# Sola, Norway

Sola is a municipality and a Seaside resort in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Jæren. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Solakrossen. Other villages include Tananger, Hålandsmarka, Sørnes, and Stenebyen. Stavanger Airport is located in Sola, just a short distance from the large Stavanger/Sandnes metropolitan area.
The 69-square-kilometre (27 sq mi) municipality is the 342nd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sola is the 41st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 28,315. The municipality's population density is 411.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,066/sq mi) and its population has increased by 15.2f% over the previous 10-year period.
In the western part of Sola, there are 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) of long, sandy beaches facing the North Sea. The usually suitable wind and waves make the sandy beaches a popular place for windsurfing.

## General information

The municipality of Sola was established in 1930 when the old municipality of Håland was split into Sola (south of the Hafrsfjorden) and Madla (north of the Hafrsfjorden). Initially, Sola had 3,372 residents. On 1 January 2017, a small 350-decare (86-acre) area on the southwestern edge of the village of Solakrossen was transferred from Sandnes municipality to Sola.

### Name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Sola farm (Old Norse: Sóli) since the first Sola Church was built there. The meaning of the name is uncertain. One possibility is that it comes from the word sól which means "sun". Historically, the name was also spelled Sole.

### Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 12 February 1982. The official blazon is "Azure, two bars double embowed argent" (Norwegian: I blått to sølv bjelker dannet ved et omvendt dobbelt buesnitt). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of two curved bars that look like waves. The charge has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The blue color symbolizes the sea and the white/silver color symbolizes the whitecaps of the waves washing up to the long, shallow, sandy beaches along the ocean in the municipality. The arms were designed by the painter Roald Kyllingstad. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.

### Churches

The Church of Norway has four parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Sola. It is part of the Tungenes prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger.
Churches in Sola :
| Parish (sokn) | Church name | Location of the church | Year built |
| Ræge | Ræge Church | Ræge (north of Stenebyen) | 2009 |
| Sola | Sola Church | Solakrossen | 2020 |
| Sola | Sola Chapel | west of Solakrossen | 1955 |
| Sørnes | Sørnes Church | Sørnes | 1977 |
| Tananger | Tananger Church | Tananger | 2002 |
| Tananger | Tananger Chapel | Tananger | 1879 |

## Geography

The municipality of Sola lies on the west side of the Stavanger Peninsula, south of the Hafrsfjorden. The municipality sits just about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the centres of the cities of Stavanger and Sandnes. The island of Rott lies just off the western coast of Sola. The Fladholmen Lighthouse lies just off shore of the village of Tananger in northern Sola.

## History

According to Snorre Sturlason the Battle of Hafrsfjord took place in the year AD 872, probably outside Ytraberget. Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway, is celebrated for having united Norway at this notable battle.
The stone crosses at Tjora date from about the year 1150. In early Christian times, these stone crosses were used as gathering points for religious ceremonies before churches were built. Sola Church Ruins (Sola ruinkirke) is the ruins of a Romanesque stone church dating from about the year 1120. The stone church probably replaced an older wooden church in the area. This wooden church was possibly the one that Erling Skjalgsson had built when he converted to Christianity at the end of the 10th century. Sola Church overlooked the Hafrsfjord and was in use until 1842.The artist Johan Bennetter (1822–1904) used the church as a studio and lived there with his family. During World War II, most of the church was demolished. It was later reconstructed, and the restoration was finished in 1995.
Stavanger Airport, Sola was founded in 1937. At Sola airport, the first opposed landing by paratroopers took place as German Fallschirmjägers from 1st battalion of the 1st Regiment, 7th Flieger Division were dropped on the airfield. Sola Air Station became an important airfield for the Germans during World War II.

## Population

Historical population :
| Year | 1930 | 1946 | 1951 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2023 |
| Pop. | 3,372 | 4,071 | 5,025 | 6,880 | 9,597 | 12,324 | 15,719 | 18,915 | 22,831 | 27,153 | 28,315 |
| ±% p.a. | — | +1.18% | +4.30% | +3.55% | +3.38% | +2.53% | +2.46% | +1.87% | +1.90% | +1.75% | +1.41% |
| Source: Statistics Norway and Norwegian Historical Data Centre ||||||||||||

## Government

Sola Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council. The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Sør-Rogaland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

### Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Sola is made up of 41 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
Sola kommunestyre 2023–2027 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 5 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 15 |
| | Industry and Business Party (Industri‑ og Næringspartiet) | 2 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Red Party (Rødt) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 2019–2023 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | People's Action No to More Road Tolls (Folkeaksjonen nei til mer bompenger) | 4 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 7 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 3 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 2015–2019 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 7 |
| | Green Party (Miljøpartiet De Grønne) | 1 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 16 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Tananger List (Tanangerlisten) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 2011–2015 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 8 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 15 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 |
| | Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 1 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Tananger List (Tanangerlisten) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 2007–2011 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 10 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 11 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 |
| | Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Tananger List (Tanangerlisten) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 2003–2007 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 11 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 11 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 2 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| | Tananger List (Tanangerlisten) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1999–2003 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 12 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 3 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Sola local list (Sola bygdelista) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1995–1999 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 7 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 9 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) | 1 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 2 |
| | Sola local list (Sola bygdelista) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1991–1995 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 6 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 8 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 8 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Pensioners' Party (Pensjonistpartiet) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 2 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| | Sola local list (Sola bygdeliste) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1987–1991 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 7 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 10 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 8 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) | 1 |
| | Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) | 2 |
| | Sola local list (Sola Bygdeliste) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1983–1987 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) | 6 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 15 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 4 |
| | Joint list of the Liberal Party (Venstre) and Liberal People's Party (Liberale Folkepartiet) | 2 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1979–1983 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 18 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 5 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1975–1979 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 10 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 14 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 |
| | New People's Party (Nye Folkepartiet) | 2 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 8 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 41 |
Sola kommunestyre 1971–1975 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 8 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 31 |
Sola kommunestyre 1967–1971 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 7 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 31 |
Sola kommunestyre 1963–1967 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 9 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 6 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 6 |
| | Liberal Party (Venstre) | 4 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 1 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 31 |
Sola herredsstyre 1959–1963 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 4 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 5 |
| | Centre Party (Senterpartiet) | 7 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 5 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 25 |
Sola herredsstyre 1955–1959 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 4 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 2 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 10 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 3 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 25 |
Sola herredsstyre 1951–1955 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | Conservative Party (Høyre) | 1 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 4 |
| | Farmers' Party (Bondepartiet) | 8 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 4 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Sola herredsstyre 1947–1951 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 1 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 6 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 13 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Sola herredsstyre 1945–1947 :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (Kristelig Folkeparti) | 7 |
| | Local List(s) (Lokale lister) | 10 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
Sola herredsstyre 1937–1941* :
| Party name (in Norwegian) | Party name (in Norwegian) | Number of representatives |
| | Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) | 3 |
| | List of workers, fishermen, and small farmholders (Arbeidere, fiskere, småbrukere liste) | 7 |
| | Joint List(s) of Non-Socialist Parties (Borgerlige Felleslister) | 10 |
| Total number of members: | Total number of members: | 20 |
| Note: Due to the German occupation of Norway during World War II, no elections were held for new municipal councils until after the war ended in 1945. |||

### Mayors

The mayors (Norwegian: ordfører) of Sola:
* 1930–1931: Jakob Svendsen Gimre (H)
* 1931–1931: Gabriel Bore (Bp)
* 1932–1934: Gabriel Joa (Bp)
* 1935–1937: Gabriel Bore (Bp)
* 1938–1941: Gabriel Joa (Bp)
* 1942–1943: Sverre Johansson (NS)
* 1943–1945: Jakob Stokdal (NS)
* 1945–1945: Gabriel Joa (Bp)
* 1946–1947: Gabriel Bore (Bp)
* 1948–1951: Torger Sanne (LL)
* 1952–1959: Gabriel Joa (Bp)
* 1960–1961: Knut Rommetveit (Sp)
* 1962–1963: Leif Sømme (H)
* 1964–1971: Rasmus Reime (Sp)
* 1972–1975: Ole Gabriel Ueland (Sp)
* 1976–1977: Ludvig Klingsheim (H)
* 1978–1979: Andreas Sanne (KrF)
* 1980–1987: Kåre Kvalvik (H)
* 1988–1989: Håkon Rege (FrP)
* 1990–1991: Trygve Ersland (H)
* 1992–1995: Trygg Mæland (Sp)
* 1995–1999: Eli Hellestø (Sp)
* 1999–2011: Håkon Rege (H)
* 2011–2019: Ole Ueland (H)
* 2019–2023: Tom Henning Slethei (FrP)
* 2023-present: Janne Stangeland Rege (H)

## Museums

Museums in Sola include:
* The Aviation History Museum
* Rogaland Krigshistorisk Museum, a World War II museum
* Kystkultursamlingen i Tananger, a Maritime collection

## Notable people

* Andrew Lawrenceson Smith (ca.1620 - ca.1694), a Scottish craftsman, woodcutter, and painter from the Stavanger renaissance
* Andreas Meling (1839 in Sola – 1928), a ship owner, politician, and mayor of Stavanger from 1893
* Rasmus Sørnes (1893 in Sola – 1967), an inventor, clockmaker, and radio technician who made advanced astronomical clocks
* Tor Sørnes (1925 in Sola – 2017), an author, politician, and engineer who invented the VingCard
* Bjørn Bue (1934 in Sola – 1997), a Lutheran missionary and Bishop of Stavanger from 1986 to 1997
* Håkon Rege (born 1955), a politician and mayor of Sola from 1999 to 2011
* Finn Øglænd (born 1957), an author, poet, and literature critic who grew up at Tananger
* Svein Fjælberg (born 1959 in Sola), a former footballer with 128 caps with Viking FK and 33 with Norway
* Rita Eriksen (born 1966 in Sola) & Frank Eriksen (born 1961 in Sola), musicians with Eriksen; a roots, country, and blues band
* Solveig Horne (born 1969), a politician and Minister of Children and Families who lives in Sola
* Camilla Herrem (born 1986 in Sola), a handball player with 262 caps with Norway women and four Olympic team medals (Gold in London 2012, and in Paris 2024, Bronze in Rio 2016, and in Tokyo 2020)