Herdla Church

Herdla Church
Herdla kirke
View of the church
Herdla Church Location in Hordaland county Show map of Hordaland Herdla Church Location in Hordaland county Show map of Norway
60°34′06″N 4°57′02″E / 60.5682°N 4.9505°E / 60.5682; 4.9505Coordinates: 60°34′06″N 4°57′02″E / 60.5682°N 4.9505°E / 60.5682; 4.9505
Location	Askøy, Hordaland
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
History
Founded	12th century
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Completed	1950
Specifications
Capacity	600
Materials	Stone
Administration
Parish	Herdla
Deanery	Vesthordland prosti
Diocese	Diocese of Bjørgvin

Herdla Church (Norwegian: Herdla kirke) is a parish church in Askøy municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. It is located the small island of Herdla. The church is part of the Herdla parish in the Vesthordland deanery in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

The oldest written accounts of this church on Herdla is a letter from Pope Eugenius III in 1146 that mentions "St. Nicholas's Church on Herdla" Latin: Ecclesiam sancti Nicholai de hardle. The church was consecrated Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron saint of sailors. The church had similarities with Moster Church and Kinn Church, both stone churches without towers. The church belonged under Munkeliv monastery in the nearby city of Bergen. The monastery was founded by King Øystein I Magnusson around 1110. Herdla Church began as a stone church in simple Romanesque style, but was later rebuilt in Gothic style with pointed arches.

Following storm damage, the church was demolished in 1861 and a larger church was built in 1863. This church burned down in 1934.

After rebuilding, the church was nicknamed the "Øygard Cathedral". The church served most of the old municipality of Herdla which included parts of the present-day municipalities of Øygarden, Askøy, and Meland. During World War II, the church was seriously damaged. The Germans blew up the tower and the church was used to store ammunition and it was also used as horse stalls. Under the floor, a large tunnel system was built that went across the island, including underneath much of the cemetery. During the war years, the island of Herdla was used as a large airfield and the Germans blew off the tower because they were afraid that the church tower could serve as landmark for bombers who came from Britain.