Gjerde Church


Gjerde Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Etne Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the Etnesjøen, just south of the village centre. It is one of the churches for the Etne parish which is part of the Sunnhordland prosti in the Diocese of Bjørgvin. The white, wooden church was built in a long church style in 1676 using designs by an unknown architect. The church seats about 250 people.

History

The earliest existing historical records of the church date back to the year 1288, but it was built some time before that. That church was most likely a stave church that was in use until 1673 when it was badly damaged in a storm and it was torn down. Instead of rebuilding, the parish purchased another church that was moved here from Sandviken in Bergen. The church from Bergen was built in the 1500s. The new church was moved here and completed in 1676 and has been in use since that time. This white, wooden church seats about 250 people. The church bell dates back to 1315. The bell is inscribed : "Jakob made me 1315. Pastor Erling had me made."