HISTORICAL CHURCH BUILDING

Kristiansand’s many churches have much to offer in the form of history, architecture and ornamentation.

When you step into Oddernes church, you are beginning a journey through a millennium of Norwegian ecclesiastical history. According to an inscription on a rune stone standing in the church grounds, the first church on the site was built by church builder Eyvind Urarhorn, a close friend of St. Olaf. It was probably built before 1019. The oldest part of the current stone built church dates to the 12th century.  

Kristiansand cathedral is easy to spot. It is located in the middle of Kristiansand and its tower is as tall as the church is long – at 70 metres, it towers over most other buildings in the city. The current church is the fourth in this location and was inaugurated in 1885. The church has the capacity to hold 1,000 people and is one of the largest in Norway. The cathedral is open to visitors every weekday between 11:00 and 14:00. During the summer, mini concerts are held on the days when tourist ships arrive.

Søm church is definitely well worth a visit - particularly if you are interested in the work of Southern Norwegian artist Kjell Nupen. With construction beginning in 2000, the church was consecrated in 2004 as a “thousand year building” where the past and future meet. Kjell Nupen has turned this holy space into an attraction and a powerful experience for many people. His most eye-catching work in the church is the imposing stained glass panel behind the altar. The colourful play of light varies depending on the time of day, the weather and the season.

Tveit church is old; it was built in the period 1050-1070, but no one is sure exactly when. This is a “long church” built in the Romanesque style with rounded arches and walls a metre thick. Among the attractions of the church is the 800 year old baptismal font. From 1885, it was kept in the university’s collection of antiquities, but it was returned to Tveit church in 2011.