Sveio Church

Summary

Sveio Church (Norwegian: Sveio kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sveio Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Sveio. It is the church for the Sveio parish which is part of the Sunnhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1858 using plans drawn up by the architect Andreas Grønning. The church seats about 630 people.[1][2]

Sveio Church
Sveio kyrkje
View of the church in 2015
Map
59°32′36″N 5°21′05″E / 59.5432558339°N 5.351441502571°E / 59.5432558339; 5.351441502571
LocationSveio, Vestland
CountryNorway
DenominationChurch of Norway
Previous denominationCatholic Church
ChurchmanshipEvangelical Lutheran
History
StatusParish church
Founded14th century
Consecrated22 Aug 1858
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architect(s)Andreas Grønning
Architectural typeLong church
Completed1858 (166 years ago) (1858)
Specifications
Capacity630
MaterialsWood
Administration
DioceseBjørgvin bispedømme
DeanerySunnhordland prosti
ParishSveio
TypeChurch
StatusListed
ID85011

History edit

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1686, but at that time it was described as an old, dilapidated stave church without a tower (Norwegian: een liden Vdgammel och i Grund forfalden Stafuekirche uden Taarn). The first church in Sveio was a wooden stave church that was possibly built during the 14th century. Originally, it was located on the west side of Sveiahaugen, about 250 metres (820 ft) west of the present-day location. It had an open air corridor built all the way around the building. The church was surrounded by a 30 by 30 metres (98 ft × 98 ft) cemetery.[3][4][5]

In 1688, that church was torn down and a new timber-framed church was built by the builder Oluff Bysemb from Osterøy. The new church was located slightly to the west of the previous church, but still located inside the cemetery. The new church was partially constructed with salvaged materials from the previous building.[3][4][5]

After about 170 years, the church was too small for the congregation, so it was decided to tear down the old church and build a new one. In 1858, a new church was built on the east side of Sveiahaugen, about 250 metres (820 ft) east of the historic location of the church. The new, wooden church was consecrated on 22 August 1858.[6][4][5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Sveio kyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Sveio gamle kirkested" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Sveio kirke". Norges-Kirker.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Lidén, Hans-Emil. "Sveio kirke" (in Norwegian). Norges Kirker. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Sveio kyrkjestad / Sveio kyrkje 3" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 31 May 2020.