Octagonal churches in Norway

Main article: Churches in Norway

Hospitalskirken in Trondheim - the oldest octagonal church in Norway.
Credit: Mahlum

Wilhelm von Hanno: Trinity Church with its octagonal dome

An octagonal church has an octagonal (eight-sided polygon) architectural plan. The exterior and the interior (the nave) may be shaped as eight-sided polygon with approximately equal sides or only the nave is eight-sided supplemented by choir and porch (or narthex) attached to the octagon. This architectural plan is found in some 70 churches in Norway. Among these Hospitalskirken in Trondheim is the oldest. ^[1] This type of church plan spread from the Diocese of Nidaros to other parts of Norway. Virtually all octagonal churches in Norway are constructed as log buildings mostly covered by clapboards. ^[2] Some of the largest churches in Norway are octagonal and the list includes important cultural heritage monuments such as Trinity Church (Oslo), Sør-Fron Church, and Røros Church. ^{[3] [4]}

This is the bright and solemn church room of classicism, whether it is such a large building [as Røros Church] or the modest rural log churches, the interior is covered and interconnected by cheerful colors of the Roccoco in marbling and ceiling. This was our last independent contribution to ecclesiastical architecture.

— Leif Østby, Norges Kunsthistorie ^[4]

History

Klæbu Church (1790) designed by Lars Forsæth.

Floorplan of Zum Friedefürsten Church showing the centrally placed altar (1).

During the Middle Ages, some 1000 wooden stave churches and only 270 stone churches were erected in Norway. ^[5] During the 15th and 16th centuries, virtually no new churches were built. ^[6] When church building resumed around the year 1600, most stave churches disappeared and were often replaced by log churches. While in most of Europe, only masonry churches were built, wood construction still dominated in Norway. ^[5] During the 1600s, the cruciform floor plan tended to replace the traditional simple rectangular "long church". In the cruciform church, the view to the altar is partly obstructed by walls, a drawback that is not found in the octagonal shape. The octagonal shape also allows the pulpit to be the focal point, according to the ideals of the Reformation where the spoken word (the sermon) should be the central act during a worship service. Lorentz Dietrichson believed that the octagonal church became popular because of the rationalism's need for the church as a lecture hall ("auditorium"). ^[7]

In 1686, the first octagonal church in Norway, Vrådal Church, was constructed in Vrådal (in Telemark). It was a log building that replaced a medieval stave church. ^[8] The Vrådal church apparently did not influence subsequent octagonal buildings in Norway. ^[7] Inspiration for the first octagonal churches in Trøndelag probably came from elsewhere in Protestant Europe. ^[7] Some octagonal churches within Lutheranism were erected at the same time in Sweden and Germany for instance Zum Friedefürsten Church in Saxony and Järlåsa Church in Sweden. In the Netherlands, the reformed church in Willemstad, North Brabant, Koepelkerk (Domed Church) (1607), the first Protestant church building in the Netherlands, was given an octagonal shape according to Calvinism's focus on the sermon. ^[9] The Oostkerk, Middelburg is a domed, octagonal church erected from 1648 to 1667. Johan Christopher Hempel, architect and master builder of Hospitalskirken in Trondheim, was probably from the Netherlands where the octagonally shaped church first appeared and spread to other Protestant countries in Northern Europe. The octagonal floor plan came to Denmark when Frederiksberg Church was built by Dutch Felix Dusart. Dusart used a church in his Dutch hometown as a model. Frederiksberg Church is in turn regarded as the model for the octagonal baroque church (1756) in Rellingen, Schleswig-Holstein. ^[7] The Rellingen Church, a key baroque monument in Schleswig-Holstein, is shown on the town's coat of arms. The baroque Katharinenkirche in Großenaspe, Schleswig-Holstein, is an octagonal design with "pulpit altar" (″Kanzelaltar″ in German) used for instance in Sør-Fron Church. During the 18th century, both Schleswig-Holstein and Norway were a part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway. Hosar suggests that Norwegian troops did military service in Schleswig-Holstein, and may have observed the new churches being constructed there at the time. ^[7]

The octagonal shape provides a more rigid log structure than the simple rectangular long church design, allowing a larger nave to be built. Christie believes that this is why the octagonal design was adopted alongside the cruciform plan. ^{[2] [10]} Starting in 1810, ten octagonal churches were erected in the rural interior parts of Agder, most of these constructions used Hornnes Church as model. ^[11]

