There was not an exact match for the language you toggled to. You have been redirected to the nearest matching page within this section.
Scandic Hotels – in all major cities from north to south
Nordic Choice Hotels – a different hotel company
Thon Hotels – with fantastic breakfast
Radisson Blu Hotels – discover your favourite destinations
Citybox – modern and affordable hotels in a central location
DanCenter – your specialist in holiday homes in Norway
Norgesbooking – book your perfect cabin stay in Norway
Campcation – book camping all across Norway with Campcation
Vy – travelling by train has never been easier
SJ NORD – the adventure starts on the train
Vy express – travel with bus throughout Norway
NOR-WAY Bussekspress – experience amazing scenery by bus
Widerøe – the largest regional airline in Scandinavia
DFDS – Europe’s leading ferry operator 2012-2021
AutoEurope – always a smooth car rental experience
Rent-A-Wreck – the smart car rental alternative
Arctic Campers – Norway’s camper van rental
Cabin Campers – your cottage on four wheels
Hurtigruten – "The World’s Most Beautiful Sea Voyage"
Fjord Tours – Home of Norway in a nutshell® - Norway’s most popular tour
Authentic Scandinavia – Travel created by locals
Up Norway – Bespoke luxury tailored by insiders
Norrøna Hvitserk – expeditions and adventure holidays
Booknordics.com – hundreds of activities, tours and day cruises in Norway
Brim Explorer – silent fjord tours by electric catamaran
Fjord Travel – let us show you the beauty of Norway!
Go Fjords – tours and activities all over Norway
50 Degrees North – unforgettable tailor-made and small group tours to Norway
Discover Norway – skiing, biking and hiking tours in Norway
Norwegian Holidays – low-price package holidays with Norwegian. Flight, hotel and rental car
Stromma – sightseeing, excursions and experiences with bus, boat and train
Rauland – Skiing holidays in stunning mountain scenery
{{title}} {{:price}} - {{!preprice}} Price: {{?}} {{preprice}} {{/}} {{price}} {{:postprice}}{{postprice}}{{/}} {{?:pricing}} - {{pricing}} {{/pricing}}
Hove stone church in Vik has been dated 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 work. This church is a monument to the man who saved it.
Was to be sold for stone. When architect Blix was in charge of the restoration of Håkon's Hall in Bergen, he was offered soapstone from Hove church, which was to be pulled down. Once the new Vik church was completed in 1877, Hove church was surplus to requirements. Blix bought the church to prevent it being torn down, and he restored it according to his own plans and funded the work himself.
The church interior is characterised by Blix's choices, and the decor and furnishings reflect how he imagined the church may have looked in the Middle Ages. The church walls are covered in colourful decoration, and the nave has a dado painted in imitation ashlar. The chancel is lavishly decorated. The altar area is framed by a painted ashlar pattern, and the ceiling of the dome above the altar is painted in a vivid blue like the sky with sun and moon.
The medieval stone altar is preserved, and the altar stone contains a reliquary covered by a slab of marble. Blix owned the church at the time of his death in 1901 and is buried beneath the church floor.