Gol, Norway
General information. Name. The Old Norse form of the name was "Gǫrð". This is probably an old river name (for the lower part of Hemsil river). The name of the river maybe derived from the word "garðr" m 'fence; border' - and the meaning is then 'the border river'. Coat-of-arms. The coat-of-arms is from modern times. They were granted on 13 September 1985. The arms are gold with three black keys in the center. The keys are derived from the key for Gol stave church. Transport. The Bergen Line from Bergen to Oslo runs through  Gol Station which opened in 1907. Gol is connected to Norwegian National Road 7, 50 and 52 as well as Norwegian county road 51. There are daily bus connections to Gjøvik and Lillehammer. Gol Church. Gol Church ("Gol kirke") was constructed during 1882 based upon a design by architect Henrik Nissen. The church is characterized by neo-Gothic style with gables and small towers with crosses. It was built of wood and has 500 seats. The mediaeval Gol stave church (built ca. 1216) was due for demolition after the construction of the larger and new church. Gol stave church was  saved from destruction by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments ("Fortidsminneforeningen"), which bought the materials with the intention of re-erecting the church elsewhere. Financial problems were solved when King Oscar II decided to pay for its relocation and restoration as the central building of his private open-air museum near Oslo. The restoration was overseen by architect Waldemar Hansteen. It was completed in 1885. In 1907, the royal museum was merged with the Norsk Folkemuseum, which now manages the stave church, still nominally belonging to the reigning monarch. Sister cities. The following cities are twinned with  Gol: