Saint Mark's Church (Oslo)

Saint Mark's Church
Markus kirke
Saint Mark's Church Location in Oslo
Coordinates: 59°55′25.900″N 10°44′21.275″E / 59.92386111°N 10.73924306°E / 59.92386111; 10.73924306
Location	Oslo
Country	Norway
Architecture
Architect(s)	Sverre Knudsen
Completed	1927
Specifications
Capacity	530

Saint Mark's Church (Norwegian: Markus kirke) is a church in the St. Hanshaugen district of Oslo, Norway, completed in 1927. The church has entrances from Schwensen Street (Norwegian: Schwensens gate) no. 15 and on Ullevål Street (Norwegian: Ullevålsveien) no. 41.

Saint Mark's Church is a triple-nave long church (Norwegian: langkirke) two stories high with facades made of suspended brick. The church is one of the few churches in Oslo built into a dense block of apartment buildings on both sides. The construction lot was a rock outcropping when the church was built, and therefore there is a staircase up from street level on Ullevål Street. The main entrance is from Schwensen Street.

The architect of the church was Sverre Knudsen, who had spent extensive time in Sweden and was involved with Swedish architecture, and the church is reminiscent of this. Its style is a blend of Norwegian Baroque Revival (the side facing Ullevål Street) and Neoclassicism. The belfry on Ullevål Street is flush against the structure and the tower spire is covered in copper plating. Facing Schwensen Street, the building has a low two-story octagonal belfry with a spire and a granite-framed entrance to the tower.

The decoration in the chancel and the altar table were created by Enevold Thømt. The 34-voice organ was built by Josef Hilmar Jørgensen in 1927 and restored in 1991. It is one of the few remaining full Romantic organs in Norway of this size. The Norwegian composer Per Steenberg served as organist at the church from 1927 to 1940. The church can seat 530 people. Next to the church is a large parish center with halls, offices, and apartments for priests.

Saint Mark's Parish was separated from Old Aker Parish in 1917. The parish encompassed the Bislett neighborhood and parts of the St. Hanshaugen district. The parish included 7,048 people as of January 1, 2005, of whom about 5,100 were members of the Church of Norway.