Construction

Interior of Flekkefjord Church

Virtually all octagonal churches in Norway are built from timber in a log construction, notable exceptions are Sør-Fron Church, Vang Church at Ridabu in Hamar, and Røros Church (stone buildings). Trinity Church (Oslo) is the only octagonal church in Norway built in red brick. These masonry buildings are also the largest among the octagonal churches. The octagonal plan creates different angles and accordingly more challenging work for the carpenter compared to buildings with straight angels such as the cruciform plan. ^[1] The cruciform plan was the dominant church design in Norway when the octagonal plan was introduced. The octagonal plan offers better view of the choir compared to the cruciform plan. The octagonal plan also creates a more rigid wood construction then the simple rectangular plan ("long church" or "hall church") allowing taller and wider buildings with a single room. Håkon Christie believed that these are the reasons the octagonal church became popular in Norway. ^[2] In the basilica-shaped Samnanger church, the corners of the aisles are cut creating an octagonal plan. This design was chosen to make the walls shorter and avoiding the need to splice logs. ^[12]

Architects

Until the 19th century, Norwegian churches were often designed and constructed by master builders rather than by professionally trained architects. ^[13] Johan Christopher Hempel, chief mason and builder of Trondheim, designed the two oldest existing octagonal churches. Master builder and politician Elling Olsson Walbøe designed and constructed at least three octagonal churches. ^[14] Parish priests were also involved, at least three octagonal churches were designed by their respective pastors (Ulstein Church, Old Stordal Church, and Vang Church). For instance, Abraham Pihl designed the large Vang Church in Ridabu. ^[15] A large number of churches, including several octagonal, were constructed according to prototypes compiled by Hans Linstow. ^[16]

Drawing by Grosch

The prominent architect Christian H. Grosch were responsible for a number of churches in Norway, including the basic plan for several octagonal churches, including

• Mo Church (Nord-Odal)
• Tjugum Church in Balestrand Municipality
• Otterøy Church in Namsos Municipality
• Rogne Church i Øystre Slidre Municipality
• Dverberg Church in Andøy Municipality
• Tangen Church in Stange Municipality
• the old Kirkenes Church which was destroyed during World War II

Farmer and "founding father" Lars Larsen Forsæth produced drawings used to build at least three octagonal churches: ^[11]

• Klæbu Church
• Støren Church
• Hornnes Church

Innvik Church designed by Elling Walbøe (one of the "founding fathers").

Distribution

Sør-Fron church interior, organ on gallery, beams and trusses supporting roof

During the period from 1750 to 1830, about 230 churches were constructed in Norway. Among these, 35 were octagonal, 62 were long churches (single nave hall church) and 110 were given a cruciform floor plan. During this period, 17 octagonal churches appeared in the Diocese of Nidaros (all of Norway north of the Dovrefjell mountains). Later, these church designs became popular in rural Agder. ^[7]

Muri ^[13] in 1975 made a survey of existing churches built since Christianity was introduced in Norway until World War II:

Type of building	Count
Stave church	31
Medieval stone church	157
Long church	850
Cruciform	190
Octagonal	74
Y-shape	5
Square floor plan	15

In addition to the existing churches listed, some octagonal churches were demolished and replaced. Previous octagonal churches (year built-year dismantled), included in statistics: ^[2]

• Vrådal Church in Kviteseid Municipality (1686-1887)
• Øye Church in Surnadal Municipality (1724-1871)
• Undrumsdal Church in Tønsberg Municipality (1730-1882)
• Hopen Church in Smøla Municipality (1749-1891)
• Flekkefjord Church in Flekkefjord Municipality (1790-1843), a new octagonal church was built in 1833
• Hareid Church in Hareid Municipality (1806-1877), built by Elling Olsson Walbøe, used as a model for Haram Church in Haram Municipality ^[1]

Number of buildings by county
County (current division) Current buildings Including perished buildings Oslo 1 1 Innlandet 13 14 Buskerud 2 2 Vestfold 1 2 Telemark 1 2 Agder 11 11 Rogaland 1 1 Vestland 5 5 Møre og Romsdal 16 19 Trøndelag 13 13 Nordland 9 9 Troms 1 1 Finnmark 2 2

Some of the largest churches in Norway are octagonal:

• Røros Church 1640 seats
• Trinity Church (Oslo) 1000 seats (originally 1200), Greek cross and octagon combined
• Vang Church 1000 seats
• Sør-Fron Church 750 seats
• Tynset Church 700 seats (the largest log church) ^[17]
• Flekkefjord Church 650 seats
• Stor-Elvdal Church 600 seats
• Dolstad Church 500 seats

List of octagonal churches

The wide, decorated ceiling of Vang Church, no supporting columns

List of existing buildings by year of construction and county (list may be incomplete).

