Årdal Church (Vestland)

Årdal Church (Norwegian: Årdal kyrkje) is a parish church in Årdal Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Årdalstangen, at the end of the Årdalsfjorden. It is the church for the Nedre Årdal parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The red, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1867 using designs by the architect Christian Christie. The church seats about 400 people.[1][2]

Årdal Church
Årdal kyrkje
View of the church
Årdal Church
Location of the church
Årdal Church
Årdal Church (Norway)
61.2382°N 7.7070°E / 61.2382; 7.7070
LocationÅrdal Municipality,
Vestland
CountryNorway
DenominationChurch of Norway
ChurchmanshipEvangelical Lutheran
History
StatusParish church
Foundedc. 1200
Consecrated19 December 1867
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)Christian Christie
Architectural typeLong church
Completed1867
Specifications
Capacity400
MaterialsWood
Administration
ParishNedre Årdal
DeanerySogn prosti
DioceseBjørgvin
TypeChurch
StatusListed
ID85977

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1322, but the church was not new that year. The first church was likely a stave church that was constructed between 1150 and 1200. Over the centuries the church was renovated and expanded as well as the addition of a tower on the west end. In the 1800s, the nave measured 16 by 7 metres (52 ft × 23 ft) with a narrower choir measuring 5.4 by 4.8 metres (18 ft × 16 ft).

In 1860s, the church was deemed to be too small for the parish and in need of repair, so a new church was built several meters to the east of the old church and then the old church was torn down. During the demolition of the old church, workers found medieval coins under the church which have helped to date the original construction of the church. The new building was consecrated on 19 December 1867 by the local parish priest Lauritz Andreas Hald.[3][4]

  • Sketch of the old stave church
  • Entrance to the old church
  • Floorplan of the old church

See also

References
  1. "Årdal kyrkje, Nedre Årdal". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  3. Natvik, Oddvar. "Årdal kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Fylkesarkivet. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  4. "Årdal kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
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