Dalsfjord Church
History
Dalsfjord did not have a church during the Middle Ages so the people of the Dalsfjord area used the main Volda Church that was located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away, on the other side of the fjord. It is said, however, that a wooden cross had been erected on the site during the Middle Ages, and that in Catholic times (pre-Reformation) this site was a gathering place for people. Sometimes the priest showed up at this site and held Mass in the open air. This may have happened even after the Reformation in Norway.
When the nearby Austefjord Chapel was built in 1879, the people of Dalsfjord noticed and began to push for their own chapel and cemetery. This plan was rejected a couple of times, but after years of struggle, Dalsfjord was separated from Volda as a separate parish on 1 January 1910. After gaining parish status, the planning for a new church began. The foundation stone for the new church was laid in February 1910. The church was designed by Ole Havnæs and the lead builders were Petter Strømme and Jens Strømsheim. The building was a timber-framed cruciform church. Dalsfjord Church was consecrated on 29 December 1910. The exterior was originally painted yellow, but later it was repainted in white. The church was extensively renovated in 1963.
See also
References
- ^ "Dalsfjord kyrkje". Kirkesøk: Kirkebyggdatabasen. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Oversikt over Nåværende Kirker" (in Norwegian). KirkeKonsulenten.no. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- ^ "Dalsfjord kyrkjestad" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Dalsfjord kirke". Norges-Kirker.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 18 August 2021.