The 10 Best Sacred & Religious Sites in Norway, Norway

A sacred room silence, wonder and change. Design by Kjell Nupen.

Elverhøy Church was built in its current location in 1971. The church was originally built in 1803 on the site of the present Tromsø Cathedral. In 1861 the church was dismantled and moved a few hundred meters south of the city boundary. In the early 1970s, it was moved and reopened as Elverhøy Church,on one of the highest points on the island of Tromsøya. The red wooden church seats 435 people.

Oslo's oldest church, dating to 1100 AD.

Utstein Monastery is Norway's only well-preserved medieval monastery. The buildings were originally intended as a royal residence, but an Augustinian monastery was founded there in around 1265. After the reformation in 1537, the monastery and its property were returned to the crown, and it subsequently came into private ownership. The property has been in public ownership since 1935. Today, it is run as a museum and conference centre. Concerts are also held there. The cultural landscape around the monastery is protected by law.

The church was originally built in 1886 by Eliseus Hansen. However, because of poor foundations it was dismantled in 1903 and moved to its present location. The church contains 4 stained glass windows by Borger Hauglid, and a font made of local Fauske marble which dates from 1953. The two church bells are from 1885. The pulpit and altar area are said to have been created by Kristian Nilsen from Fjell and Kristian Jakobsen from Kodvag. The altar piece was painted and gilded by Theodor Madsen. The organ was built in Norway in 1967 and has 16 voices. Its front is from the church’s original organ built in 1904.