Ulnes Church: A Medieval Parish Church in Norway
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.6
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Norway
- Primary era
- Medieval
- External website
- Open
- Eras represented
- Medieval, Early Modern, Modern
- Civilizations
- Norwegian
- Site type
- Religious
- Remains
- Church
On this page7 sections
History
Ulnes Church is a medieval parish church in Norway, probably built around 1265 in a transitional style combining Romanesque and Gothic masonry. It belongs to the Church of Norway, Norway’s Evangelical Lutheran church, and serves Ulnes Parish within Valdres Deanery and the Diocese of Hamar. Tree-ring dating of part of the roof places its construction in 1265 or 1266, while the earliest surviving written reference to the church dates from 1307.
Medieval origins
The church was established as a Catholic foundation before the Reformation and later became Evangelical Lutheran. Its medieval fabric reflects a period when the heavier, more solid forms associated with Romanesque architecture were giving way to the more vertically oriented features of Gothic design.
Decline and rebuilding
By the seventeenth century, the building had fallen into serious disrepair. A proposal made in 1675 to replace it with a new wooden church was never carried out. Its condition became so poor that it was removed from regular use shortly before 1720.
During his journey through the area in 1733 and 1734, Bishop Peder Hersleb, a senior cleric responsible for oversight within the diocese, described Ulnes Church as “a pile of stones,” although he judged the choir suitable for retention. In 1734, the rector suggested closing and demolishing the church in favor of nearby Svenes Church. Local residents opposed the plan, and Ulnes Church was rebuilt and restored in 1737. The nave was demolished and reconstructed on a somewhat larger scale, while the interior was refurbished.
Modern alterations and protection
A further rebuilding took place between 1891 and 1894. It added a porch at the west end and a sacristy at the east end. Hans Magnus oversaw a renovation in 1953 and 1954, with Lars M. Wiknes as lead builder. The work included renewing both additions in wood and restoring the interior. Bathroom facilities were installed in the porch in 1977.
Ulnes Church remains an active parish church and is protected as an automatically protected Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site.
Remains
Building and layout
Ulnes Church is a white stone long church with seating for approximately 170 people. Its masonry combines Romanesque and Gothic characteristics, giving the building a transitional medieval architectural character. The church is arranged with a nave and choir, while the west porch and east sacristy extend the main structure at opposite ends.
Interior decoration
The interior contains painted decoration by Ola Hermundsson Berge from the late eighteenth century. Halvard Rye added further paintings between 1850 and 1853. These works form part of the interior that was restored during the twentieth-century renovation.
