Undredal Stave Church

Last updated
Undredal Stave Church
Undredal stavkyrkje
Stabkirche Undredal.jpg
View of the church
Undredal Stave Church
60°57′03″N7°06′08″E / 60.9508814418°N 7.102354556°E / 60.9508814418; 7.102354556 Coordinates: 60°57′03″N7°06′08″E / 60.9508814418°N 7.102354556°E / 60.9508814418; 7.102354556
Location Aurland Municipality,
Vestland
Country Norway
Denomination Church of Norway
Previous denomination Catholic Church
Churchmanship Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status Parish church
Foundedc. 1147
Consecrated c. 1147
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Architectural type Stave church
Completedc. 1147
(876 years ago) (1147)
Specifications
Capacity40
Materials Wood
Administration
Diocese Bjørgvin bispedømme
Deanery Sogn prosti
Parish Undredal
TypeChurch
StatusAutomatically protected
ID 85725

Undredal Stave Church (Norwegian : Undredal stavkyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Undredal, on the shore of the Aurlandsfjorden. It is the church for the Undredal parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a stave church style around the year 1147. [1] [2]

Contents

The church is only 12 by 4 metres (39 by 13 ft) and has only 40 seats, making it the smallest stave church still in use in all of Scandinavia. The parish only includes one small, rather isolated valley, with only 116 parishioners, making it the second smallest parish in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. [3]

History

Undredal Stave Church was built in the middle of the 12th century, possibly from the year 1147, but very likely from the mid- to late-1100s. There is some evidence that the church was taken apart and moved during the Middle Ages, but this is not known for sure. The original part of the church includes roughly the eastern 2/3rds of the present building. The original church had a 5.6-by-4.7-metre (18 ft × 15 ft) nave and a 2.3 by 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in × 7 ft 7 in) chancel. Around the year 1600, the choir was rebuilt and enlarged, measuring about 4.7 by 4.7 metres (15 ft × 15 ft) after its completion. Originally, the church had a covered corridor that ran around the exterior of the church (as seen in many stave churches). This corridor was removed around 1685 and windows were installed in the walls of the nave. Around 1850, the building was extended to the west by lengthening the nave by about 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) and adding a new belltower and church porch on the west end of the newly enlarged nave. In 1862, the wall between the nave and chancel was removed and the ceiling was arched. The small 2nd floor seating gallery was also removed during this time. In 1913, there were plans to dismantle the church and move it to a museum in the village of Kaupanger (in Sogndal), but this never happened because money was never raised to replace the old church. Instead it was reconstructed in 1984 and underwent extensive maintenance work. Inside the church, the ceiling is decorated with biblical figures and angels. [3] [4] [5] [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borgund Stave Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Borgund Stave Church is a former parish church of the Church of Norway in Lærdal Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It was built around the year 1200 as the village church of Borgund, and belonged to Lærdal parish until 1868, when its religious functions were transferred to a "new" Borgund Church, which was built nearby. The old church was restored, conserved and turned into a museum. It is funded and run by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments, and is classified as a triple-nave stave church of the Sogn-type. Its grounds contain Norway's sole surviving stave-built free-standing bell tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Øye Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Øye Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vang Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Øye. It is one of the churches for the Øye parish which is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden stave church was built in a long church design in 1965 using plans drawn up by the architect Ole Øvergaard using pieces salvaged from the old 12th century church that had originally been torn down in 1747. The church seats about 30 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lom Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Lom Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Lom municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Fossbergom in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. It is the church for the Lom parish which is part of the Nord-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden stave church was built around the year 1170 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 350 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grip Stave Church</span> Church in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Grip Stave Church is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in Kristiansund Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the now-abandoned fishing village of Grip on the small island of Grip about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) northwest of the town of Kristiansund. It is an annex church for the Kristiansund parish which is part of the Ytre Nordmøre prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Møre. The white, wooden church was built in a rectangular stave church style in 1470 by an unknown architect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopperstad Stave Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Hopperstad Stave Church is a historic parish church of the Church of Norway in the village of Vikøyri in Vik Municipality in Vestland county. It was historically the church for the Hopperstad parish in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The church is currently owned by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments. The brown, wooden stave church was built during the 12th century. The church seats about 30 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaupanger Stave Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Kaupanger Stave Church is the largest stave church in Vestland county, Norway. It is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sogndal Municipality and it is located in the village of Kaupanger, on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden. It is the church for the Kaupanger parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The brown, wooden church was built in the mid-12th century and it has been in use ever since that time. The church seats about 125 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eidsborg Stave Church</span> Church in Telemark, Norway

