Voss Church

Description

Voss stone church was built in 1277 and it seats about 500 people. The site of the present church may once have been occupied by a heathen temple. In 1023, King Olaf Haraldsen visited Vossevangen to convert the people to Christianity. Tradition says that he built a large stone cross at the site, which was probably the first Christian place of worship at Voss and it became the main church for Hordafylket during the middle ages.

The first church here was build of wood, but it was replaced by a stone church in 1277. In a royal letter dating from 1271, King Magnus Lagabøte expressed his satisfaction that the parishioners were going to replace the wood building with a stone one, and he urges the continuation and completion of this task. When it was finished in 1277, the church was dedicated to Saint Michael.