Fagerborg Church Explained

Fagerborg Church
Fullname:Fagerborg kirke
Pushpin Map:Norway Oslo#Norway
Coordinates:59.9272°N 10.7296°W
Location:Pilestredet 72,
Oslo,
Country:Norway
Denomination: Church of Norway
Churchmanship:Evangelical Lutheran
Website:Website in Norwegian
Consecrated Date:1901
Completed Date:1903
Status:Parish church
Functional Status:Active
Architect:Hagbarth Schytte Martin-Berg
Style:Neo-Gothic
Jugendstil
Materials:Walled Granite from Skjeberg,
Østfold County
Capacity:480 seats
Parish:Fagerborg
Diocese:Diocese of Oslo

Fagerborg Church (Fagerborg kirke) is located south of Stensparken at Fagerborg in Oslo, Norway.[1]

The building

Construction of the church began in 1901 and was completed in 1903. The church was consecrated on 22 December 1903 by Bishop Anton Christian Bang. The structure is a three-aisled church built of brick, with constructive joints made of quarried granite and has 480 seats. The church is in neo-Gothic style with elements of Jugendstil and built in granite from Skjeberg. The church was redecorated inside for the 50th anniversary in 1953. On this occasion, the church received new chandeliers designed by architect Harald Hille.

The church is built to a design by architect Hagbarth Martin Schytte-Berg (1860-1944), after a competition in which 54 entries were submitted. The style church is the result of art nouveau treatment of the historic eclecticism. The basic features are derived from the Neo-Romanesque and neo-Gothic, but filtered through the Jugendstil styled shapes and materials. Church doors are executed in a national romantic medieval-inspired style[2] [3]

Interior

The pulpit and altar are both designed by the church architect.

Stained glass is made of imperial and royal court stained glass artist Max Roth from the studio Miksa Roth in Budapest, Hungary, with Art Nouveau features. Pulpit is also Art Nouveau style and made of American Oregon pine. It is decorated with carvings from drawing by Schytte-Berg. The font is in white marble, has an octagonal base and is in neo-Romanesque style. The altarpiece was designed by the architect and executed by sculptor Jo Visdalen (1861-1923). The altarpiece has over the years undergone a number of changes.[4]

Church organs

The old church organ at the side of the choir was completed in 1903. The church received a new organ in 1932 consisting of 2728 pipes. In 2007 a newer organ was dedicated. The new organ was built by Orgelbau Goll based in Lucerne. The organ has 54 voices and is among the largest in Oslo.[5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.artemisia.no/arc/nouveau/oslo/fagerborg.kirke.html Jugendstil i Oslo, Fgerborg kirke
  2. http://folk.uio.no/toanders/images/natursteinskirkene_i_oslo.htm#Fagerborg%20kirke Natursteinskirkene i Oslo
  3. Web site: Hagbarth Martin Schytte-Berg. Store norske leksikon. September 1, 2016.
  4. Web site: Jo Visdal. Store norske leksikon. September 1, 2016.
  5. https://archive.today/20130222201830/http://norske-kirkebygg.origo.no/-/bulletin/show/379344_fagerborg-kirke Norske kirkebygg, Fagerborg kirke
  6. Web site: Orgelbau Goll au Luzern. Orgelbau Goll AG. September 1, 2016.