Årdal Old Church, Årdal i Ryfylke, Norway

Årdal old church (Årdal gamle kirke) is one of the most distinctive and beautiful wooden Renaissance churches from the 17th century. The church was built in three stages, the first stage in 1619. Later, as the church grew too small, one of the short walls was sawn out in order to lengthen the church. This explains its unusual shape. Inside, the church has many beautiful painted decorations of prophets, angels and flowers.

The church was marked by the work of two local artists, the German painter Gottfried Hendtzschel and his student, craftsman Lauritz Snekker. The altarpiece and the pulpit was painted by Hendtzschel. They are made of Snekker who is also responsible for most of the carpentry work. The artistic efforts of Hendtzschel and Snekker within various churches in the vicinity formed a part of the Stranganger Renaissance, the cultural period which peaked in the middle of the 17th century in the area around Stavanger, Norway.

References:

Ryfylke

Religious sites in Norway

User Reviews

Arne Kaiser (3 years ago)
A true treasure of a "Rural Renaissance" church. Support the sanctity of this place by treating it as a pelgrim's destination, not a tourist spot by imagining the sacrifices brought to create and preserve it.

B.J. H. (3 years ago)
Nice old small church

Ann-Evy Hagen (Annie) (4 years ago)
Beautiful

Tiffany Aviss (6 years ago)
This was the only interior of a stave Church I got to see while in Norway and it was very cute and impressive! The key was left in the door so we let ourselves in to take a peek. Was very nice to see the inside and how well kept it was.

Anne-Beth Pedersen (6 years ago)
It's unique.

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The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Årdal Old Church

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