Building Year County Picture Architect Notes Trinity Church (Oslo) 1858 Oslo Chateauneuf/von Hanno cruciform with octagon, brick masonry Tynset Church 1795 Innlandet Ellingsen Vang Church at Ridabu 1810 Innlandet Pihl Aspaas master builder. Masonry Stor-Elvdal Church 1821 Innlandet Aspaas Tolga Church 1840 Innlandet Aspaas, Rasmus/Berg, John E. Åsmarka Church 1859 Innlandet Nordan Tangen Church (Stange) 1862 Innlandet Grosch Mo Church (Nord-Odal) 1864 Innlandet Grosch Sør-Fron Church 1792 Innlandet Aspaas? Aspaas master builder. Masonry Åmot Church (Nordre Land) 1823 Innlandet Pihl Jevnaker Church 1834 Innlandet Pihl/Aspaas? Rogne Church in Øystre Slidre 1857 Innlandet Grosch Svatsum Church in Gausdal 1860 Innlandet Friis Nordberg Church (Skjåk) 1864 Innlandet Nordan Bøverdal Church 1864 Innlandet Rusten Nes Church (Ringerike) 1860 Buskerud Grosch Hval Church 1862 Buskerud Grosch drawing as Rogne? Langestrand Church, Larvik 1818 Vestfold Lind Kilebygda Church 1859 Telemark Grosch Årdal Church (Bygland) 1828 Agder Syrtveit Hornnes Church 1828 Agder Forsæth model for several churches in rural Agder Mykland Church 1832 Agder Olsen Hylestad Church, Valle 1838 Agder Syrtveit «Linstow type» Sandnes Church (Bygland) 1844 Agder Syrtveit prototype by Linstow Herefoss Church, Birkenes 1865 Agder Nordan Sandnes Chapel, Bygland 1949 Agder Tallaksen Hægeland Church, Vennesla 1830 Agder Syrtveit (master builder) Hornnes Church model Flekkefjord Church 1833 Agder Linstow Kvinesdal Church 1837 Agder Linstow Hægebostad Church 1844 Agder Grosch, Hald Hidra Church, Flekkefjord 1854 Agder Grosch cruciform with octagon Skåre Church, Haugesund 1858 Rogaland Grosch Samnanger Church 1851 Vestland Grønning basilica shape Norddal Church 1782 Møre og Romsdal Døving (master buileder) Hospitalskirken model Old Stordal Church 1789 Møre og Romsdal Tønder (parish priest) Leikanger Church (Herøy) 1807 Møre og Romsdal Walbøe relocated 1873 Sandøy Church 1812 Møre og Romsdal unknown Romfo Church, Sunndal 1821 Møre og Romsdal Tofte (master builder) Tresfjord Church 1828 Møre og Romsdal Kroken Grytten Church 1829 Møre og Romsdal Aspaas? Aukra Church 1835 Møre og Romsdal unknown Stranda Church 1838 Møre og Romsdal unknown Haram Church 1838 Møre og Romsdal unknown Geiranger Church 1842 Møre og Romsdal Klipe Ålvundeid Church 1848 Møre og Romsdal Tofte (master builder) Ulstein Church 1849 Møre og Romsdal Wraaman (parish priest) relocated 1878 Kleive Church 1858 Møre og Romsdal unknown prototype by Grosch? Eresfjord Church 1869 Møre og Romsdal unknown possibly based on prototype St. Sunniva Church (Molde) 1957 Møre og Romsdal catholic Innvik Church 1822 Vestland Walbøe Loen Church 1838 Sogn og Fjordane unknown? Lavik Church 1865 Vestland Grosch Tjugum Church 1868 Vestland Grosch Hospitalskirken at the Trondhjem Hospital in Trondheim 1705 Trøndelag Hempel Bakke Church, Trondheim 1715 Trøndelag Hempel Røros Church 1784 Trøndelag Neumann(?) Aspaas/Ellingsen (master masons) Klæbu Church 1790 Trøndelag Forsæth Støren Church 1817 Trøndelag Aspaas/Claus Forsæth Hemne Church 1817 Trøndelag «Jakob Kirkebygger» Buvik Church 1819 Trøndelag unknown? Aspaas or Forsæth? Vinje Church (Hemne) 1824 Trøndelag Konstum Lønset Chapel 1863 Trøndelag Rønningen Titran Chapel 1873 Trøndelag unknown originally gospel hall Vinne Church, Verdal 1817 Trøndelag unknown? «Oluff kirkebygger»? Otterøy Church, Namsos 1858 Trøndelag Grosch Kristi krybbe Church 1959 Trøndelag Helland-Hansen private, Røyrvik Vassås Church 1733 Nordland Ryjord Dolstad Church 1735 Nordland Bech (master builder) cruciform with octagon Ankenes Church, Ofoten 1842 Nordland Julin Dverberg Church 1843 Nordland Grosch Hadsel Church 1824 Nordland unknown Hemnes Church 1872 Nordland Eckhoff cruciform with octagon Rødøy Church 1885 Nordland Grenstad, J.P. Digre cruciform/octagon Digermulen Church, Svolvær 1951 Nordland Nygaard & Schyberg concrete Røssvoll Church 1953 Nordland Nygård & Skyberg Bardu Church 1829 Troms Lundberg copy of Tynset Church Hasvik Church 1951 Finnmark Hansteen previous church burnt by occupant forces Børselv Church 1958 Finnmark Hansteen & Sørensen

