Hove Stone Church

The church, is quite small, but has exquisite forms that bear witness to a wealthy builder and owner. 

Hove stone church dates to around 1170, making it one of the oldest stone churches in Norway.

The church was erected on land owned by the large farm Hove. It is small, but its exquisite forms show that it was built for a wealthy owner.

The church was at risk of being torn down when architect Peter Andreas Blix (1831–1901) bought it with his own money in 1880 and started extensive restoration works. Today this church is a monument to the man who saved it.

Hove stone church has been owned by the National Trust of Norway since 2019.

Building history

Hove Church is a Romanesque long church primarily made of soapstone. It features a west tower, a rectangular nave, and an apse-ended chancel. The church was built in stages, or at least over some period: the chancel with the apse and part of the nave came first, while the western part of the nave was added later and is made with soapstone only in the corners. The quality of the stonework is best in the oldest parts.

Restauration

Architect Peter Andreas Blix (1831–1901) was leading the restoration of Håkon’s hall in Bergen when he was offered to buy soapstone from Hove Church. After the new Vik Church was completed in 1877, Hove church was no longer needed and was set to be demolished. To prevent the demolition, Blix bought the church and restored it according to his own plans and with his own money.

Inside the church, Blix removed everything that was not from the Middle Ages, with the exception of the altar in the chancel which is believed to be from the Middle Ages. He decorated the walls with medieval patterns, hung wrought iron chandeliers from the ceiling, and installed stained glass windows. The chancel is richly decorated and has a dome where the vault is painted in a strong blue color like a sky with the sun, moon, and stars.

The interior reflects Blix's choices, and the decoration and furnishings are as he imagined they might have originally looked.

Blix died in 1901 and was buried under the church floor. His tombstone reads: "Out of love for art, he rebuilt this house of God."

The Hove Madonna

The original wooden sculpture "Hove Madonna" is among the finest medieval sculptures in Norway. The Madonna is in the Early Gothic style and was likely made around the Dover Strait (Northern France, Flanders, or Southern England) between 1230 and 1240. The design, carving, and polychromy (color and gilding) are of the highest quality. The sculpture, made of oak, depicts the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven with the Christ Child as King. Both Mary and the Child are covered in gold leaf and throne under a canopy adorned with glazed silver.

In the Middle Ages, the shrine likely stood on the high altar of the church. The original sculpture was moved from the church to Bergen Museum in 1840.

The reconstruction, which has been in Hove Church since 2022, was made by Treskjærerverkstedet.