Churches in Land
Nordre Land
Søndre Land
Nordsinni Church, a "cross church," was built in 1758 and was moved down into
the valley from what is the current location of Hogne Chapel in 1898. The
first reference to Hogne/Nordsinni Church was from 1311 to 1317. Through the
years, there are various spellings for Hogne, including Haunar, Hougner and
Haugner. The church in Østsinni became the main church for Nordre
Land when the Lands parishes were divided in 1866.
Lunde Church, a "cross church," was built in 1767 and replaced the Ny
Gård Church. It was built of logs and has a cupola rather than a tower
with a steeple. As with all churches of that time, it had a man's side and a
women's side. Until the restoration in the 1950s, the farms had their own
pew with doors into each one.
Åmodt Church, a building with eight sides, stands on the Åmodt
farm in Nord-Torpa. This church is the farthest north of the Land churches.
The church was first painted red on the outside. In 1877 it was paneled on
the outside and painted white, as it appears today.
Østsinni Church is located a short distance northeast of Dokka. It
was built in 1877 to replace an older church. Some of the timber from the
old church was used in the new, no doubt some 700-800 years old at that time.
Gaarder Church (sometimes confused with Gaarder Church in Vest-Torpa) is
mentioned in written sources from 1337. This church has been known as
Østsinni Church for the last 100 years. Upon the division of the
combined parishes in 1866, Østsinni became the head church for Nordre
Land.
Hogne Chapel is located high in the Dæhli community in upper Nordsinni.
Nordsinni Church stood here from about 1300 until it was moved to its present
location in the 1890s. In 1935 permission to build this chapel was received.
Hogne Chapel was dedicated on September 25, 1950.
Kinn Church, a "long church," was dedicated in 1956. The first records of
Kinn Church are from 1337. This original church of the middle ages was
probably a small four-sided stave church and was one of the annex churches
(chapels) under Ringsaker Church. In 1817 the old church was dismantled and
it is thought that the old church stood on what is now the parking lot.
Far up in Østsinni stands Vølstad Chapel, a "long church."
According to old community legends, this is the oldest church location in the
parish, and the land around the church was perhaps the first settled area in
Østsinni. It is here that the foundation of the early Volstad Church
remains, believed to date to the time of the introduction of Christianity.
Fluberg Church is the oldest existing church in Land. It is also very
important in that this was the main church for Nordre and Søndre Land
right up until 1866. The present church was built of logs in 1703. It is
not known what the name "Fluberg" means, and very little is known of the
history from the first 100 years of this church. It is known that the first
church at Fluberg was a small stave church and was built close to the lake:
Randsfjorden. Fluberg was first mentioned in 1330. The first church must
have been finished before 1200.
Hov Church stands in the center of the village of Hov, the administrative
center for Søndre Land. This church was built in 1781, an extensive
restoration completed in 1981. Hov Church is built where it is because this
was a place of worship for the pagan gods ("Hov" meaning God's house). The
Christian church deliberately took over this place to show which religion had
won. A church is mentioned at Hov in the 1300s.
Enger Church, a "long church," is located the farthest south of the Land
churches. Building plans began in 1870 and the church was complete five
years later. The church has been remodeled since it was first built, and was
rededicated in 1952.
Skute Church, a "long church," was built in 1915. This frame-work building,
on the west side of the Randsfjorden, was designed to show some of the
features of a traditional "stavkirke" (stave church). At Hol in Hallingdal
there is a church of the same type as Skute Church--the only difference being
that Skute Church has a higher steeple.
Built in 1965, Landåsbygda Chapel is the newest church building in
Søndre Land. The altar painting dates from before 1700 and originally
hung in the first Fluberg Church. There has never been a church here before
the present one. The architect of this chapel, Per Nordan, also designed
Vølstad chapel in Østsinni.