Eidsborg Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Tokke Municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the village of Eidsborg. It is one of the churches for the Eidsborg, Mo, og Skafså parish which is part of the Øvre Telemark prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark. The brown, wooden stave church was built in a long church design around the year 1250 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 70 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Røldal Stave Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Røldal Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Røldal. It is the church for the Røldal parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The brown, wooden stave church was built in around the year 1250 using designs by an unknown architect. The church seats about 130 people and is built in a long church design. The church is a preserved historic museum, but it is still a regularly-used parish church that holds regularly scheduled worship services twice a month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reinli Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Reinli Stave Church is a preserved parish church of the Church of Norway in Sør-Aurdal Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Reinli. It is the former church for the Reinli parish which is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden church was built in a long church design around the year 1300 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 70 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lomen Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Lomen Stave Church is a stave church of the Church of Norway in Vestre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Lomen. It was formerly the church for the Lomen parish which is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden church was built in a long church design around the year 1192 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 150 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Høre Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Høre Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vang Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Kvien. It is the church for the Høre parish which is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden church was built in a long church design around the year 1179 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 170 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kvernes Stave Church</span> Church in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Kvernes Stave Church is a former parish church of the Church of Norway in Averøy Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The old church sits along the Kvernesfjorden in the village of Kvernes, just to the north of the Kvernes Church, the present church for the parish. The white, wooden church was built in a rectangular stave church style sometime during the first half of the 14th century. The church seats about 200 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringebu Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Ringebu Stave Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Ringebu Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ringebu in the Gudbrandsdalen valley. It is the church for the Ringebu parish which is part of the Sør-Gudbrandsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden church was built in a stave church design around the year 1220 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 300 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rødven Stave Church</span> Church in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Rødven Stave Church is a former parish church of the Church of Norway in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The stave church is located in the village of Rødven. It was a church in the Eid og Holm parish which is part of the Indre Romsdal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Møre. The brown, wooden church was built in a long church design during the 12th century by an unknown architect. The church seats about 100 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hegge Stave Church</span> Church in Innlandet, Norway

Hegge Stave Church is a 13th-century stave church in Norway. It is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Øystre Slidre Municipality in Innlandet county. It is located in the village of Hegge. It is the church for the Hegge parish which is part of the Valdres prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Hamar. The brown, wooden church was built in a long church design around the year 1216 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 150 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haltdalen Church</span> Church in Trøndelag, Norway

Haltdalen Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Holtålen municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the village of Haltdalen. It is the main church for the Haltdalen parish which is part of the Gauldal prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Nidaros. The light yellow, wooden church was built in a neo-gothic, long church style in 1881 using plans drawn up by the architects Jacob Digre and Gustav Olsen. The church seats about 300 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnafjord Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Arnafjord Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vik Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Nese, along the Arnafjorden. It is the church for the Arnafjord parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1880. The master builder John Gjertsen from Sogndal made the designs, while builder Anders Korsvold was responsible for the construction. The church seats about 180 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stedje Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Stedje Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sogndal Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Sogndalsfjøra, near the shore of the Sogndalsfjorden. It is the church for the Stedje parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The red, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1867 using plans drawn up by the architect Christian Christie. The church seats about 400 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakka Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Bakka Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Aurland Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Bakka, on the shores of the sparsely populated Nærøyfjorden. It is the church for the Nærøy parish which is part of the Sogn prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1859 using plans drawn up by the architect Christian Henrik Grosch. The church seats about 200 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Granvin Church</span> Church in Vestland, Norway

Granvin Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Voss Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located on the eastern shore of the Granvinsvatnet in the small farm area called "Granvin". This place located a few kilometers north of the village of Granvin. It is the church for the Granvin parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church design in 1726 using plans drawn up by an unknown architect. The church seats about 350 people.

References

  1. ↑ "Undredal stavkyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  2. ↑ "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 Djupedal, Torkjell; Vengen, Sigurd; Gjerde, Anders. "Undredal stavkyrkje" (in Norwegian). Fylkesarkivet. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  4. ↑ "Undredal". Stavkirke.info. Archived from the original on 25 September 2010.
  5. ↑ "Undredal stavkyrkje" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage . Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. ↑ "Undredal stavkirke". Norges-Kirker.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 September 2021.

Other sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.