Kristiansand Cathedral

Kristiansand Cathedral
Kristiansand domkirke
Kristiansand Cathedral
Kristiansand Cathedral
58°8′46″N 7°59′41″E / 58.14611°N 7.99472°E / 58.14611; 7.99472Coordinates: 58°8′46″N 7°59′41″E / 58.14611°N 7.99472°E / 58.14611; 7.99472
Location	Kristiansand, Vest-Agder
Country	Norway
Denomination	Church of Norway
Churchmanship	Evangelical Lutheran
Website	www.kristiansanddomkirke.no
History
Former name(s)	Trinity Church, Our Saviors Church
Architecture
Status	Cathedral
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Henrik Thrap-Meyer
Style	Neo Gothic
Specifications
Materials	Brick, cement
Administration
Parish	Domkirken
Deanery	Kristiansand arch-deanery
Diocese	Diocese of Agder og Telemark

Kristiansand Cathedral (Norwegian: Kristiansand domkirke) is located in Kristiansand, Norway. It is the seat of the Bishop of Agder and Telemark in the Church of Norway. It is the third cathedral built in the town of Kristiansand and one of the largest cathedrals in Norway.

Kristiansand Cathedral is a Neo-Gothic church built of brick and cement. The church is of cruciform plan with 1750 seats. It was built during 1885 and designed by the architect Henrik Thrap-Meyer. Construction was completed on 1 February 1885. The church was consecrated on 18 March 1885 by the staple provost Johan M. Brun who served as acting bishop.

It is 70 m (230 ft) long and 39 m (128 ft) wide, and the only tower is 70 m (230 ft) in height. Originally the cathedral had 2,029 seats and room for 1,216 standees, but seating has now been reduced to 1,300. To re-use the walls of the previous cathedral, which burned down in 1880, the altar was positioned at the west end, rather than in the traditional position in the east.

The cathedral is in the same location as three previous buildings. The first, called Trinity Church, was built in 1645 and was a small wooden church. When Kristiansand was appointed the seat of the diocese in 1682, construction began on the town's first cathedral, called Our Savior's Church. That first cathedral, built in stone, was consecrated in 1696, but burned down in 1734. The second cathedral, consecrated in 1738, was destroyed by a fire that affected the whole city, on 18 December 1880. When the 1940 Nazi attack on Kristiansand took place early in the morning of 9 April 1940, the 70-metre cathedral tower was hit by an artillery shell, which damaged the upper part.

Kristiansand Cathedral interior

Kristiansand Cathedral Organ

Kristiansand Cathedral Pulpit

Kristiansand Cathedral Sanctuary

Kristiansand Cathedral, built 1738, burned 1890 (Image:Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage)