Vågan was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). Two other municipalities were later separated from it: Gimsøy (1856) and the town of Svolvær (1919) - but these were both again merged with Vågan January 1, 1964.

1 Geography
2 The name
3 Coat-of-arms
4 Twin Towns
5 External links

Geography

The main population centres are the town of Svolvær and the villages of Kabelvåg and Henningsvær, located on the largest island, Austvågøy (although Svolvær and Henningsvær are partly located on smaller islands adjacent to the main island). All three have a picturesque situation under the rugged Lofoten mountains, facing the rough body of water called Vestfjorden.

Kabelvåg is the oldest fishing village in Lofoten, where King Øystein built the first fishing shacks in the early 12th c. The Lofoten Cathedral, built in 1898, seats 1,200 people, and used to be filled to the last seat during the Lofoten fishing in the Winter. Henningsvær has a picturesque situation on several islands, and is today more important for fishing. Svolvær is the municipal centre, and has an impressive number of artists' studios and galleries. In addition to the cod fisheries, salmon fish farming and tourism is economically important in Vågan.

The name

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old farm Vågan (Norse Vágar), since the first church was built there. The name is the plural form of vág f 'bay'. The island of Austvågøya (Norse Vág(a)øy) is named after this important site.