Gravdal

Gravdal is a village in Vestvågøy municipality in the county of Nordland, located on Vestvågøy island which is part of the Lofoten Archipelago in northern Norway (north of the Arctic Circle). Its population (2005) is 1.624 [cite paper | author=Statistics Norway | title=Urban settlements. Population and area, by municipality. 1 January 2005 | date=2005 | url=http://www.ssb.no/en/beftett/tab-2005-06-03-01-en.html] . The village is situated in the geographical midth of Lofoten by the sea in the Buksnes bay, approx 72km west of Svolvær and 63km east of Å. The Lofoten Hospital and the Nordland School of Fisheries are located in Gravdal, and has for a very long time been the life line of Gravdal, alongside the Gravdal port.

Gravdal, although increasingly populous, has gone from being a small trade center on the island, once encompassing four different grocery stores, and at some point a postal office, a bank, a fashion boutique, a furniture shop, a flower shop, an architect's office, a hotel, a cinema, a casual dining restaurant and a fast food restaurant, to becoming mostly a residential village. Today only one grocery store remains, as Gravdal's neighboring town Leknes has become the municipality center of administration and trade.

However, Gravdal still has a kindergarten, a primary school,a bowling alley, a kiosk of the Narvesen-chain, an RV-dealership, a hair salon, a tanning salon, and the island's most happening night club Titanic Dancing (which by legend once hosted legendary actor Al Pacino, who was shooting scenes for a movie on the Lofoten Islands).

The more than 100 years old Buksnes church, which was built in the year 1905 (built in Dragon Style), is the main tourist attraction that Gravdal has to offer, and consequently is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

Of the more famous people that has visited Gravdal, His Royal Highness King Haakon VII visited once in the 1950s.

Gravdal is a very child friendly place with access to a small beach, the ocean, mountains and a couple of football-fields, a basketball court and a gymnasium with a handball court.

Gravdal is in general a very quiet village set to the tune of the sound of children's voices, playing every time the school bell rings!

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