Location Ulvik, Hordaland Denomination Church of Norway Consecrated 5 May 1859 Opened 1859 Phone +47 56 52 62 80 Architect Hans Linstow | Country Norway Churchmanship Evangelical Lutheran Functional status Active Capacity 500 Status Parish church | |
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Address Almenningen 1, 5731 Ulvik, 5730 Ulvik, Norway Diocese Lutheran Diocese of Bjørgvin Similar Utne Church, Kinsarvik Church, Eidfjord Church, Skjervsfossen Waterfall, Granvin Church | ||
Ulvik Church (Norwegian: Ulvik kyrkje) is a parish church in Ulvik municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ulvik. The church is part of the Ulvik parish in the Hardanger og Voss deanery in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built using designs by the architect Hans Linstow. It was consecrated on 5 May 1859 by the bishop Jens Matthias Pram Kaurin. The church seats about 500 people.
Description
The current cruciform church is the third church to stand at this site. The first church was a stave church which was probably built in the first half of the 13th century. Some parts of this church, including the gate posts and antependium from the front of the altar are now at the Historical Museum in Bergen. A copy of this antependium (which is considered one of the great works of Norwegian medieval art) hangs today in the church. The altar chalice, baptismal font, and the largest church bell in today's church all come from the old medieval stave church.
The stave church was demolished in 1710, and a wooden cruciform church was built on the site. This was demolished in 1858, and the present church was completed in 1859. The present church is a cruciform church with a tower above the main entrance.
The altarpiece was painted in 1876 by Andreas Askevold. It is a replica of a French painting, and shows Jesus being taken down from the cross. The old altarpiece showing the Eucharist, also hangs in the church. This is from around 1630. The walls of the church were decorated by the artist Lars Osa from Ulvik in 1923. He painted traditional rosemaling designs throughout the interior of the church.