Rovde Church


Rovde Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vanylven Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Rovdane, along the Rovdefjorden. It is the church for the Rovde parish which is part of the Søre Sunnmøre prosti in the Diocese of Møre. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1872 by the architect Lars Tornæs from Ålesund. The church seats about 350 people.

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to 1589, but the church was likely here before that time. The church was one of the poorest parishes in Sunnmøre. The medieval stave church had a roof, but no tower or spire. It also had few interior decorations. The parish owned no property except for a few cows. The church deteriorated over time and was renovated, but in 1831, it was decided to tear down the centuries-old building and built a new building. The new wooden church was completed in 1832 on the same site. This new church didn't last long because 40 years later in 1872, the church was take down, sold, and the materials were reused in a boathouse on nearby Sandsøya. That church was then replaced by the present building which sits slightly to the northwest of the site of the previous church building.