Norddal church

Norddal church was built in 1782 and is the first octagonal church to be built in Sunnmøre. The church was constructed on the same site on which the old stave church once stood. This church was built in Valldal and moved to Norddal in the 1620s. Parts of the old stave church were used when the new church was constructed. The architect was Ole Larsen Døving. The church spire is in classical baroque style. The interior of the church is unusually light and spacious with 400 seats. Around 1900 the walls and ceiling, supports and benches were painted in sombre colours; however, by 1981 most of this had been stripped and the church has now been restored to its original state. The first church organ was installed in 1921. The organ facade was designed by Domenica Erdmann, who was a well-known Norwegian painter and artist. The vestry is relatively recent, added in 1958. On the wall near the pulpit there is a large painting. This is commemorative art dedicated to Arne Eivindsøn, who was the priest during the time when the stave church was moved across the fjord. He died in 1634 and the painting was donated by his widow. On the gallery wall there are six old portraits of priests and their wives. These oil-on-canvas paintings were created around 1673-1740 by an unknown artist. The altarpiece includes figures, relief and leaved doors, all painted with great skill and care. The altarpiece is from the late Middle Ages (approx. 1510-20). It is thought that it originally came from Germany and is comparable to those made in Lübeck by the master Bernt Notke and his students. The church spire is built in classical baroque style. Norddal church was last restored in connection with the 200-year celebrations in 1982. The church is in an ideal location at the foot of Kyrkjefjellet, close to the shore. In the churchyard, there is a monument erected to the memory of those who perished in the Tafjord disaster of 1934. (Source of original text: Norddal municipality).