Top 10 Churches & Cathedrals in Eastern Norway, Eastern Norway

This small wooden chapel was built in 1921. It is located just outside Son town centre. It has not been consecrated, which means that the chapel can be used freely for secular funerals.

Oslo's oldest church, dating to 1100 AD.

St. Hanshaugen is one of Oslo's largest parks, just north of the city centre. This popular recreational area is great for walks, and from the top of the hill you have a nice view of Oslo. History St. Hanshaugen was originally a bare rock hill. In the 1840s the name St. Hanshaugen (midsummer hill) came into use, as the hill was a popular place for midsummer celebrations. In 1855 it was decided that parts of the hill was to be planted, and a big part of the hill was turned into a park in the next 30 years. The park also got a park keeper house, an artificial creek and a pavilion on the square Festplassen, and the park was expanded. Through the years, a number of statues were also placed in the park. In 1936, the park got an open-air café on Festplassen - the square on top of the hill - which is still a popular summer café today.

The cemetery and chapel were inagurated in 1902. Naturally laid out urn graves with stone settings from 1939. In connection with the cemetery is Vestre Krematorium (Western Crematorium). The city's largest war memorial is situated here - the final home of 331 Soviet, 102 British, Danish, Jugoslavian, Polish, Swedish and Norwegian inhabitants. The cemetery office is open on weekdays 8 am-3 pm.

Brevik Church was built in 1963. It is a work church with congreation rooms. The altarpiece was painted by Terje Grostad. The church also has golden leather chairs made by former vicar Alf Kapstad.

Pilgrims from all the Nordic countries came here. The Reformation in 1536 put an official stop to the catholic pilgrimages to Lovoya but people continued to come to the well and church for years on. The church was in ruins for many years until preservation and restoration was initiated in 1882 and it was reopened in 1950.

Vestfold´s only preserved stave church. The church´s oldest part, the chancel, is from the 12th century. The nave, however, is from the second half of the 13th century. As well as the corner posts the church has side posts and a central post. Originally it was whitewashed and decorated inside, some of this has been restored. Finn Krafft has in addition painted a number of new decorations. On the north wall are drawings of ships from the 14th century. The crosses are from the original consecration. The restoration was completed in 1953, the arcitect was Otto L. Scheen. Guided tours 1st - 31st July: Mon-Fri 5.00 and 5.30 pm. Sat at 11.00 and 11.30 During the rest of the year guided tours for groups may be arranged through Gerd Rut Michelsen. Tel: +47 33 44 22 30

Sosterkirkene – the Sisters Churches - on Granavollen are an impressive landmark and have a mysterious history. Two churches are placed next to each other. Their steeples have inspired the design of the Gran municipal coat-of-arms. We are still speculating why there are two churches on Granavollen. The popular explanation is that there were two sisters who disliked each other and built each her own church. But if we go back to the Middle Ages, the time at which the churches were built, it wasn’t unusual that one built two or three churches in the same vicinity. They then had different functions, for example cathedral, monastery church, or parish church. Only on Granavollen Today, it is only on Granavollen that we find two medieval churches so close together on the same churchyard here in Norway. The larger one, Nikolaikirken was probably the county church while the smaller one, Mariakirken, was the parish church.They were likely built during the 12th century. At that time, the churches were quite often given the names of saints. The larger one is named after the saint bishop Nikolaus of Bari, the patron saint of travellers. The smaller one was named Mariakirken after the mother of Jesus. A Gathering Place and a Power Centre Sosterkirkene are freely located high above the village. Granavollen has been a gathering place through centuries, both in prechristian times and in the christian era. One of the oldest finds from christian time is a rune stone from the 11th century. The burial grounds, the rune stones and written source material tell us that this has been an important religious and political power centre.