Lille Lungegårdsvann , colloquially known as "Smålungeren", is today an octagonal lake with a fountain in the center of Bergen , but was originally an arm of the fjord connected to Store Lungegårdsvann with Lillestrømmen , which was filled in again in 1926.
The two lakes are still connected by an underground canal, although the water level of "Smålungeren" is slightly higher than that of the larger one. Lille Lungegårdsvannet is 600 meters in circumference .
History
Store Lungegårdsvann, formerly called Alrekstadvågen, bounded the peninsula consisting of Nordnes and Nygårdshøyden to the northeast. What was later named Lille Lungegårdsvann, stretched from Torgallmenningen to Nonneseter . The water was salt/ brackish water . Two narrowings of Lungegårdsvann provided for bridge connections, first in 1851 Nygårdsbroen with a new main road to the south, and in 1867 Strømbroen, a swing bridge for the connection between Nygård and Nonneseter.
Fillings in the first half of the 19th century meant that the water was delimited to the northwest, and Olav Kyrresgate and Christies gate were built where there used to be water. Strømgaten was built further south, and crossed Strømbroen. Closing the landfills along Lille Lungegårdsvann reduced the "bad emissions"; and filled areas made room for important functions and infrastructure that would otherwise have entailed major interventions in the historic city center around Vågen . As late as 1908, serious thought was being given to the future port of Bergen along Kaigaten, Strømkaien and in Store Lungegårdsvann. After the fire in 1916 , a zoning competition was announced for the reconstruction of the fire area. The Torgalmenningen was leveled by peeling away three meters of the Torgreset hill ; and this mass of soil was used to fill in Lille Lungegårdsvann which was constructed in its current octagonal shape.
Since the early 1980s, the water has been closed off to the sea with a non-return valve that prevents saltwater ingress at high tide . The water level is kept at 40 cm above the flood level in Store Lungegårdsvann, and it is a challenge to supply the water with sufficient clean freshwater , especially during periods of low rainfall.
Name history
The lake was named after Lungegården, a manor house that was formed from the core of the Nonneseter monastery estate after it was transferred to the royal councilor Vincens Lunge upon secularization in 1528. In the Middle Ages , Lille Lungegårdsvann was called "Indre Alrekstadvågen" after the royal estate Ålrekstad , and Store Lungegårdsvann "Ytre Alrekstadvågen".
The Norwegian Mapping Authority states the name as "Smålungeren", and the use of the name "Lille Lungegårdsvannet" was rejected. in 1995 , only indicated with a reference to the book Den norske los 3 from 2012 , published by the Norwegian Mapping Authority itself in a PDF from the Norwegian Mapping Authority's maritime division in May 2018. Similarly, Kart.1881.no states "Smålungeren".
The entrance map (of an unspecified year) on the Bergen municipality's website with historical maps states the name as "Smålungeren", but all of the 15 other old maps on the website with the name of the water state various variants of "Lille Lungegaards Vand" exactly reproduced in the list below with characters and capitals as they appear on the maps. It also appears that the use of the letter "å" first appears in 1934. The
name stated on the historical maps from the year:
1772 : Little Lungegaards Water
1825 : Little Lungegaards Water
1829 : LILLE LUNGEGAARDS WATER
1848 : LILLE LUNGEGAARDS WATER
1864 : Little Lungegaards Water
1871 : Lille Lungegaards Vandet
1880 : LILLE LUNGEGAARDS WATER
1883 : Little Lungegaards Lake
1907 : Little Lungegaards Lake
1910 : LILLE LUNGEGAARDS WATER
1913 : LILLE LUNGEGAARDS WATER
1921 : Little Lungegaards Water
1934 : LILLE LUNGEGÅRDS VN
1940 : Little Lungegaards Water
1957 : Little Lungegårdsvatnet
Idea competition
Lille Lungegårdsvann, with a number of tanneries, had long been a foul-smelling body of water, planned as the city's new center. Therefore, the first Norwegian competition for ideas was held in 1909. There were two alternatives for utilization: to fill the water or to improve it. First prize went to architect Einar Oscar Schou, who wanted to improve the water. The jury emphasized alignment, planted structures and space formations, in addition to the placement of monumental buildings such as the town hall , library , etc. But only after the great city fire in 1916 did it become possible to realize a comprehensive renovation and restructuring of the city center.
New fountain
On June 23, 2004, then- city councilor Monica Mæland opened the new fountain, which is larger than the old one, consisting of 21 nozzles and 36 spotlights to illuminate the water dance in the evening. The ravages of time put an end to the old fountain in 2003 "
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