Møkster Church

Møkster Church (Norwegian: Møkster kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Austevoll Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Kvalvåg on the island of Stolmen, although historically it was located on the small island of Møkster, hence the name. It is one of the five churches for the Austevoll parish which is part of the Fana prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1892 using designs by the architect Hans Heinrich Jess. The church seats about 320 people.[1][2]

Møkster Church
Møkster kirke
View of the church
Møkster Church Location of the church Møkster Church Møkster Church (Norway)
60.0116°N 5.0816°E
Location	Austevoll Municipality, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	13th century
Consecrated	29 June 1892
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Hans Henrich Jess
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	1891
Specifications
Capacity	320
Materials	Wood
Administration
Parish	Austevoll
Deanery	Fana prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin bispedømme
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Not listed
ID	85084

History

The original Møkster Church was a medieval stave church on the island of Møkster in the central part of the Austevoll archipelago. The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1306 but the church was already built by then. That church was demolished in 1686 and a new church was built on the same site. The church building was owned by the Church of Norway until 1724 when it was sold to Bent Uldrich for 70 rigsdaler. In 1860, the parish raised money and bought back the church for 5,755 speciedaler.[3]

In 1892, it was decided to move the church to the nearby island of Stolmen, so the old church was torn down. The old cemetery on Møkster island is still located on the old church site. The new church was built by builder Mos Skare from Alversund and the architect Hans Jess from Bergen. The church was consecrated on 29 June 1892. Four stained glass windows from the 1686 church were saved and used in the present church on Stolmen.[4]

See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Møkster kirke". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
3. "Kirker i Hordaland fylke" (in Norwegian). DIS-Hordaland. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
4. "Møkster gamle kirkested" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 17 May 2020.