Kyrkjebø Church () is a
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
of the
Church of Norway in
Høyanger Municipality in
Vestland
Vestland is a Counties of Norway, county in Norway. The county is located in Western Norway, and its administrative centre is Bergen, where the executive and political leadership is based. The County governor (Norway), County Governor is based in ...
county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. It is located in the village of
Kyrkjebø. It is the church for the Kyrkjebø
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
which is part of the
Sunnfjord prosti
Sunnfjord ( - in contrast to Nordfjord) is a Districts of Norway, traditional district in Western Norway located in Vestland counties of Norway, county. It includes the List of municipalities of Norway, municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, the sout ...
(
deanery
A deanery (or decanate) is an ecclesiastical entity in the 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 residence of ...
) in the
Diocese of Bjørgvin. The wooden church was built in a
long church design in 1869 using plans drawn up by the
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Christian Christie, who based his designs on the old
stave churches in Norway. The church is a three-
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
church which seats about 500 people.
Design
The Kyrkjebø Church's architecture is based on the classical lines and derives from
Gothic cathedral designs. This design was as much the result of architectural choice as of the technical requirements for building churches that emerged during the 19th century. The improvement in technology and crafting techniques at the turn of the century had led to churches adopting a lighter form and employing elaborate detailing.
History
The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1331, but it was not new that year. The first church here was likely a wooden
stave church and it was located in the nearby village of
Austreim, about east of the present location of the church. Around the year 1590, the church was torn down and a new church was built in the village of Kyrkjebø, about east of the present site of the church. The church had been known as Austreim Church (''Østreim kirke''), but some time after the move, it became known by its new location, ''Kirkebø kirke''. In 1670, the church was enlarged to the north side by adding a
transept
A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
to create a partial
cruciform
A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design.
Cruciform architectural plan
Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...
design. An inspection from 1673 stated that the main
nave
The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
measured about and the northern transept measured about . The
choir
A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
was located east of the nave. There was a small
church porch with a tower on the west end of the nave.
In 1869, a new church building was constructed about west of the old church. The building was designed by
Christian Christie and the lead builder was John Alver. The church was inspired by the historic
stave churches in Norway. The new church was
consecrate
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
d on 7 October 1869. After the new church was completed, the old church was torn down. In 1920, a new roof was installed. In 1957, the church was renovated to better insulate the building. New wall panelling, new ceiling, and new floors were all installed. In 1966, the church was wired for electricity. In 1967, the tower was significantly repaired. In 1986–1987, a small extension on the north side was torn down and replaced with a larger one that houses a bathroom and other storage rooms.
See also
*
List of churches in Bjørgvin
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kyrkjebo Church
Høyanger
Churches in Vestland
Long churches in Norway
Wooden churches in Norway
19th-century Church of Norway church buildings
Churches completed in 1869
12th-century establishments in Norway