Gjerpen church
| Gjerpen Church | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 59°13′26.7″N 9°36′27.9″E / 59.224083°N 9.607750°ECoordinates: 59°13′26.7″N 9°36′27.9″E / 59.224083°N 9.607750°E | |
| Location | Skien, Telemark |
| Country | Norway |
| Denomination |
 Church of Norway
|
| Churchmanship | Evangelical Lutheran |
| History | |
| Consecrated | May 28, 1153 |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Romanesque |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 600 |
| Materials | Stone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Gjerpen prestegjeld |
| Diocese | Diocese of Agder og Telemark |
Gjerpen Church (Norwegian: Gjerpen Kirke) is one of the oldest churches in Norway, it is believed the church was consecrated 28 May 1153 to the apostles Peter and Paul. The 850th anniversary was celebrated in 2003. The church has a long history and is considered a national treasure. The church and its inventory is officially preserved by law as are all buildings built before the Protestant Reformation of 1537. The extended parts built after this time is also preserved. The church is a Romanesque style with a cruciform plan (Norwegian: krossplan) church after the later additions, meaning it main top section is shaped like a Latin or Greek cross. It is built with a tower over the western entrance of the church (Norwegian: vesttårn). The church was extended in 1781 and 1871. The new interior was made by Emanuel Vigeland (1875-1948), this includes the mosaic "Den bortkomne sønns hjemkomst", glasspaintings, pulpit, baptismal font, benches, lamps and a bronze relief that was drawn in the 1920s. Architects in later time has also included C. Christie and Harald Bødtker. The church is the main church of Gjerpen prestegjeld.
In 2003 the church was damaged by arson that destroyed parts of the interior. The church was restored and reopened in 2004. The organ made in 1962 was listed for preservation, and was destroyed in the fire.Vidkun Quisling was buried in the church graveyard in 1959, 14 years after his execution in 1945. In 2002 The Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage Management (Norwegian: Riksantikvaren) reported that the church needs restoration because of moisture and mold damage to the structure, funding from the municipality was expected to fund this.
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