Location Bergen, Hordaland Denomination Church of Norway Founded 15th century Opened 1706 Status Parish church | Country Norway Churchmanship Evangelical Lutheran Functional status Active Capacity 125 | |
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Diocese Lutheran Diocese of Bjørgvin Similar Lepramuseet|St Jørgens Hospital, Nonneseter Abbey - Bergen, Bergen City Museum, Bergen Cathedral, Årstad Church | ||
St George's Church, Bergen (Norwegian: Sankt Jørgen kirke) is a large wooden church (and museum) in Bergen municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located on Kong Oscars gate, close to the central railway station, in the central part of the city of Bergen. The church is part of the Bergen arch-deanery in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.
The church was originally the chapel of St. George leper hospital in Bergen. The entire site, including the church, is now open to the public as a leper hospital museum, but the church remains consecrated, and is kept in good order and condition. The church is no longer used as a regular parish church, but it is still used twice a month for English language worship services as well as occasional Swedish language services.
History
A leper hospital in Bergen is documented in 1411, and was run at that time by the nuns of Nonneseter Abbey. It seems likely that this facility was the immediate forerunner of St George's hospital and church. The church initially just served the patients at the hospital, but eventually it became its own parish serving the surrounding parts of Årstad. The parish was also the base for chaplains at the nearby city prison, poor house, and home for widows.