Hov Church ( no, Hov kirke) is a parish church of the

Church of Norway The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...

in Søndre Land Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the village of Hov. It is one of the churches for the Søndre Land parish which is part of the Hadeland og Land prosti (

deanery A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, the Evangelical Church in Germany, and the Church of Norway. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residenc ...

) in the

Diocese of Hamar The Diocese of Hamar ( no, Hamar Bispedømme) is a diocese within the Church of Norway. The Diocese of Hamar includes all of the churches in Innlandet county plus the churches in Lunner in Viken county. Administratively, the diocese is divided ...

. The white, wooden church was built in a cruciform design in 1781 using plans drawn up by the architect Svend Olsen Odnes. The church seats about 300 people.

History

The first church in Hov was a wooden stave church that was likely built during the 13th century. Records show that the old medieval building was torn down in 1648. A new wooden church was built on the same site the following year in 1649. In 1778, the church likely burned down in a fire. After the site was cleared, Svend Olsen Odnes was hired to design the new wooden cruciform building. The new church was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

on 12 September 1781. During the late-1800s, the church was renovated. The interior was radically changed: the crucifix was removed, and most of the walls were painted over with white or gold. The pews were replaced, the

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is usually located ...

was moved to the east, an entrance was made on the north side, and the church had taller windows installed. The tower was also changed during this renovation. The church received electric lighting in 1931.

Media gallery

Hov kirke i Land vinter.JPG Kristian Skolmen Maleri - Hov Kirke.jpg Hov Kirke Church (1781), Søndre Land Municipality, Oppland County, Norway. Springtime, cemetery, graveyard, Randsfjorden lake, etc. Distorted panorama 2017-03-27 IMG 2075.jpg

References

{{use dmy dates, date=January 2022 Søndre Land Churches in Innlandet Cruciform churches in Norway Wooden churches in Norway 18th-century Church of Norway church buildings Churches completed in 1781 13th-century establishments in Norway

History

Media gallery

See also

References