Eid Church (Nordfjord)

Eid Church (Norwegian: Eid kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Stad Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Nordfjordeid. It is the church for the Eid parish which is part of the Nordfjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1849 by the builder Claus Wiese using plans from the architect Hans Linstow. The church seats about 550 people. The church was consecrated on 29 October 1849 by the Bishop Peder Christian Hersleb Kjerschow.[1] This is the fifth church building to sit at Nordfjordeid.[2][3]

Eid Church
Eid kyrkje
View of the church
Eid Church Location of the church Show map of Vestland Eid Church Eid Church (Norway) Show map of Norway
61.9113°N 5.9851°E / 61.9113; 5.9851
Location	Stad Municipality, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	12th century
Consecrated	29 Oct 1849
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Hans Linstow and Claus Wiese
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	1849
Specifications
Capacity	550
Materials	Wood
Administration
Parish	Eid
Deanery	Nordfjord prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to 1322, but it was likely built during the 12th century, making it one of the oldest church sites in Nordfjord. The stave church was located at Myklebost, a little to the southeast of the present church location. Not much is known about this church. The church was described as old and prosperous in a letter dated 1336. At some point in the 1300s, it was replaced, likely after a fire. The replacement church was built a short distance away in Mel, just north of the present church. Not much is known about the second church either, but it was in use throughout the 1400s and 1500s.[1]

The third church was used from the 1500s until 1689. It was a timber-framed cruciform church with a tower in the center of the roof. The church was renovated in the 1680s, receiving a new floor and ceiling. Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by fire after a lightning strike in 1689. The fourth church was completed in 1692 on the same site as the previous church. It too was a wooden cruciform church with a very similar design to the previous church. It was used until 1849 when it was deemed too small, so the present church was constructed. The new (fifth) church was built alongside the old church which was torn down after the new church was completed. The church was originally designed to seat about 900 people, but that was later reduced.[4][1]

On 24 November 2016, the church was broken into and vandalised, causing damages estimated to 1-2 million kr. A suspect was arrested by police the same day and confessed to the vandalism.[5]

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See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Eid kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
2. "Eid kyrkje, Nordfjordeid". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
3. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
4. "Eid kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Eid kyrkjelege fellesråd. Archived from the original on 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
5. Haukedal, Sondre Lingås; Reksnes, Asgeir Heimdal; Grimeland, Per Kristian (24 November 2016). "Sunnmøring har tilstått kyrkje-hærverk" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 13 January 2017.