Oppheim Church


Oppheim Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Voss Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Oppheim, located on the northern shore of the lake Oppheimsvatnet. It is the church for the Oppheim parish which is part of the Hardanger og Voss prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1871 using designs by the architect Ole Vangberg. The church seats about 250 people.

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1329, but it was built before that time. The first church was probably a stave church, and it was located about northwest of the present site by the lake Oppheimsvatnet. Little is known about that church and it was torn down in the 1670s and replaced by a log church that was completed in 1676. In 1871, a new church was built about to the southeast, on the shore of the lake Oppheimsvatnet. After the new church was completed, the old church was torn down. The old cemetery by the old church was in use until 1875. The present church in the new location was consecrated on 4 October 1871 by the local Dean Irgens.

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