Jondal Church

Jondal Church (Norwegian: Jondal kyrkje) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Ullensvang Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Jondal, near the shore of the Hardangerfjorden. It is the church for the Jondal parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1888 using designs by the architects T. Solheim and T. Tengesdal. The church seats about 500 people, which makes it the largest church in Hardanger, leading it to sometimes be called the Hardanger Cathedral (Hardangerkatedral).[1][2]

Jondal Church
Jondal kyrkje
View of the church
Jondal Church Location of the church Show map of Vestland Jondal Church Jondal Church (Norway) Show map of Norway
60.2776°N 6.2560°E / 60.2776; 6.2560
Location	Ullensvang, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Consecrated	18 July 1888
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	T. Solheim and T. Tengesdal
Architectural type	Long church
Completed	1888
Specifications
Capacity	500
Materials	Wood
Administration
Parish	Jondal
Deanery	Hardanger og Voss prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin bispedømme
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Listed
ID	84739

History

The first church in Jondal was a stave church that was built during the Middle Ages. The exact date of construction is not known, but historical records show that it was in use in 1309, so it must have been built sometime before that time. The old stave church was in use for centuries until it was torn down in 1725 because it was in such poor condition.

A new church was built on the same site to replace the old church. This church was completed in 1726 and it was a timber framed church. That church was used until 1888 when it too was torn down to make room for the present church which is much larger. The present church was built in 1888 by the architects Solheim and Tengesdal. The white, wooden church was consecrated on 18 July 1888.[3][4]

Media gallery

• 
  Exterior view
• 
  Church neighborhood
• 
  Old church (before 1887)

See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Jondal kyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
3. "Kirker i Hordaland fylke" (in Norwegian). DIS-Hordaland. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
4. "Jondal kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Norges Kirker. Retrieved 21 June 2014.