Bergen Cathedral, Bergen, Norway

Bergen Cathedral was first time mentioned in 1181. It retains its ancient dedication to St. Olaf. During the reign of king Haakon IV of Norway, a Franciscan friary was established near the church, then known as Olavskirken, or the church of Saint Olaf, which was incorporated in it. The church burned down in 1248 and again in 1270, but was reconstructed after both fires. In 1463, it burned down again, but this time it was not reconstructed until the 1550s, despite being declared the cathedral in 1537.

After the fires of 1623 and 1640, Bergen Cathedral received its current general appearance. The steeple on the nave was torn down, and the current tower was built. During the renovation in the 1880s by architect Christian Christie, the Rococo interior was replaced to give the interiors back their former medieval appearance.

A cannonball from the 1665 Battle of Vågen between the English and Dutch fleets remains embedded in the cathedral's exterior wall. The present organ at Bergen Cathedral, by Rieger Orgelbau, is from 1997. The organ is the fifth one in the cathedral's history; the first known organ was installed in 1549.

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User Reviews

Valentina Grigore (4 years ago)
really beautiful old church.

Sorin Lavric (5 years ago)
Closed due to coronavirus (but many other places open)

Alan Rossi (5 years ago)
A very old and somber church, perfect for reflection, and acoustically excellent

mnbvcx (5 years ago)
I don't go to church alot, but it's a good Church

Sonu (6 years ago)
Bergen Cathedral is located at the centre of the city within walkable distance from the Floibanen Station. There are some beautiful art installations nearby.

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