Seim Church

Seim Church (Norwegian: Seim kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Alver Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Seim. It is one of the four churches for the Knarvik parish which is part of the Nordhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1878 using designs by the architect Johannes Øvsthus from Hosanger. The church seats about 180 people.[1][2]

Seim Church
Seim kyrkje
View of the church
Seim Church Location of the church Seim Church Seim Church (Norway)
60.6168°N 5.2769°E
Location	Alver Municipality, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	14th century
Consecrated	16 July 1878
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Johannes Øvsthus
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	1878
Specifications
Capacity	180
Materials	Wood
Administration
Parish	Knarvik
Deanery	Nordhordland prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin bispedømme
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Not protected
ID	85410

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1360, but it was likely built before that time.[3] The first church was likely a stave church and it was located about 500 metres (1,600 ft) southeast of the present location of the church. This medieval building was torn down around the year 1610 and replaced by a new timber-framed building on the same location. An alternate theory is that in 1610, the old stave church was renovated and expanded in 1610, since the new building was about twice as large. The old church may have been renovated into the choir and sacristy with the addition becoming the new nave.[4]

Seim belonged to the parish of Hammer before 1749. In that year, it was separated from Hammer and transferred to Hosanger parish (as an exclave). In 1885, Seim was transferred from Hosanger to Alversund parish.

In 1839, the church building was damaged in a storm. It was repaired.[3]

In the 1870s, it was decided to build a new, larger church a little closer to the village of Seim, about 500 metres (1,600 ft) to the northwest. The new church was the third building to hold the name Seim church and it was completed in 1878. The new building was consecrated on 16 July 1878.[3] Sometime after the new church was completed, the old church was torn down.[5]

In 1964, the church was transferred to the Lindås parish.

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See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Seim kirke". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
3. "Kirker i Hordaland fylke" (in Norwegian). DIS-Hordaland. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
4. "Seim gamle kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2020-03-08.
5. "Seim kyrkjestad / Seim kyrkje 3" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2020-03-08.