Old Stordal Church

Old Stordal Church
Stordal gamle kyrkje
Rosekyrkja

View of the church
Old Stordal Church

Location in Møre og Romsdal

62°23′02″N 7°00′52″E / 62.38397°N 7.01434°ECoordinates: 62°23′02″N 7°00′52″E / 62.38397°N 7.01434°E
Location Stordal Municipality,
Møre og Romsdal
Country Norway
Denomination Church of Norway
Churchmanship Evangelical Lutheran
Architecture
Status Museum
Functional status Historic
Architect(s) Ebbe Carsten Tønder
Style Octagonal
Completed 1789
Closed 1908
Specifications
Capacity 170
Materials Wood
Administration
Parish Stordal
Deanery Austre Sunnmøre prosti
Diocese Diocese of Møre

Old Stordal Church (Norwegian: Stordal gamle kyrkje; Rosekyrkja) is a former parish church in Stordal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Stordal. The church is part of the Stordal parish in the Austre Sunnmøre deanery in the Diocese of Møre. It is no longer used regularly as a church, and it is now owned by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments.

The white, wooden, octagonal church was built in 1789 to replace an earlier stave church on the site. The building was designed by local priest Ebbe Carsten Tønder who died four years before construction was completed, so it must have been planned at the time of Norddal Church (completed 1782). Tønder came from Trondheim and may have been inspired by the two older octagonal churches there.[1] This church was built by the people of the Stordal parish and it was regularly used until 1908 when the new Stordal Church was completed, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the west. The church seats about 170 people. The church is also known as the Norwegian: Rosekyrkja or "Rose Church" because the interior walls and ceilings are painted with rosemaling, a decorative style of painting that is common in Norway.[2][3] It is one of the most decorated churches in Norway.[1] Wood materials from the stave church was probably reused, such as in the roof of the vestibule and the four large columns. There is a crucifix (13th century) and a baptismal font from the older church. The stave church was likely rose painted inside too.[4]

The church is listed in Aslak Bolt's cadastre and later records. Hans Strøm in 1766 described the old stave church: "It is a small and modest stave church, that is not particular in any way. The building is maintained by the congregation that also owns it."[5]

Interior

While the exterior is plain white, the interior (walls, columns, ceiling) is richly decorated. The style is 18th century renaissance. Along walls there are images of biblical characters and events. The five "bad maidens" and five "god maidens" are depicted on the north wall, or the left hand side that was traditionally women's side. The message reads: "Do not be reckless like the bad maidens that lost their bridegroom and forgot their beatitude." David and Goliat, and Samson and the lion are also on the north wall. The apostles are portrayed on the south wall, while the evangelists can be seen above the entrance to the choir. [1]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ekroll, Øystein (2012): Sunnmørskyrkjene - historie, kunst og arkitektur (foto: Per Eide). Bla: Larsnes.
  2. ↑ "Stordal gamle kirke". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
  3. ↑ "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2013-06-13.
  4. ↑ Storfjordnytt 16. juli 2003.
  5. ↑ Strøm, Hans (1766): Physisk og Oeconomisk Beskrivelse over Fogderiet Søndmør, beliggende i Bergens Stift i Norge. Kiøbenhavn, s.220.