Ænes Church

Ænes Church (Norwegian: Ænes kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kvinnherad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Ænes. It is the church for the Ænes parish which is part of the Sunnhordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, stone church was built in a long church style around the year 1200 using designs by an unknown architect. The church seats about 120 people.[1][2]

Ænes Church
Ænes kyrkje
View of the church
Ænes Church Location of the church Show map of Vestland Ænes Church Ænes Church (Norway) Show map of Norway
60.0905°N 6.1131°E / 60.0905; 6.1131
Location	Kvinnherad, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Previous denomination	Catholic Church
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	c. 1200
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	c. 1200
Specifications
Capacity	120
Materials	Stone
Administration
Parish	Ænes
Deanery	Sunnhordland prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin bispedømme
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Automatically protected
ID	85897

History

The first church at Ænes was likely a stave church that was built around the year 1200. The church has a short, almost square nave measuring about 7.7 by 8.2 metres (25 ft × 27 ft) and a narrower, almost square choir measuring about 4.7 by 5.3 metres (15 ft × 17 ft). There is a wooden bell tower on the west end of the stonre church. The church is built of natural stone, covered with plaster. The walls are about 1.4 metres (4 ft 7 in) thick.

The Barony Rosendal was established in 1678 and the church was given as part of the barony. The church was owned by the Barony from 1678 until 1901 when it was sold to the parish. After the parish gained ownership of the church, it was renovated and it received new floors. The church was again renovated in the 1950s, led by the architect Kristian Bjerknes.[3][4][5]

Media gallery

• 
  Front of church
• 
  Side of church
• 
  Rear part of church
• 
  Front entrance
• 
  Side window

See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Ænes kyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
3. "Ænes kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
4. "Kirker i Hordaland fylke" (in Norwegian). DIS-Hordaland. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
5. Lidén, Hans-Emil. "Ænes kirke" (in Norwegian). Norges Kirker. Retrieved 3 June 2020.