Austre Moland Church


Austre Moland Church is a parish church in Arendal municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the village of Brekka, along the lake Molandsvann. The church is one of three churches in the Moland parish which is part of the Arendal prosti in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark. The white, wooden, cruciform church was built in 1673 by the architect Ole Ormsen. The church seats nearly 500 people.

History

The church was originally built as a small long church in 1673 to serve the old parish of Østre Moland (prior to 1919, the church was called Østre Moland kirke. It was extended into a cruciform church in 1779, after a new tower had been added in 1750 and four small spires in 1775. Ole Nilsen Weierholt was in charge of the construction. The painting and other decoration of the church was executed by Anders Grundesøn Løwe from Risør in 1797 at a cost of 300 riksdaler, and his fellow artist Nils Christensen created all of the portraits of the angels and apostles. The exterior of the church has painted decorations around the windows.
The church bells date from 1750 and 1754. The church is built of wood and can accommodate about 496 people. The building underwent a major restoration in 1961.