The lapwing in the community emblem symbolizes spring, optimism and drive.
The History of Bryne
The name Bryne /'bry:ne / comes from old Norse brún: edge, ravine, and -vin: natural pasture; an apt description of the place on the ridge in the southern end of the lake, Frøylandsvatnet.
Bryne became a town 2001.01.01, and is hence one of the youngest towns of Norway.
The township started as Thime Station, one of the stops for Jærbanen, the railroad that came in 1878. The first religious assembly house, Saron, came the same year. Presently came shops and industry; the wool mill Jæderens Uldvarefabrik in 1898, and the dairy Jæderen Meieri the same year.
Out of the farm smithies grew an agriculturally related industry, making ploughs, grass cutting and harvesting machines, and later excavators. Some of this industry went in new directions, and developed into high tech enterprises such as for example robotics.
The place also became a centre of education over the years, with dairy school from 1906, and Rogaland Landsgymnas, regional high school from 1924.
In 1921 the name was changed to Bryne by popular vote. Bryne grew rapidly into the biggest township of the Jæren region, with factories, workshops, craftsmen, shops, banks, boarding houses, hotels, cafes, doctors, dentists and lawyers.
Even though the industrial profile has changed, "the Jærish capital" is still the undisputable trading centre of the region.
Bryne today
"The town in the park" is situated by RV 44, with the idyllic Mill Pond as its natural centre. The Fritz Røed Sculpture Park is placed among the many different birds.
The town centre has very few old houses left, and there's a significant development of new buildings. In the core of the town there are few detached villa properties left; however there's a substantial increase in new apartment houses.
The greater private properties are mostly found at Brynehaugen, and there we also find the new church, Bryne arbeidskyrkje.
The main street, Storgata, is the shopping street. The new town square, Torget, is in the eastern end of this street. It has the beautiful bronze statue of Arne Garborg, one of Norway's greatest writers, made by Fritz Røed.
In the western end of the main street is Bryne Mølle, the former mill now a cultural cite. Nearby is the new shopping mall, M 44, with a wide variety of shops.
East of the railway line is Storstova på Jæren, regional theatre and movie theatre, and the Town Hall, Time Rådhus.
Outside the Town Hall is Ståle Kyllingstad's mighty war monument, a fierce and rising stallion.
Bryne is Jæren's educational centre with schools of different kinds, for young people and also course offers for older people.
Many of the old industrial enterprises are gone, in their places has come a varied and advanced industry that is often oil related.
Bryne has a rich variety of spare time activities. There are assembly houses of many kinds, sports clubs, brass bands and much more.
There is also a local paper, Jærbladet, issued three times a week and covering most of the Jæren region.
Attractions in Time community:
The Fritz Røed Sculpture Park in the heart of Bryne, and the Andreas Bøe Collection of paintings and prints in Bryne Mølle, and Bryne new churh (1979) are major cultural attractions in the town centre. Within a radius of ten kilometers are:
The Fotland Grounds with Fotland Old Mill (1845) and Fotland Power Station (1915) - a unique area of its kind in a canyon from the Ice Age, particularly on the flatlands of Jæren.
The Garborg Home (1848) and Knudaheio (1899) - national writer Arne Garborg's childhood home and summer house - important cradles for Jærish identity, all on the RV 506/505 east of Bryne.
Træe (1780) - cotter's place and tenant home - the most painted and photographed place of Jæren, just south of Bryne, on the RV 44.
Time parish church (1859) and the new Undheim church, on the RV 506/505 east of Bryne.
Sandtangen leisure area and track in Bryne, and Njåskogen – woodland area with a variety of tracks, lit and well prepared, on the RV 506 east of Bryne.
Golf course at Grødem, on the RV 506/505 east of Bryne
Bed and board:
Bryne Kro & Hotell Tlf. 51 77 75 00 - Faks 51 77 75 50
Jæren Hotell 51 77 11 00
Tourist information:
Time kommune - Servicetorget 51 77 60 00
E-mail:
service@time.kommune.no
Storstova on Jæren 51 48 14 10
If you need help:
Local medicare 51 42 99 99