Gjerstad Church (Osterøy)


Gjerstad Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Osterøy Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Gjerstad. It is the church for the Gjerstad parish which is part of the Åsane prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1870 using designs by the architect Ole Vangberg. The church seats about 420 people.

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1329, but it was not new that year. The first church existed during the Middle Ages and it was a stave church. It was probably built about the year 1210. There are some items from this church that are preserved at the Bergen Museum such as a soapstone baptismal font. That church was in poor condition by the 1600s and so it was taken down and a timber church was built in 1622. In 1724, the church was sold from the state to a private owner. In 1868, the church was purchased by the municipality. Shortly thereafter, in 1870, the church was torn down and a new church was built on the same site. In 1930, there was a fire in the church, but it was repaired soon after.