Re, Norway

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox kommune

Re is a former municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The Template:Convert municipality existed from 2000 until its dissolution in 2020. The area is now part of Tønsberg Municipality. The administrative centre was the village of Revetal. Other villages in the municipality included Ramnes, Brekkeåsen, Bergsåsen, Gretteåsen, Undrumsdal, Fon, Vivestad.<ref name="snl">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Prior to its dissolution in 2020, the Template:Convert municipality was the 316th largest by area out of the 422 municipalities in Norway. Re had a population of 9,730. The municipality's population density is Template:Convert.<ref name="ssb pop">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ssb area">Template:Cite web</ref>

The river Aulielva ran through the municipality. The highest point in Re was Snippane with an elevation of Template:Cvt. Snippane was located along the border with Lardal Municipality, about Template:Convert south of the village of Hof.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

General information

The municipality was established on 1 January 2002 when the two neighboring municipalities of Ramnes and Våle were merged to form one large municipality called Re.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

On 1 January 2020, Re Municipality was dissolved and new borders were drawn for the municipalities of Horten, Tønsberg, and Holmestrand:<ref name="snl" />

the Template:Convert area that is on the northeast coast Re Municipality, including the island of Langøya, was transferred into Holmestrand Municipality<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
the Template:Convert Haugan area was transferred from Horten Municipality to Re<ref name="H2T">Template:Cite web</ref>
the Template:Convert Nykirke/Pauliveien area was transferred from Re to Horten Municipality<ref name="H2T" />
the Template:Convert west Skoppum area was transferred from Re to Horten Municipality (creating a small exclave for the Råen farm inside Horten)<ref name="H2T" />
the remaining portions of Re Municipality was merged into Tønsberg Municipality<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name

The municipality is named after an old name for the district, Re (Template:Langx). The name is related to the old German word Template:Wikt-lang which means "line" or "row", referring to the local geological formation called Raet.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 31 August 2001 in preparation for the establishment of the new municipality on 1 January 2002. It was determined by a public competition and a public vote among inhabitants of the new municipality. The official blazon is "Vert, an escarbuncle Or" (Template:Langx). This means the arms have a green field (background) and the charge is a five-pointed escarbuncle. The charge has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The green color in the field symbolizes the importance of nature and agriculture. The five-pointed design has a long history in the area and it symbolizes unity and to point back in time to the historic battles fought at Re. The five points represent the five parishes within Re. The arms were designed by Arvid Steen. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Churches

The Church of Norway had five parishes (Template:Lang) within the municipality of Re. It was part of the Nord-Jarlsberg prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg.

**Churches in Re**
Parish (Template:Lang)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Fon	Fon Church	Fon	c. 1100
Ramnes	Ramnes Church	Ramnes	c. 1100
Undrumsdal	Undrumsdal Church	Undrumsdal	1882
Vivestad	Vivestad Church	Vivestad	1914
Våle	Våle Church	Bergsåsen	c. 1100

History

In this area a battle took place in 1177, which is the last one mentioned in Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson. Graves and other findings from the Viking Age and even earlier can be found throughout the district.

Government

While it existed, this municipality was responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, unemployment, social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads. During its existence, this municipality was governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor was indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.<ref name="ks">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> The municipality was under the jurisdiction of the Nordre Vestfold District Court and the Agder Court of Appeal.Template:Fact

Mayor

Re Municipality had only one mayor (Template:Langx) during its existence: Thorvald Hillestad from the Centre Party. He served from 2002 until its dissolution in 2020. Prior to this, he was the mayor of Våle Municipality for many years.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>