Church of Avaldsnes

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Avaldsnes Church (Norwegian: Avaldsnes kirke, formally St. Olav's Church at Avaldsnes, Norwegian: St Olavskirken på Avaldsnes) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Karmøy Municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Avaldsnes on the northern part of the island of Karmøy. It is the church for the Avaldsnes parish which is part of the Karmøy prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Stavanger. The medieval stone church was built in a long church design by an unknown architect. The first church located here was likely built before the year 1024 on the site of Avaldsnes Kongsgård estate. The present stone church was built in 1250. The church seats about 400 people.

Before this church was constructed, there was a wooden church on the same site around the year 1024. That church is assumed to have been built by Olav Trygvason, and it is possible that the present stone church is built around this church originally. The church was mentioned by the historian Snorri Sturluson in chapter 19 of his book Soga om Olav den heilage. This church has been a landmark for seafarers passing through the Karmsundet strait for 750 years. King Håkon IV Håkonsson gave...