Froland Church


Froland Church is a parish church in Froland municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the village of Froland, on the shore of the river Nidelva. It is the church for the Froland parish which is part of the Arendal prosti in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark. The white, wooden church was built in 1718 to replace an earlier church that was torn down in 1715. The present church seats about 295 people.

History

The first church in Froland was recorded in historical records as early as 1425 as the "Frodelands Sogn i Nidardal", however it may have been in existence even before the Black Death in Norway. No one knows when the first church was built or how many churches have been located at this site, but in 1704 there was a royal resolution that stipulated that the old church be torn down and replaced. However, Bishop Jens Bircherod would not allow the church to be torn before the financing for the new was in order. He asked every farm to deliver timber for the new church. During the demolition of the old church, old idols were found which were thrown into the nearby river.