Location Ullensvang, Hordaland Denomination Church of Norway Status Parish church Address 5780 Kinsarvik, Norway Phone +47 53 67 15 40 | Country Norway Churchmanship Evangelical Lutheran Functional status Active Capacity 240 | |
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Similar Utne Church, Ullensvang Church, Ålvik Church, Norheimsund Church, Jondal Church | ||
Kinsarvik Church (Norwegian: Kinsarvik kyrkje) is a parish church in Ullensvang municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Kinsarvik. The church is part of the Kinsarvik parish in the Hardanger og Voss deanery in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. It is the oldest stone church in the whole Hardanger region, and at one time, it was one of the four main churches for all of Hordaland county. The present church seats about 240 people.
History
The first wooden church in all of Hardanger was built on this site around the year 1050. It was most likely a wooden church which was replaced by the present stone church around the year 1160. Remains of the previous church have been found under the present church. The foundation walls were built about 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) wide. Archaeological investigations have found that there was a fire in the church, likely around the year 1180. This was around the time when the Birkebeiners ravaged Hordaland county as they were fighting for power. The church was originally built without a choir, and the choir was built after the fire, probably in the early 13th century. High up on the west gable is window opening leading into the church attic. It is probably here they have hoisted the local ship sails and masts to store during the winters.