Octagonal churches in Norway

showing the centrally placed altar (1). During the Middle Ages, some 1000 wooden stave churches and only 270 stone churches were erected in Norway. During the 15th and 16th centuries, virtually no new churches were built. When church building resumed around the year 1600, most stave churches disappeared and were often replaced by log churches. While in most of Europe, only masonry churches were built, wood construction still dominated in Norway. The Vrådal church apparently did not influence subsequent octagonal buildings in Norway. The Oostkerk, Middelburg is a domed, octagonal church erected from 1648 to 1667. Johan Christopher Hempel, architect and master builder of Hospitalskirken in Trondheim, was probably from the Netherlands where the octagonally shaped church first appeared and spread to other Protestant countries in Northern Europe. The octagonal floor plan came to Denmark when Frederiksberg Church was built by Dutch Felix Dusart. Dusart used a church in his Dutch hometown as a model. Frederiksberg Church is in turn regarded as the model for the octagonal baroque church (1756) in Rellingen, Schleswig-Holstein. Starting in 1810, ten octagonal churches were erected in the rural interior parts of Agder, most of these constructions used Hornnes Church as model. ==Construction==

Virtually all octagonal churches in Norway are built from timber in a log construction, notable exceptions are Sør-Fron Church, Vang Church at Ridabu in Hamar Municipality, and Røros Church (stone buildings). Trinity Church (Oslo) is the only octagonal church in Norway built in red brick. These masonry buildings are also the largest among the octagonal churches. The octagonal plan creates different angles and accordingly more challenging work for the carpenter compared to buildings with straight angels such as the cruciform plan. ==Architects==

Until the 19th century, Norwegian churches were often designed and constructed by master builders rather than by professionally trained architects. Johan Christopher Hempel, chief mason and builder of Trondheim, designed the two oldest existing octagonal churches. Master builder and politician Elling Olsson Walbøe designed and constructed at least three octagonal churches. Parish priests were also involved, at least three octagonal churches were designed by their respective pastors (Ulstein Church, Old Stordal Church, and Vang Church). For instance, Abraham Pihl designed the large Vang Church in Ridabu. A large number of churches, including several octagonal, were constructed according to prototypes compiled by Hans Linstow. The prominent architect Christian H. Grosch were responsible for a number of churches in Norway, including the basic plan for several octagonal churches, including • Mo Church in Nord-Odal Municipality • Tjugum Church in Balestrand Municipality • Otterøy Church in Namsos Municipality • Rogne Church in Øystre Slidre Municipality • Dverberg Church in Andøy Municipality • Tangen Church in Stange Municipality • the old Kirkenes Church in Sør-Varanger Municipality which was destroyed during World War II Farmer and "founding father" Lars Larsen Forsæth produced drawings used to build at least three octagonal churches: • Klæbu Church in Trondheim Municipality • Støren Church in Midtre Gauldal Municipality • Hornnes Church in Evje og Hornnes Municipality designed by Elling Walbøe (one of the "founding fathers"). ==Distribution==

During the period from 1750 to 1830, about 230 churches were constructed in Norway. Among these, 35 were octagonal, 62 were long churches (single nave hall church) and 110 were given a cruciform floor plan. During this period, 17 octagonal churches appeared in the Diocese of Nidaros (all of Norway north of the Dovrefjell mountains). Later, these church designs became popular in rural Agder. Muri • Flekkefjord Church 650 seats • Stor-Elvdal Church 600 seats • Dolstad Church 500 seats ==List of octagonal churches==