Trondenes Church

Harstad, Norway

Trondenes Church is the northernmost medieval stone church of Norway. Though frequently mentioned as a 13th-century church, dating based on dendrochronology places its completion shortly after 1434. Compared to the other ten north Norwegian medieval stone churches, Trondenes church is well preserved and the exterior is close to the original state. The nave is 22.6 metres long and the chancel is 13.5 metres, making it one of the largest medieval churches of rural Norway. In the late Medieval period, Trondenes served as the main church centre of Northern Norway.

The church is especially known for its rich decorations, including three gothic triptychs, one of which is made by the German Hanseatic artist Bernt Notke. The baroque pulpit is equipped with an hourglass to allow the minister to time long sermons. The organ dates from the late 18th century. In the choir section, one can see remnants of medieval frescoes.

The church is probably the third church on the site, the first stave church was built in the 11th century, the second in the 12th. The second church was fortified with stone walls and ramparts, remnants of which can be seen around the church.The church used to have a little turret, which was demolished. Now the bells are rung from a little tower in the graveyeard.

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Address

Trondenesveien, Harstad, Norway
See all sites in Harstad

Details

Founded: c. 1434
Category: Religious sites in Norway

More Information

www.nordnorge.com
ultima0thule.blogspot.fi
www.visitnorway.com
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Bjørn Jakobsen (2 years ago)
It's an old church.
Diardi Donk (2 years ago)
Amazing church with some amazing features. Most enthusiastic guide ever. Thank you Ingrid for the way you explained it all. Singing with the entire group was special.
Martin Weiss (3 years ago)
Europe+s northernmost medieval church. Very well restored. Friendly, knowledgable staff. Toilets nearby.
Adrizz (4 years ago)
....... lel I live in Harstad. I have seen it 100 times and I am not Christian. I ain't see the point for me to visit xD
Michael Stallybrass (5 years ago)
Quite simply, one of the most stunning mediaeval churches I have seen. Well worth the journey to get to it! And the welcome that we then got at the Historical Centre and Café nearby just added the icing on the cake, as far as I was concerned.
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