Picture gallery

Churches with central tower

Lavik Church - the octagonal plan reflected in the tower. St. Sunniva catholic church in Molde (town) Norddal Church - first octagonal in Sunnmøre Nes Church at Ringerike Municipality Credit: John Erling Blad Stor-Elvdal Church in Stor-Elvdal Municipality Åsmarka Church in Ringsaker Municipality, drawings by Jacob Wilhelm Nordan Tangen Church in Stange Municipality, drawn by Grosch Mykland Church in Froland Municipality Dolstad Church combines octagonal and cruciform floorplan Dverberg Church drawn by Grosch

Asymmetrically placed tower

Røros Church is a landmark and the largest octagonal church in Norway. Tynset Church is the largest octagonal log church, design inspired by Røros Church. Credit: PerPlex Bardu Church is a small copy of Tynset Church Samnanger Church combines basilical and octagonal floor plan Credit: Per Magne Kjøde Vang Church in Hamar is a masonry building designed by Abraham Pihl Credit: Torstein Frogner Kvinesdal Church, drawings by Linstow Hylestad Church in Valle Municipality Credit: Helge Haugland Hidra Church combines octagonal and cruciform shape Credit: C. Christensen Thomhav/Riksantikvaren Jevnaker Church (drawings probably by Pihl) Svatsum Church in Gausdal Municipality designed by Otto Hjort Friis

Interiors
Bakke Church (1965 photo) Hadsel Church with ship model (1938 photo) Røros Church with royal balcony and insignia of the copper mine

References

1. Ekroll, Øystein (2012). Sunnmørskyrkjene - historie, kunst og arkitektur (in Norwegian). Larsnes, Norge: Bla. ISBN   9788293273004.
2. Christie, Håkon (1991). "Kirkebygging i Norge i 1600- og 1700-årene". Årbok for Fortidsminneforeningen (in Norwegian). 145: 177–194.
3. "Vil ikke frede Røros kirke" (in Norwegian). NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation). 1 January 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
4. Østby, Leif (1962). Norges kunsthistorie (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Gyldendal. ISBN   9788205091832.
5. Anker, Peter (1997). Stavkirkene: deres egenart og historie (Cappelens kunstfaglige bibliotek) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: J.W. Cappelens forlag. ISBN   9788202159788.
6. Vreim, Halvor (1947). Norsk trearkitektur (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Gyldendal.
7. Hosar, Kåre (1988). Sør-Fron kirke. Lokal bakgrunn og impulser utenfra (Magisteravhandling i kunsthistorie (dissertation, history of art) thesis) (in Norwegian). Universitetet i Oslo.
8. "Gamlekyrkja". Kviteseid historielag (in Norwegian). Retrieved 4 May 2013.
9. Kleinbauer, W. Eugene (1988). Modern perspectives in Western art history. An anthology of twentieth-century writings on the visual arts. Toronto: University of Toronto Press in association with the Medieval Academy of America. p. 318.
10. Storsletten, Ola, ed. (16 April 2021). "korskirke". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 12 June 2021.
11. Nilsen, Sigrid (1985). "Åttekantkirkene på Agder 1825-1850". Årsskrift for Agder Historielag (in Norwegian). 61: 55–63.
12. "Samnanger kirke". NorgesKirker.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 14 August 2013.
13. Muri, Sigurd (1975). Gamle kyrkjer i ny tid (in Norwegian). Oslo: Samlaget. ISBN   9788252104752.
14. Grimstad, Arnljot (2012). "Korleis det kom kyrkje på Leikong". Ørskog historielag (in Norwegian). 2012 (22).
15. "Vang kirke, Hamar". Kirkesok. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
16. "Church building database for Church of Norway". Kirkesøk. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
17. Rasmussen, Alf Henry, ed. (1993). Våre kirker - norsk kirkeleksikon (in Norwegian). Vanebo forlag. p. 612. ISBN   9788275270229.