Fjærland Church

Fjærland Church (Norwegian: Fjærland kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sogndal Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Fjærland, near the northern end of the Fjærlandsfjorden. It is the church for the Fjærland parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1861 using designs by the architect Christian Henrik Grosch. The church seats about 300 people.[1][2]

Fjærland Church
Fjærland kyrkje
View of the church
Fjærland Church Location of the church Fjærland Church Fjærland Church (Norway)
61.4035°N 6.7392°E
Location	Sogndal Municipality, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	13th century
Consecrated	13 Aug 1931
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Christian Heinrich Grosch
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	1861
Specifications
Capacity	300
Materials	Wood
Administration
Parish	Fjærland
Deanery	Sogn prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Listed
ID	84153

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1308, but the church was not new that year. The first church at Fjærland was likely built in the 12th century and it was a stave church. In 1610, the church was destroyed in a storm. A new timber-framed church was built at Mundal to replace the old church. In 1861, the church was torn down to make room for the present church.[3]

In 1931, the church was expanded and remodeled. The architect Johan Lindstrom was responsible for the major expansion of the church that year.[3] During the renovation, the old steeple was removed and a spire with a cross on top was put in its place, giving the church a unique look. The church was consecrated again on 13 August 1931 by Bishop Andreas Fleischer after the renovations.[4]

This church was part of the Balestrand parish until 2000 when the whole area was switched to Sogndal Municipality (and the Sogndal parish).[5]

Media gallery

• 
  Exterior front
• 
  Exterior back
• 
  View of the spire
• 
  View of the main doors
• 
  View of the church before the 1931 reconstruction

See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Fjærland kyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2019-12-11.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
3. "Fjærland kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
4. Henden Aaraas, Margrethe; Vengen, Sigurd; Gjerde, Anders. "Fjærland kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Fylkesarkivet. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
5. "Fjærland kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Sogndal kyrkjelege fellesråd. Retrieved 2014-02-12.