Vestre Slidre is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Slidre. Other villages in the municipality include Lomen and Røn.
The municipality is the 219th largest by area out of the 357 municipalities in Norway. Vestre Slidre Municipality is the 275th most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,142. The municipality's population density is and its population has decreased by 3.4% over the previous 10-year period.
The municipality of Vestre Slidre was established in 1849 when the old Slidre Municipality was divided into two municipalities: Vestre Slidre Municipality (population: 3,130) and ÃÂystre Slidre Municipality (population: 2,406). On 1 January 1899, a small unpopulated part of ÃÂystre Slidre Municipality was transferred to Vestre Slidre Municipality.
Historically, the municipality was part of the old Oppland county. On 1 January 2020, the municipality became a part of the newly-formed Innlandet county (after Hedmark and Oppland counties were merged).
On 1 January 2021, the Skjelgrenda area of Vestre Slidre Municipality was transferred to ÃÂystre Slidre Municipality.
The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Slidre farm () since the old Slidredomen church was built there. The name is probably derived from the word which means "sheath" (which is probably referring to a long depression near the church). In 1849, the municipality (and parish) was divided into two separate municipalities. The word (meaning "western") was added to the beginning of the name. Thus, the meaning of the name Vestre Slidre is "(the) western (part of) Slidre".
The coat of arms was granted by royal decree on 20 November 1987. The official blazon is "Azure, a sea-leaf within a tressure invected on the outer edge and engrailed on the inner edge argent" (). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a heart-shaped seeblatt design with a tressure border around the edge of the escutcheon. 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 design is based on a heraldic decoration found in the local Slidredomen church that dates back to the year 1170. The design was originally part of a seal that belonged to a medieval nobleman from the area. The arms were designed by Kari Ruud Flem. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.
The Church of Norway has three parishes () within Vestre Slidre Municipality. It is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar.
High above the village of Slidre, there is an ancient burial ground called the Gardberg site. At this site, there is a runestone which reads I Godguest wrote the runes. This stone is known as the Einang stone ().
The area of today's Vestre Sildre Municipality are prominently discussed in the Old Norse Sagas:
Vestre Slidre 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 Vestoppland og Valdres District Court and the Eidsivating Court of Appeal.
The municipal council of Vestre Slidre Municipality is made up of 17 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.
The mayor () of Vestre Slidre Municipality is the political leader of the municipality and the chairperson of the municipal council. Here is a list of people who have held this position:
Vestre Slidre Municipality is bordered to the northwest by Vang Municipality, to the northeast by ÃÂystre Slidre Municipality, to the east by Nord-Aurdal Municipality, and to the southwest by Hemsedal Municipality (in Buskerud county). Vestre Slidre Municipality is part of the Valdres region in south-central Norway. It is situated between the Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal valleys.
The municipality is located along the river Begna and its surrounding valley. There are several lakes in the municipalities including Helin, ÃÂyangen, Slidrefjorden, and Strondafjorden. The highest point in the municipality is the tall point on the mountain BlÃÂ¥kampen (it is not at the peak of BlÃÂ¥kampen, but the a lower secondary peak on the south side of the mountain).