Strusshamn Church

Strusshamn Church (Norwegian: Strusshamn kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Askøy Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Strusshamn. It is the church for the Strusshamn parish which is part of the Vesthordland prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The large concrete and glass church was built in a fan-shaped design in 1969 using designs by the architects Torgeir Alvsaker and
Einar Vaardal-Lunde. The church seats about 500 people.[1][2]

Strusshamn Church
Strusshamn kirke
View of the church
Strusshamn Church Location of the church Strusshamn Church Strusshamn Church (Norway)
60.4012°N 5.1893°E
Location	Askøy Municipality, Vestland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1741
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Torgeir Alvsaker and Einar Vaardal-Lunde
Architectural type	Fan-shaped
Completed	1969
Specifications
Capacity	500
Materials	Concrete and glass
Administration
Parish	Strusshamn
Deanery	Vesthordland prosti
Diocese	Bjørgvin bispedømme
Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site
Type	Church
Status	Not protected
ID	84982

History

First church

The village of Strusshamn got its first church in 1741, when the areas of Askøy and Laksevåg were separated from the main Bergen Cathedral parish. The small wooden church had 238 seats and 63 standing places. The church was located at the foot of "Church Mountain", and it was 29.5 ell long, 14.5 ell wide and 7.5 ell high (an "ell" is an old Norwegian measurement). The night of 8 September 1861 was when the last worship service was held in the church because later on that same night a fire started in the flour mill next door to the church, and both buildings burned down.[3][4]

Second church

Work immediately started to build a new church. It was built on the same site that the present church is located. The new church was built by architect Georg Andreas Bull, the brother of the more famous Ole Bull. The new church was finished in 1864 and it was consecrated by Bishop Peder Hersleb Graah Birkeland on September 30. This was a cruciform church with a total of 727 seats. After the fire at the old church, some items were recovered from the old church and moved to the new church. This included two brass chandeliers, two apostle figures, and a mass vestment. The altarpiece was painted by Johan Ludvig Losting. The church was significantly remodeled in 1920 when it was wired for electricity. The last renovation was done in 1964 to celebrate its centennial anniversary. Then on 30 January 1966, there was a fire and this church burned to the ground also. Only a few things were saved including two candlesticks and a baptismal bowl.[3][4]

Third church

The present church was built shortly after the 1966 fire by the architects Torgeir Alvsaker and Einar Vaardal-Lunde. This church was built out of concrete and glass and it is able to seat about 500 people. This church was consecrated by Bishop Per Juvkam on 11 May 1969. The church was greatly expanded in 2009 by adding a large interior atrium and two church halls. The expansion nearly doubled the area of the building.[1]

Media gallery

• 
  Present church exterior (2011)
• 
  Exterior view (2006)
• 
  Exterior view of the 2nd church (c. 1930)
• 
  Interior view of the 2nd church (c. 1930)

See also

• List of churches in Bjørgvin

References

1. "Strusshamn kirke, Askøy". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
2. "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
3. "Strusshamn kyrkje" (in Norwegian). Norges Kirker. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
4. "Strusshamn kirkested" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2020-03-15.