Vang, Hedmark

Vang is a former municipality in Hedmark county, Norway.

Vang was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The city of Hamar was separated from Vang in 1849. Furnes was separated from Vang in 1891. Vang was merged with Hamar on 1 January 1992.

Prior to the merger of Hamar its administration center was located in Hamar (i.e., outside of its own municipality). Vang had 9,103 residents and an area of 327 km². There was strong local opposition, with one poll showing 95% of former Vang residents opposed to incorporation into Hamar. Support in Hamar was stronger as Vang was a prosperous farming municipality, while Hamar suffered from urban decay.

The sponsor for the consolidation was Odd Aspeli (of the Arbeiderpartiet). He took over as Mayor in Hamar after consolidation and remained as Mayor until 1999. Another chief sponsor against consolidation, Einar Busterud, then assumed the position of Mayor.

Gåsbu Ski Center lies in Vang Almenning, and has served as the backup venue for the Holmenkollrennene. The national cross-country skiing championship was last held here in 2002.

The municipality (originally the parish) was named after the old farm Vang (Old Norse: Vangr, "field" or "meadow"), since the first church was built there.

Øvre Vang is the common local name for the area outside Hamar that used to be the now merged municipality Vang, Hedmark.

Archeological evidence provides ties between the Vendel era culture in Uppland and Vang in the period from 600-800 AD. Most notable is finding of a fine examples of a Vendel Culture style ring sword in Vang burial mounds; each sword's hilt is adorned with a heavy gold ring upon which oaths were sworn.

Åker gård (Aaker farm) in Vang was the site of an ancient Thing (ting) place; it was there that Magnus I agreed to share power with his uncle Harald Hardråde and the two became co-rulers. In the 11th century the Thing was moved to Eidsvol.

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