999: Nils Erling Yndesdal ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*2000-2003: Rolf Nesheim ([[Liberal Party (Norway)|V]])
*2003-2015: Olav Lunden ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
*2015-2019: Jon Håkon Odd ([[Labour Party (Norway)|Ap]])
{{div col end}}

==Geography==
Leikanger is located on the north side of the [[Sognefjorden]] and to the east of the [[Fjærlandsfjorden]]. It is bordered on the north and east by the municipality of [[Sogndal]], on the west by [[Balestrand]], and on the south (across the Sognefjorden) by [[Vik, Sogn|Vik]].

{{wide image|Systrond leikanger.jpg|2000px|View of the main village of Hermansverk/Leikanger in Leikanger municipality}}

==Buildings and structures==
East of Leikanger, there are the [[Sognefjord Span]]s, three powerline spans with length over {{convert|4|km}}, which are currently the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th longest spans in the world. In 1955, the first [[Sognefjord Span]] was built near Leikanger. It was the longest span in the world from 1955 until 1997.

==Sister cities/Twin towns==
Leikanger has [[Twin towns and sister cities|sister city]] agreements with the following places:
* {{flagicon|Denmark}} [[Ribe]], [[Denmark]]

== Notable people ==
[[File:Oddvar Flæte.jpg|150px|thumb|Oddvar Flæte, 2009]]
* [[Iver Erikssøn Leganger]] (1629 in Leikanger – 1702), a priest, author, and farm owner
* [[Georg Burchard Jersin]] (1767 in Leikanger – 1827), a Lutheran minister and representative on the [[Norwegian Constitutional Assembly]]
* [[Olaf Huseby]] (1856 in Leikanger – 1942), a Norwegian-American bookseller and publisher
* [[Jakob Sverdrup (philologist)|Jakob Sverdrup]] (1881 in Leikanger – 1938), a Norwegian philologist and lexicographer
* [[Kjell Bondevik]] (1901 in Leikanger – 1983), a Norwegian politician who also wrote history books
* [[Oddvar Flæte]] (born 1944 in Leikanger), a politician who was [[List of County Governors of Sogn og Fjordane|County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane]] from 1994-2011 
* [[Silje Nes]] (born 1980 in Leikanger), a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, singer, and sound artist
* [[Elise Thorsnes]] (born 1988 in Leikanger), a Norwegian footballer who played 125 games with the [[Norway women's national football team]]

==See also==
{{Commons category}}
*[[List of former municipalities of Norway]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Vestland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}

[[Category:Leikanger| ]]
[[Category:Sogndal]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Norway]]
[[Category:1838 establishments in Norway]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in Norway]]